Man Tries To Buy a Car Sight Unseen. Then He Tries Brokering The Deal By Text Message: 'Happens All The Time'

'Man I just got it here.'

Should you buy a dealership car sight unseen

Photo by: AdobeStock

Stacy Fernandez

By: Stacy Fernandez

Feb 9, at 4:00pm ET

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Dealerships have gotten pretty comfortable with remote transactions. Text messages, video walkarounds, deals done entirely over the phone—it's all part of the modern car-buying experience.

But one salesman's recent experience shows exactly why some old-school practices still matter, like actually showing up before committing to a deal.

Salesman Regrets Making Deal Via Text

In a viral video with more than 3,400 views, car salesman Grant Sims (@grantesimsss) recounts a frustrating customer experience.

The saga began two weeks earlier when Sims received an internet lead. He did everything he could: emailed the customer, called them, and sent text messages. Nothing. Radio silence for 14 days.

Then, at 4:30 p.m. one day, his phone finally rang.

"Hey, I found this vehicle. I wanna buy it," he recounts the customer saying.

Perfect timing, Sims thought. The vehicle was at one of his other dealerships, about an hour away. He asked what time the customer could arrive that evening and received confirmation that they'd be there. Sims was wrapping up another deal at his current location, but as soon as he finished, he'd make the drive to grab the car.

He sent the customer a video on his way to pick up the vehicle, letting them know he was en route. He drove the hour to the other store, secured the car, and drove another hour back. When he arrived, he parked the vehicle and took a photo of the delivery for proof to the customer that he had their car ready and waiting.

Then he opened his text messages.

"Customer agrees to a different car deal," Sims says.

Not at his dealership, at a competing one.

"I said, 'Man, I just got it here,'" Sims recounts. The customer's response? They'd walked out on a deal at another dealership, and that dealer called them back with a better offer.

Sims is left standing in his lot next to a car he just spent two hours retrieving, with no buyer and no deal.

"What?" he says, clearly exasperated.

The Risks Of Brokering Car Deals Remotely

Sims' experience highlights a growing tension in modern car sales—the gap between consumer demand for remote purchases and the real-world logistics dealerships face. While sight-unseen car buying has gained traction, the numbers tell a complicated story.

According to Progressive, only 6% of recent car buyers actually purchased online from sites like Carvana or Vroom, despite widespread consumer interest. An overwhelming 67% still expect to buy their next car in person at a dealership. The shift back to dealerships appears to be driven by economics—cost savings are a top factor for in-person purchases, especially as inventory has improved and discounts have begun to appear again.

The online versus in-person divide also shows up in how people shop. Among current car shoppers, 42% browse exclusively in person at dealerships, while only 22% shop entirely online. The rest split their time between both. Even digitally minded shoppers are turning to dealership websites more than to dedicated car-buying platforms like Carvana or Cars.com.

But for younger buyers, the calculus is different. Boston Consulting Group research found that 44% of buyers aged 18 to 30 would purchase a car sight unseen.

Most dealerships require a financial commitment to hold a vehicle, typically ranging from $100 to several thousand dollars, depending on the vehicle and market demand. According to GoodCar, hold periods usually last 24 hours to a week, though custom orders may require longer commitments. But dealerships have no legal obligation to hold a vehicle without a signed, written agreement—and even with one, buyers can sometimes walk away depending on deposit terms.

Commenters React

"Happens all the time! And it hurts each and every time," a top comment read.

"First red flag should’ve been that he reached out after two weeks of you reaching out to them," a person said.

What do you think?

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Comments

"Nah no way, people flake too much. If the customer was truly serious, why couldn’t they meet you at that other dealership?" another wrote.

Motor1 reached out to @grantesimsss for comment via Instagram and TikTok direct message. We will update this story if he responds.

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