Dealer service vehicle

[Cuppedup]

Would you guys buy a service vehicle from the dealer used for customers bringing their ram in for service? $16K off msrp for this vehicle with < 5K miles. Looks to be in new condition.

 

[NordicNevs]

Would you guys buy a service vehicle from the dealer used for customers bringing their ram in for service? $16K off msrp for this vehicle with < 5K miles. Looks to be in new condition.

No


19 DDSRT
19 Ram 3500 Laramie Megacab HO (patriot bus)

 

[Cuppedup]

Care to explain?

 

[Cuppedup]

This Was placed in service 150 days ago and has over 90% of its warranty left

 

[NordicNevs]

Had a buddy who was a service manager. This conversation has come up more than a few times.
The amount of care a service Vehicle gets is less than a rental and we know how well they are taken care of. It’s a convince and commodity not a money maker. The stories they told me about literal sh*t they find in these things is hard. They are ran hard and consider every person who used them? His summary was; send em to auction but they can cut some of their losses with selling them as used or even new-ish


19 DDSRT
19 Ram 3500 Laramie Megacab HO (patriot bus)

 

[Skater]

Typically, those vehicles have been rode hard and put away wet by folks who use them like a rental car without fear of damage or harm to them. No way would I purchase one of those service vehicles, nor a demo vehicle.

 

[Cuppedup]

What’s the difference between a dealer service vehicle and a used car? You don’t know what either vehicle has been through...and with so few miles on the truck and still under the majority of warranty, I don’t really see why not?

 

[PorBoy]

I guess I am the odd one out as if it comes with a warranty I definitely would buy. I look at it like it’s like me chancing buying a used vehicle except most times that used vehicle has no history.

 

[NordicNevs]

What’s the difference between a dealer service vehicle and a used car? You don’t know what either vehicle has been through...and with so few miles on the truck and still under the majority of warranty, I don’t really see why not?

Then it sounds like your mind is made up and admin can kill this thread?

You would know from the carfax (how many owners, service history from the dealer etc) generally a used vehicle has a few owners not hundreds. A used vehicle generally has someone who gives a damn about it...not hundreds who see it as a means to an end.

Changing the oil 1 time (sounds like this model might not even have hit the requirement) doesn’t equate to a well maintained vehicle.

Don’t fall for the 16k off. You can get close to that (8-12k) if you negotiate and don’t give them what they need, a sale of a vehicle that should be auctioned.


19 DDSRT
19 Ram 3500 Laramie Megacab HO (patriot bus)

 

[Cuppedup]

Easy there big guy. I was just stating my reasonings for why Im considering the purchase and opening it up for further discussion...

 

[NordicNevs]

Easy there big guy. I was just stating my reasonings for why Im considering the purchase and opening it up for further discussion...

Though it comes across as ill mannered that’s not my intent. Simply stating that there are heaps of differences between used and service loaners.

I genuinely do not want to see you (arguable based on my experience) get into one of these because the deal seems decent and have other issues or a shorty life of the vehicle / lower satisfaction with it. It’s your investment but I have seen and have had a loaner vehicle with 3000 miles on it already look like 30k.

I’d prefer you to invest a few extra thousand, time and energy to get a vehicle you really like and love and enjoy it.

None of these are perfect rigs but I wouldn’t stack the deck against you right off the bat.

That’s all I’m sayin bud.


19 DDSRT
19 Ram 3500 Laramie Megacab HO (patriot bus)

 

[Cuppedup]

Thank you and I appreciate the advice

 

[Scram1500]

It's probably fine, but here is a quote from author PJ O'Rourke:

You have to get a car that handles really well. This is extremely important, and there’s a lot of debate on this subject — about what kind of car handles best. Some say a front-engined car; some say a rear-engined car. I say a rented car. Nothing handles better than a rented car. You can go faster, turn corners sharper, and put the transmission into reverse while going forward at a higher rate of speed in a rented car than in any other kind. You can also park without looking, and can use the trunk as an ice chest. Another thing about a rented car is that it’s an all-terrain vehicle. Mud, snow, water, woods — you can take a rented car anywhere. True, you can’t always get it back — but that’s not your problem, is it?
—P.J. O'Rourke, "How to Drive Fast on Drugs While Getting Your Wing-Wang Squeezed and Not Spill Your Drink"

 

[SD Rebel]

What’s the difference between a dealer service vehicle and a used car? You don’t know what either vehicle has been through...and with so few miles on the truck and still under the majority of warranty, I don’t really see why not?

It really depends on how the vehicle was used, but likely not as nicely as a single owner who planned on keeping it a while. People do dumb things to rentals/service vehicles, like revving them while cold, neutral dropping the tranny, and other mechanical abuses since its not their vehicle. Now imagine all the different renters who drove this vehicle and all the potential abuses and mistakes they all could have made over those low miles.

I always laugh when rental companies try to sell a car, they always say the oil changes were done on time! So 2-3 oil changes at 20,000 miles? Big deal, no amount of oil changes will make up for abuse.
I highly recommend you don't buy that truck, because there could be things done to it that won't show up right away, not until your warranty is long gone, like abuses to the transmission or drivetrain.

 

[mikeru82]

Would you guys buy a service vehicle from the dealer used for customers bringing their ram in for service? $16K off msrp for this vehicle with < 5K miles. Looks to be in new condition.

Never go by looks alone. With less than 5k miles it sure as hell better look new still. Even a vehicle that's been abused can be detailed and made to look a lot better than it really is. It should be a given that it will look new.
But in this case I probably wouldn't buy it. It's already been mentioned that you should be able to negotiate a new truck down 8 to 12 thousand dollars off MSRP. It won't have been abused by several dozen people, and you can select one with the features you want. You also didn't give any details about this truck. What's the MSRP? $16k off a $78k Limited is only 20.5% off MSRP. But $16k off a $38k Tradesman is a whopping 42% off MSRP.
The only way I would ever consider buying a service vehicle is if it has very low miles (like this one), priced at least 30% off MSRP, and comes with an extended b to b warranty from the manufacturer (in this case Mopar). No 3rd party warranties.

This Was placed in service 150 days ago and has over 90% of its warranty left

Unless the dealership had it titled in their name, technically this truck was never sold. So it should come with 100% of the factory warranty.

 

[The Critic]

It depends if the dealer titled the vehicle. If the vehicle was never titled, the warranty has not started. But if they have, then you have less warranty remaining and it is not a particularly good deal.

 

[Cuppedup]

CC lone star with level 1, ORP, sport appearance, 20”wheels, 33 gal tank.
MSRP just over $52K
Advertised for $$36K.

Doesn’t matter either way. I had the dealer get me an OTD price which they were reluctant to do. Finally, I received a call this morning and the price was actually $42K for the vehicle and the OTD price was $47,000 bc I only qualified for several Incentives and there were BS “add ons” like low jack and some other crap. She kept trying to explain this was a new truck and was used as a loaner. So I came back with “so it was used by customers for $3500 miles?”...”yes”...”ok so we both agree it’s used”. She didn’t like that one. I told her if she can make the sale for $35K I may come out and pick it up. I’m thinking no shot.

Good grief I’m NEVER going to find the truck I’m looking for.

 

[SD Rebel]

CC lone star with level 1, ORP, sport appearance, 20”wheels, 33 gal tank.
MSRP just over $52K
Advertised for $$36K.

Doesn’t matter either way. I had the dealer get me an OTD price which they were reluctant to do. Finally, I received a call this morning and the price was actually $42K for the vehicle and the OTD price was $47,000 bc I only qualified for several Incentives and there were BS “add ons” like low jack and some other crap. She kept trying to explain this was a new truck and was used as a loaner. So I came back with “so it was used by customers for $3500 miles?”...”yes”...”ok so we both agree it’s used”. She didn’t like that one. I told her if she can make the sale for $35K I may come out and pick it up. I’m thinking no shot.

Good grief I’m NEVER going to find the truck I’m looking for.

Just wait, the timing is off due to covid and the low production and shortages, things will loosen up.

 

[WXman]

Well, when they give me "loaner" vehicles it's usually a 4-cylinder cheap FCA vehicle like a Jeep Renegade, Chrysler 200, etc. I will admit that I drive the absolute **** out of them. Looking for the speed limiter, testing the brakes, etc. I beat on them. And I guarantee you that other people beat on them worse than I do. Plus, they usually smell like cigs on the inside. I guess it's my way of taking out my aggression since my very expensive FCA vehicles keep spending weeks in the shop when brand new.

No way I'd buy one for my own personal vehicle.

 

[brian42]

Since I have a Big Horn my dealer usually gives me a Classic Tradesman. What's that sticking in the crack of the rear seat? A juice box. What is my hand rubbing on when I buckle my seatbelt? A candybar wrapper.

I would not buy one of the "lower" models as they are loaners for everybody. I'm not trying to generalize but there's a difference in those that buy a Tradesman and those that buy a Limited. That being said one time I went in there was only 1 'loaner' left...a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. Definitely in nicer condition that the low-end loaners I normally got.

I would go over the truck with a fine toothcomb to see if there is any indication of abuse or anything was 'overly used' during it's life as a loaner. Then I would pay the $100 for an independent shop to go over it to make sure it's in good mechanical shape.

If that all checks out it would be down to price. Being a fleet vehicle I would definitely shoot for lower than the average price for your area.