Some want ability to buy vehicles without having to go to the dealership
Send a link to a friend
[April 19, 2023]
By Zeta Cross | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – A new Senate bill would allow Illinoisans to
purchase a car without ever having to visit a dealership.
In a digital world, a person can buy just about anything from the
comfort of home. In the Illinois Senate, state Sen. Patrick Joyce,
D-Essex, has Senate Bill 1896. If approved, car buyers in Illinois will
be able to buy a car without ever having to visit a dealership.
SB1896 would change the Illinois Vehicle Code to clarify language
pertaining to home delivery and electronic signatures.
Larry Doll, attorney with the Illinois Auto Dealers Association, said
Joyce’s bill has the backing of most Illinois new car dealers and of the
Illinois Auto Dealers Association.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Apr/19/images/ads/current/burtonview_sda_SFARM_2023.png)
The legislation, which sailed through the Senate in March with no
opposition, would clarify how sales tax is calculated and allow
electronic signatures on title applications, odometer statements and
powers of attorney that currently require in-person signatures made with
ink pens.
“A few documents still require a good old fashioned wet ink signature.
We’re trying to bring those documents into the 21st Century by
digitizing the whole process,” Doll told The Center Square.
[to top of second column]
|
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Apr/19/images/ads/current/graue_lda_preowned_Buickencore_011323.jpg)
Ever since COVID-19 made some people reluctant to go out, dealers have
been selling cars online and on the phone, Doll said. The process has
been complicated and confusing because sales tax can vary if a customer
takes delivery of the car at their home address.
Joyce’s bill would designate the address of the dealership as the
address that is used to calculate the sales tax, so that the process is
standardized. No matter where a customer takes possession of a vehicle,
the sales tax is calculated using the dealership location as the point
of transfer, eliminating a lot of confusion, Doll said.
“Any kind of remote sale that is conducted properly is considered to
take place at the dealership rather than at the customer’s address or
wherever the vehicle is delivered,” he said.
Carvana, the national company that sells used cars online and delivers
them directly to the customer’s driveway, is backing Joyce’s legislation
because the company believes that it is not necessary to visit a
dealer’s office in order to buy a car.
Doll said online sales and direct delivery are not for everybody, but
some customers want the option, and the Illinois Auto Dealers
Association wants to give all their customers the buying experience that
they prefer.
“Most people want to see the vehicle, touch it, drive it before they
make that kind of investment,” Doll said. “But we have some customers
who are comfortable with the remote process, and we want to serve our
customers the best we can.” |