How Long After Taking Delivery Can You Drive the Car Away?
4 Answers
You can drive the car away immediately after taking delivery. Relevant details are as follows: 1. 4S Dealership: If the 4S dealership handles insurance and license plate registration for you, after inspecting the car and confirming there are no issues, you make the payment. The dealership needs the payment to process insurance, pay the purchase tax, and register the license plate. These procedures take time, so you may have to wait a few days before driving the car away. 2. Financing: The 4S dealership may have the vehicle's certificate of conformity mortgaged at the bank for financing purposes. They will retrieve the certificate from the bank only after receiving the final payment. Generally, before making the final payment, you should request the dealership to show you the certificate of conformity and only proceed with payment after verifying the original document. This is to prevent situations where some dealerships have poor financial operations, leading to delays in retrieving the certificate and being unable to register the license plate even after payment.
Last time I picked up my car, the whole process went quite smoothly and took about an hour. As soon as I arrived at the dealership, the salesperson guided me through a thorough inspection of the vehicle—checking for any scratches on the exterior, ensuring the interior functions were working properly, and testing the engine start and lights. Then came the payment step; I opted to pay in full with cash, which was quick. If you choose financing or credit card, it would take longer due to information verification. The paperwork part included signing the contract, photocopying my driver's license and ID, and the dealership helped with temporary license plate registration. Insurance is crucial—I had purchased an electronic policy in advance and only drove off after confirming it was effective immediately. If you don't prepare insurance beforehand, handling it on-site will delay things. Overall, it's advisable to prepare all documents in advance to minimize waiting time; typically, it takes half an hour to an hour to complete. Remember to do a safety check before driving, such as inspecting brakes and tires, to ensure peace of mind on the road.
As someone who frequently deals with car dealerships, I've noticed that the time it takes to pick up a car can vary significantly. Ideally, it can be completed in 30 minutes: a quick inspection of the vehicle, straightforward payment via cash or transfer, and simple paperwork like contracts and invoices. However, many factors can cause delays—such as insurance not being active yet, or new buyers forgetting to prepare copies of their ID. Registered dealerships often handle temporary license plates for you. Missing documents or delays in loan approvals can extend the process to over two hours. To be efficient, ensure your insurance is activated immediately, bring all required documents, and allocate flexible time for unexpected delays. Arriving early to avoid peak hours makes the process smoother and allows more time to ask sales staff for vehicle usage tips.
I was thrilled to pick up my first car. Arriving at the dealership at 9 AM, the salesperson warmly showed me the vehicle. After a quick inspection of the exterior and interior, I made the payment via mobile banking. The document signing process was swift, mainly involving the contract and invoice. I had already arranged the insurance online and confirmed its activation on-site. When handing over the keys, the salesperson suggested taking a short test drive. The entire process took about 45 minutes before I drove off. Newcomers, don’t panic—remember to sort out insurance and documents beforehand to save time and avoid last-minute chaos. Before driving, test basic functions to ensure safety.
