There is no Chesterton's fence here, the history and current regulatory environment surrounding auto dealing is well known. Dealerships exist in general becaus

There is no Chesterton's fence here, the history and current regulatory environment surrounding auto dealing is well known. Dealerships exist in general because early 20th century people liked buying from specialized stores instead of department stores or mail ordering them. Dealerships exist today because of regulatory capture. Dealerships in the US do not play any role in determining the ability of the purchaser to operate the vehicle. It is legal and possible to purchase a vehicle without a drivers license in all 50 US states.