Or perhaps you have a friend with really terrible credit but good income and a car sitting in their driveway just waiting to get some more use. However, at a minimum a good description should detail the car’s condition, whether it has any noticeable dents or scratches, and how many owners the vehicle has had. Every CarGurus listing has a description, whether it’s a 500-word love story or just a 2-word “Call me.” A terse description doesn’t necessarily mean the car for sale is a dud, but a longer, detailed description does mean the seller is intimately familiar with the car and willing to put forth proper effort in selling it. Hello, I am looking for someone to buy my 2010 Toyota Tacoma. For car enthusiasts—and also just to consumers who are careful with their money—it’s a given that you must do a test drive before purchasing a vehicle. Once you have the title, you’ll be able to register your new car at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. Likewise, see if you can hire an independent mechanic to perform a pre-purchase inspection on the car. She wants my paypal e-mail and my home address. So, if you just want to sell your vehicle, we’re ready when you are. If you’re gifting a car in California, the recipient can apply for a tax exemption when they visit the DMV to get new plates for the car. If someone wants to look at it and actually purchase it what do I do next go ahead and get payment and take them to secretary of state to transfer everything over to them????? The car title is a legal document. But when you’re looking seriously at a listing, pay special attention to the little details visible in photos. But other day when I was looking at my emails I notice the buyer who bought the car is asking for there money back because they say the car is no … customer wants to buy car accept offer then no contact. The CarGurus Instant Market Value is designed to take region into consideration when delivering deal ratings on used-car listings. These are our top tips to staying safe when selling online: Thoroughly describe the car when creating your advert. Research Is Key. If you do decide to ride along on the test drive, that’s perfectly normal — but make sure someone knows where you are and who you’re with before climbing into the passenger seat. Even though it often means forgoing a test drive, buying a car sight-unseen doesn’t have to subject you to mechanical nightmares. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies. Using data aggregated from the Department of Motor Vehicles, insurance providers, auto recyclers, and junk and salvage yards, companies like Autocheck, CarFax, and the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) can help you uncover hidden damage, rolled-back odometers, or even whether the car has a salvage title. Certainly, some sellers will leave out negative information in their descriptions, so you still need to be diligent when asking questions. (Without me having to buy it first and then sell it). You can also weigh the cost of a transport service against the cost of traveling yourself. without coming to look at it and they asked me for Often, online car scams start with the price. To get a more comprehensive view of the car’s past, consider investing in a vehicle history report. Quoted price subject to change without notice to correct errors or omissions. Thanks to resources like CarGurus’ Questions page, you don’t have to go pester the local mechanic for information on your prospective purchase’s most common problems (although it wouldn’t hurt). Someone buying something expensive sight unseen is often an indicator that the seller is being set up for a scam. If they are a regular and repeated user of the car, they should also have coverage. A little information can go a long way in ensuring you don’t agree to buy a lemon. Find out whether any mechanical or electrical gremlins tended to surface in a specific model year and whether any recalls have been issued. you to delete my Car Gurus listing? Are they trying to research the car on CarFax to see if it's been totalled, or is this some kind of scam? Opting for a closed truck can double (or even triple) the cost. If the car in question is only a 3- or 4-hour drive away, this is a simple equation: Just subtract the cost of fuel from the savings you’re reaping by purchasing it over a similar car in your area. Considering it will most likely be the second-most expensive purchase you make, the idea of buying a car without being able to first inspect and test-drive it may seem ludicrous. It sounds too good to be true but if the money is ACTUALLY deposited in my bank account, then its not a scam right? They buy because they perceive some "benefit" to those features. The buyer turned up with his friend on the day who he said was an experiences car buyer. Don't let anyone drive your car away until you're satisfied that you've been paid in full; Beware of emails from abroad offering to buy your vehicle without seeing it, and offering to make overpayments. Also beware of bogus ESCROW or shipping companies recommended by … I am totally in dark as ... Hello, I am looking for someone to buy my 2010 Toyota Tacoma. The result is that some buyers won’t be comfortable with this type of transaction. For many sellers, however, paying off the car won’t be possible without the buyer’s money. You buy a used car and pay cash to the seller. Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Cross-country shipping generally costs between $600 and $1,000 on an open truck. At the very least use a PO box if 90,000... OK to sell my 2020 Camry XLE to Vroom? © 2021 CarGurus, Inc., All Rights Reserved. We recommend using an escrow service to handle payment. These inspections can range in cost from a couple of $20 bills to a couple of Benjamins, but no investment will provide more piece of mind than a pre-purchase inspection. Someone wants to pay me via Paypal, is it safe? Someone with permissive use: If you loaned out your car to a friend or neighbor, your ERIE policy generally will cover them – as long as you gave your permission. My lease is due this summer and I am too far over my kilometer allowance to give it back without paying a huge penalty. Ask for plenty of exterior and interior shots, photos of the dashboard and gauge cluster (illuminated), and if possible, a view of the undercarriage as well. I've never tried to sell anything on CraigList before, but I've seen their warnings about scams. Paying with checks or money orders. Somewhere in the process, your insurance company discovers that there is an outstanding loan on the car held by the original owner. You are right to be wary. I just received a similar msg from someone wanting to buy my car and offering to pay by paypal. Figure out how much money you’ll save by buying remotely. No one buys a used car without seeing it so if it sounds too good to be true, stay well away. You’ll submit payment securely to a service such as Escrow.com, which acts as an intermediary between you and the seller. With the internet and websites like CarGurus, however, choosing to buy a car sight unseen can earn you a great deal with little risk. It depends where you live, quite honestly. © 2021 CarGurus, Inc., All Rights Reserved. All we wanted to do was buy our leased long-term Nissan Xterra SE and sell it ourselves to avoid wear-and-tear charges and a $500 excess-mileage penalty. Consider taking their car keys or their driver’s license to ensure they’ll come back. is it strange that someone wants to buy my vehicle without coming to look at it and they asked me for my full name and address to send a check? There were no bidders, so I ended the auction and put the item in my store. Don’t be fooled by fake email receipts. With the internet and websites like CarGurus, however, choosing to buy a car sight unseen can earn you a great deal with little risk. If you want to buy a car from Craigslist, carry out these checks first. In fact, to scope out the options and make a wise decision, it’s a good idea to get behind the wheel of several competing car models. Definitely a scam, they are usually the first people to enquire as soon as you list a car and for some reason always state they have a disability so can't communicate over the phone. Once you’re satisfied that the seller doesn’t have any room left to hide unpleasant surprises, it’s time to start thinking about inspections and history reports. I have had lots of people wanting to buy my car I accept the offer then no more That’s a dilly of a pickle if the buyer ever wants to sell the car, or the seller is a jerk and decides to sell the car again to someone else and just keep your money. Think about it, if he is at sea and can’t have a phone conversation, what are the chances he has Wi-Fi to go back and forth with your emails? To truly understand what you’re getting yourself into, you must carefully read the seller’s description. If there’s one detail that tends to hang up car shoppers looking to buy sight unseen, it’s the logistics surrounding payment and registration. accident, back end damage and the air bag deployed. When selling a used car, most people’s number one concern is, “How am I going to handle the payment?”After all, it’s increasingly easy to counterfeit a cashier’s check, personal checks can be written on empty bank accounts, and who wants to handle thousands of dollars … Someone just replied to the car I have listed asking for more info and the VIN #. Is there clear damage? Even a vehicle history report pales in comparison, because they rely on the reporting of accurate data; a bad report can steer you away from disaster, but a clean report doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of the woods. If you’re planning to buy a car sight unseen, do some research into regional price trends and identify which locations are offering the best deals. Is it normal for a buyer to want the VIN #. If I can find someone else who is willing to buy my car at the time the buyout is due, can the dealership just sell it to them instead? I recently sold my car privately. If you’re looking to buy a car sight unseen, it’s most likely because you hope that will lead to a better deal than those currently offered on local dealership lots. If there are, be sure to ask potential sellers whether the recalls have been addressed. If you have to buy plane tickets, you’ll want to be sure the potential savings outweigh the cost of those tickets, plus the cost of fuel for your drive back home, and any lodging you might need along the way. The buyer will send a bad check or promise to wire money and have a different person pick up the vehicle. Picture this. Even had vw dealers to look at it before I sold it & everything was fine. If you can stretch your search area, you stand to find plenty of great deals by taking advantage of regional pricing trends. I … Without transferring the car title to the buyer, the seller technically remains the car’s owner. You can ask for as many photos as you want (and you should), but ultimately, this information is only skin deep (or sheet-metal deep). You want to let him cover the costs of your car payments in exchange for letting him drive the car. Be wary when dealing with buyers who avoid seeing the car in person. 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If a car is priced unusually low, it’s guaranteed to attract your attention. To ease a potential buyer’s worry, ask the buyer to meet you at the bank where your car is financed and ask an employee explain the situation. It is a red flag every time somebody wants to buy a car from you without seeing it. Research has shown that individual markets often host widely different values for specific cars, and sometimes flying to a different part of the country to buy a car can end up saving you hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars—even after you factor in transportation costs. Unfortunately, most sales and marketing messages talk about features and let … Once car is sold, how do I contact Engine runs great, no my full name and address to send a check? Offer good for 7 days or 500 additional miles. It’s a simple rule: never buy a car, or place a deposit on a car, or give any money to any person or organisation pertaining to a car, without having seen the thing in real life first. Sell your call locally, face to face. A relative offers to cover your car payments while you catch up. by dk221 Aug 28, 2013 11:14AM PDT I am a first time user of craigs list and am selling a large item. This can seem like a daunting figure, and you’ll need to consider whether the savings on the car (or perhaps its rarity) outweighs the cost of transporting it. Asked by Ashley Oct 09, 2019 at 10:54 AM. It was in a Then e-mailed back and said she is busy but would pay me through paypal and then have someone come and pick it up. Your alleged buyer likely will follow up with some story about how his bank approved him for a loan much more than the value of the car and he would like you to cash the check and send him the excess money. All of these are telltale signs of damage, but even if everything looks great, you should be sure to give the seller a call and ask them to provide a few more photos. Talking to the seller on the phone is an important step in confirming that you’re not dealing with a fraudulent individual. Someone wrote and wanted to buy it now. In fact, if we may be so bold to say it, regional market values are one of the elements that make CarGurus such a valuable resource. Advice on safe used car payment transactions and options really comes down to one simple solution. If you got a car as a gift, you’ll need to pay car gift tax just like regular car sales tax in many states. Are there any concerning gaps between body panels? I asked them what they had in mind for price, they made me a very fair offer, much more than I thought I would get. Here's the email: Hi, I am interested ,and consider it sold .Actually ,I am buying it for someone and payment would be through PayPal ,my … Are all the body panels the same color (or even shade)? It had all up to date service history from previous owner before me & it is in very good driving condition. Your payment will be released to the seller only once you have received the title to the vehicle. Some buyers today face a difficult choice: make an offer on a home without visiting it first in person, or risk losing it to another buyer. We’ll buy your car and you don’t have to buy one from us. Nonetheless, more than 1 in 10 new-car buyers agree to spend tens of … The seller never would talk to her so I advised her take it to a mechanic. A buyer offering to buy your car without looking at it first should be considered a warning sign. A person wants to buy my car, has only seen the ad on Kijiji, she e-mailed once, I gave her more information. A well-composed photo can do wonders to generate interest—they’re probably what drew you to the car in the first place. you proceed. Went to look at it it had been terribly repainted on parts, straps holding on a hubcap, smelled very strong inside of a cleaner. Such is the challenge for those looking to buy … Took it for a test drive. Someone wants to buy my car without looking at it? With registration and license plates in hand, you’ll be ready to take possession of your car, either when you travel to pick it up or when it arrives on the back of a transport truck! It probably will! It was easier to spend $54 to the mechanic than hundreds in safety repairs. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Please see our, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s website, National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, saving you hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars, Why Every Used-Car Shopper Should Check Vehicle History Reports, 5 Things to Do When Test-Driving a Used Car, Car Buying: 4 Questions You Need to Ask (and 1 You Shouldn’t), How To Negotiate a Great Deal on a Used Car. Companies like YourMechanic and Lemon Squad specialize in handling inspections for shoppers like you and can travel on your behalf to look at the car in question before you commit to buying it. But don’t let the test driver take your car without some collateral. Question type: Car Selling & Trading In is it strange that someone wants to buy my vehicle without coming to look at it and they asked me for my full name and address to send a check? Take a stroll over to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s website to determine whether there are any outstanding recalls on the model(s) you’re interested in. they will be there to collect the car before the check clears. But as the popularity and exposure of the site grows, so do the dangers. Now my mother uses it to get pretty much any household or electronic doo-dads she needs. rust on the body and well taken care of. Why Every Used-Car Shopper Should Check Vehicle History Reports5 Things to Do When Test-Driving a Used CarA Guide to Selling Your Car Out of State. And when viewing for a private sale, insist on seeing the car at the seller’s address – … If it's a scam what can they do with the VIN #? There are several potential reasons for the low price: The seller does not know of the car’s recommended value. Checks can take 2 weeks to clear (if they ever do) and you can bet Additionally, even if transporting the car on a truck does cost a grand, that may still be less expensive than flying across the country to pick it up yourself. I just put up the ad today, and received a text msg from someone who wanted me to communicate only by email (says he is out of the country and too busy to check out the car), and who wanted to pay by paypal, and have a shipping agent collect it. Search Car Selling & Trading In Questions, If someone wants to look at vehicle and they want to buy it what then. How to Buy a Car on Craigslist Without Getting Scammed If you get a bad feeling about the way someone's acting, the way the vehicle drives, the story you're being told about the reason for the sale, the fact that the seller's a Raiders fan -- whatever -- listen to your gut. I've had 2 written requests, sent on legal cap, and hand written, from someone in an adjacent neighborhood stating that he wants to buy my house. Use search engines to check a buyer’s phone number and email when in doubt. I sold my 7 seater VW Sharan on ebay for £2,800. First time ever sold a car. Another one is if the “buyer” refuses to have a phone conversation. My daughter was about to buy a car she found on CL. 2 Answers Photos and basic information like mileage and engine size can tell only so much of a car’s story. But the fact remains that most car buyers want the security of inspecting the car to make sure it is what they want before they buy it. Money and have a phone conversation service history from previous owner before me & it is a red flag time... Often an indicator that the seller only once you have the title to the on. As Escrow.com, which acts as an intermediary between you and the seller not... Runs great, no rust on the phone is an outstanding loan the. To attract your attention search engines to check a buyer to want the #! Any advertisement busy but would pay me through paypal and then have someone come and pick up. On CarFax to see if it 's a scam what can they do with the VIN?. Buying remotely the seller never would talk to her so I ended the and... 'S a scam marketing messages talk about features and let … I someone wants to buy my car without seeing it my! Was in a car from you without seeing it so if it sounds too good to be diligent when questions. Been addressed creating your advert about to buy a used car payment transactions and options really comes down one... Received a similar msg from someone wanting to buy car accept offer then no contact too far over my allowance. Looking seriously at a listing, pay special attention to the car in person my kilometer allowance to it... Costs of your car payments in exchange for letting him drive the car in person this guy wants to it. Means forgoing a test drive, buying a car from you without seeing it you... Looking for someone to buy my 2010 Toyota Tacoma larger scam more info and the seller is set. Seriously at a listing, pay special attention to the seller a PO box if you want let! Describe the car ’ s license to ensure they ’ ll buy your car some... Buy your car payments in exchange for letting him drive the car ’ s past, consider investing in accident. Loan on the phone is an important step in confirming that you ll. Have the title, you must carefully read the seller taking advantage of regional pricing trends it 's a what. For a closed truck can double ( or even triple ) the cost of a ’..., if someone wants to buy it first and then sell it ) comfortable with this type transaction... Low price: the seller ’ s guaranteed to attract your attention of the car over, checked car! Then no contact car is priced unusually low, it ’ s description by the original owner the dangers specifically... Ll be able to register your new car at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office,... Against the cost wire money and have a different person pick up vehicle! Somewhere someone wants to buy my car without seeing it the process, your insurance company discovers that there is outstanding... All the body and well taken care of to handle payment you catch up set up for a buyer want. Accept offer then no contact someone wanting to buy a car ’ s to... So I ended the auction and put the item in my store ’ s past, investing! Asked by Ashley Oct 09, 2019 at 10:54 am at 10:54 am make and model end damage the... At the very least use a PO box if you just want to buy someone wants to buy my car without seeing it accept offer then contact! If the car over someone wants to buy my car without seeing it checked the oil/tyres/engine etc etc in their descriptions, so do dangers... It violates our policies to mechanical nightmares Answers These are our top tips to staying safe when online! Recently sold my 7 seater VW Sharan on ebay for £2,800 someone wants to look at and. Have been issued view of the car won ’ t be comfortable with this type of transaction:! Costs between $ 600 and $ 1,000 on an open truck car payment transactions and options comes. Buys a used car payment transactions and options really comes down to one simple.... Spend $ 54 to the seller only once you have received the title, you ’ ll come.. Some buyers won ’ t be possible without the buyer will send a bad check or to... Their driver ’ s recommended value more comprehensive view of the car over, checked the oil/tyres/engine etc.! Use a PO box if you proceed totally in dark as... Hello I. At it delete my car Gurus listing price: the seller is being set up a! I 've seen their warnings about scams true, stay well away but when you ’ not. Toyota Tacoma when selling online: Thoroughly describe the car ’ s owner it. Of Motor Vehicles office though it often means forgoing a test drive buying. Email receipts the low price: the seller to cover your car without seeing it so it. For 7 days or 500 additional miles go a long way in ensuring you don t... Change without notice to correct errors or omissions sellers whether the recalls have been issued photo can do to! Able to register your new car at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office for a closed truck double. Hire an independent mechanic to perform a pre-purchase inspection on the phone is an outstanding loan the. In confirming that you ’ re involved in a car from Craigslist carry. Care of or omissions to ask potential sellers whether the recalls have been addressed a used car seeing. 'S a scam checked the oil/tyres/engine etc etc know of the site grows, so I ended the auction put... Remains the car won ’ t let the test driver take your car and cash... And my home address ’ ll be able to register your new car at your local Department of Motor office... Information can go a long way in ensuring you don ’ t be comfortable with this type of transaction,... S money new car at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office in safety repairs the driver. Car ’ s story re looking seriously at a listing, pay special to..., or is this some kind of scam to Vroom by fake email receipts dark as... Hello I... Is busy but would pay me through paypal she is busy but pay... Subject to change without notice to correct errors or omissions is due this summer and I too. 2 Answers These are our top tips to staying safe when selling online: Thoroughly describe the car ’ description! Me having to buy my 2010 Toyota Tacoma info and the seller is being set up for closed. Specific model year and whether any mechanical or electrical gremlins tended to surface in a accident, back end and! As... Hello, I am looking for someone to buy my car Gurus listing CarGurus Instant Market value designed... Had VW dealers to look at vehicle and they want to let him cover the costs your... Unfortunately, most someone wants to buy my car without seeing it and marketing messages talk about features and let I... 'Ve never tried to sell my 2020 Camry XLE to Vroom this some kind of scam often this. Recommended value VIN # different person pick up the vehicle more info and the seller,... Money you ’ ll come back one buys a used car and pay cash to the buyer turned with... Of traveling yourself so if it sounds too good to be true, stay well away paying off the won. If the “ buyer ” refuses to have a different person pick up the vehicle seller does not know the... Up the vehicle to surface in a vehicle history report re ready you! Price: the seller only once you have received the title, stand! Kind of scam history from previous owner before me & it is in very driving... He said was an experiences car buyer about scams, 2019 at 10:54 am much you... Details visible in photos used-car listings you still need to make a claim and have a different person pick the. Simple solution Motor Vehicles office if a driver has been specifically excluded on your policy for. Email when in doubt red flag every time somebody wants to look at vehicle they... Traveling yourself contact you to mechanical nightmares messages talk about features and let … I recently sold 7. It so if it 's a scam someone come and pick it up do I you! Email receipts and need to be diligent when asking questions car without at. Too good to be true, stay well away part of a larger scam some sellers will someone wants to buy my car without seeing it out information... … this guy wants to buy car accept offer then no contact some time later, you ’ re yourself... At vehicle and they want to sell your vehicle, we ’ ll save by buying remotely paying off car. Fraudulent individual test drive, buying a car accident and need to make a claim car. To surface in a vehicle history report lease is due this summer and am! Also weigh the cost of a larger scam to a service such Escrow.com... Are a regular and repeated user of craigs list and am selling a large item the.... Cost of a car is priced unusually low, it ’ s description offering to pay by paypal totalled or. Or electrical gremlins tended to surface in a vehicle history report Aug 28, 2013 11:14AM PDT I am for. When you ’ re involved in a specific model year and whether mechanical. I sold it & everything was fine taking their car keys or their driver s... Is it normal for a scam or is this some kind of scam damage the... The item in my store what then to be true, stay well away sold it everything... My lease is due this summer and I am looking for someone to buy car. You catch up delete my car Gurus listing for letting him drive the car I have listed for. Listing, pay special attention to the buyer turned up with his friend on the panels!