Advice on buying an out of state car

best method?

1. wire transfer
2. bank check
3. have the seller list it on Ebay and "Buy it now" w/ paypal

any advice is appreciated

 

Cash in hand.

 

Im in NJ the car is in Texas

 

Depends on cir***stances. Are you COMPLETELY satisfied that you know enough about this car that buying it is a certainty? Are you satisfied the buyer seems trustworthy? Are you going to pickup the car in person, or having it shipped?

If you answer the first two "yes" and the third, "having it picked up", then any method that satisfies both you and the seller is fine. Ptrobably wire transfer. It's fast and secure.

On the other hand, if you have some unanswered questions, and plan to pick it up yourself, then I would recommend a reasonable desposit, with the balance due when you pick it up and have satisfied yourself it is as represented. That could be a cashier's check, cash, or by pre-arranged wire transfer. On the latter, you set it up before you leave to pick up the car with the agrrement your bank will forward the money to the seller's account when you notify them by phone to do so.

 

I'm satisfied w/ the condition and vehicle specifics

The seller seems trustworthy and i've been in contact through email and phone calls He scanned a copy of the ***le and emailed it to me..

The car will be shipped to me by an as of yet determined car hauler..

If I wire transfer the $$$ and the car doesn't show I am out of luck . Correct??

 

Have his bank and your bank work together on the transfer. The banker on his side can have the ***le in hand to verify, hold and work with your banker one on one. I have done many purchases and sales like this throughout the US. The banks are always willing to help out and you will have more control over it. Do not do pay pal or any kind of check.

Where in Texas? A fellow HAMB'r could probably help you out.

 

that's my understanding of it & Craigslist specificly says not to wire any money. Good enough for me. I tend to use US Post Office Postal Money Orders.

 

I would ONLY take cash in hand from the person buying the items and NO ONE ELSE ! Word of the wise !

RetroJim

 

Jim..Im buying the vehicle not selling one...but I hear you

 

One thing to keep in mind re: wire transfers is you can't do them on a Saturday or Sunday because the transfer goes through the Federal Reserve Bank and they're not open on the weekend.

 

Thanks All...I've reconnected w/ the seller and he's totally cool w/ my concerns. I am going to the bank and will work with them and his bank to get the transfer done as safely as possible.he is willing to let the bank hold the ***le..he has scanned/emailed a copy of the ***le..There are a few concerns...it says Vin Certification waived (although it has a vin # on the ***le) and where the mileage is it says EXEMPT... Is there anyone here from Jersey who has ***led a vehicle w/ these statements? Is this a potential problem?


Chevy Rat ...he's in Odessa

 

sugarlou-

details...details!

I'm new to this forum, but i'm not new to buying cars...some out of state.
If you are willing to part with your hard earned money in this economy, I wouldn't buy a damn thing sight unseen, ***uming you haven't seen this car in person, or at least have a close relationship with the seller.
If it absolutely something you have to have and can't be found locally, take a plane trip and see this car and meet the owner before you go spending any amount of money...the plane ticket could be the cheapest thing you pay for if this situation goes bad. This will also give you an opportunity to take a secured check directly to the seller and complete this transaction with a notary if you are happy with what you see...OR get back on the plane and go home if it wasn't everything it was cracked up to be.

...if you decide it is not worth the trip...

Wire transfer? Are you kidding? Western Union or Moneygram IS NOT a secure way to send money to someone you do not know. Even a bank to bank wire is a risky transaction. Paypal is a better medium, but if the deal goes bad, guess who gets the burden of proof? You don't need to have the seller put it on eBay just to "Buy it Now" and use Paypal...that is just more $$$ down the drain...get an account and send money directly, but expect them to levy a (getting re-goddam-diculous) fee for using this service.
Unless you are paying with a credit card or know a good lawyer in Texas, good luck getting your money back if from a seller across state lines if your seller takes the cash and runs...

I guess my point is to watch your *** when dealing so far from home. It is really exciting to find that 'ole rod ya gotta have at the price you want to pay, but what are you going to be out (time+$$$) if the deal goes bad a thousand miles away from home?

Lay hands on it if ya gotta have it....just my $.02...

Fs-n-Fs

 

Fords,

I called PayPal (I have an account) They suggested the deal w/ Ebay not me..I called them about buying it without Ebay involved and they claimed the ONLY way to be "100% covered" was to go through Ebay..seems they are bed buddies or something. And yes it will cost a couple hundred dollars to use that method..Thanks for the advice.

 

Don't forget a bill of sale and a copy of the seller's driver's license for ease of registration

 

sugarlou...

Paypal is an eBay company...and yes, the buyer protection is actually through listing on eBay. In bed together? YOU BET!! Combined fees between using the both are getting stupid.

Hey...by the way...hello neighbor! What part of Jersey do you hail?

Fs-n-Fs

 

Hey bud...NNJ..Union County..Kenilworth


thanks 212

 

don't count on ebay buyer protection. They are more concerned with making sure the deal happens so they get their cut. Believe me, I learned the hard way.

 

Pay Pal is a waste. They have no authority to make anyone do anything if the deal goes south. I've never known dealing with my personal bank to be risky business.

I've been in car business for several years, sold cars in 30 different states now and have never been ripped becasue we use bank to bank transfers. My banker deals with the sellers / buyers personal banker directly. Funds and ID's are verified through accounts.

Get a fellow Hamber to help you with looking at the car at the very least to confirm it's condition. I'm sure someone on here would help you. Where is it?

 

Odessa

Heres an interesting thing I learned about PayPal...it seems the only way you can make a loss claim is if the seller sends you NOTHING.

If you think you are buying a Vette and the seller sends you an ****** you are screwed.

You can only make a claim if you receive nothing!

 

If I was closer - I would be willing to help you out. I'm sure someone on here is closer. Good luck!

 

I have done bank checks, which the seller will probably want to wait until it clears and I have done bank to seller wire transfers. Both worked perfectly well for me. On Ebay if the seller does not have a 98% rating I don't deal with them. That's a lot better than some car dealer in your home town (or at least my home town). I also require a lot of pictures of the vehicle. I did buy a Lincoln Navigator that had a rust hole in the roof. That was a big surprise but Lincoln put a whole new roof on it under warranty. That seller may have or may not have had any idea the hole was there because the rest of the car was perfect. I have bought several cars on Ebay and (knock on wood) have never been burned yet.

 

I once bought a car sight unseen. It was done through email, pics, etc. Will never ever do that one again. Total headache and the dude selling the car seemed cool but when I received the car he wasn't up front about a couple things and one turned out to be a major issue. Live and learn I guess....

 

There are instances where folks have paid for cars with counterfeit bills. For me, I prefer this method. I show up at your bank. You draw funds and pay me and I sign over the ***le, in front of the banks cameras. In reverse, I show up at your bank with a convertible paper currency that is immediately available and you sign over ***le.

I prefer to do these things in states where I can be legally armed at that very moment. You drive away with the property or I drive away with the property.

Anything else leaves room for error.

 

Hey thanks Chevyrat...he's far from you!

I have 100% Ebay rating as does the seller. He has sold vehicles on Ebay and suggested I contact some of his "customers". All looks good , just trying to cover my *** and have read to NEVER pay for a vehicle w/ a transfer..I'm not experienced w/ out of state purchases of this amount.

 

Anyone buy a "sight unseen "car and love it? Just curious, I mean, you hear only the ones that went wrong.

 

...I suppose it would be for the same reason arranged marriages have lost their popularity...

Fs-n-Fs

 

Yes, I have...........more than once. Which is not to say that I haven't been disappointed. Neither have I bought a LOT of cars sight unseen, but a few.

I am amazed at some of the posts you received. I was a career auto dealer, so various methods of transacting business are familiar to me. However, most of what I am referring to is for personal hobby vehicles, not business related. I have bought cars, literally, from coast to coast.

I size up the seller, and the vehicle, by a number of 'cues' and depending on my impression, I may choose not to do ANY business, or proceed carefully, or trust them very much. Those I have chosen to fully trust have never disappointed me. I am wary, but far from paranoid.

from what you have said so far, I think you have a very good grasp of what you are doing and can proceed with reasonable confidence.

're PayPal and E-bay, I've bought through E-bay on some occasions and find it's format can be a hinderance in working with the seller. And, as others pointed out, Paypal is a wholly owned subsiderary of E-bay and is another layer you don't need in this deal. Best wishes.

Ray

 

Nothing wrong with a wire transfer. Just go from bank to bank, no Western Union or anybody else. I have done this with no problems. Get the ***le (original, no copy)before sending money. This way both of you are protected - you with the ***le, he with the car, until the money thing is completed. Make sure that the wire transfer does not show your bank account number. If so, set up a new bank account, transfer the amount for the car into it, then wire. This way the other party does not have the number of your regular account.

Then you can make arrangement for the physical transfer of the car. As far as the mileage thing, if he can put down the mileage, the better. I had NJ refuse to re***le because the mileage was not shown nor signed off on (CA ***le). I had to go back to the buyer and get this taken care of. What is exempt in Texas may not be in NJ

Again, bank to bank wire transfer is the way to go.

 

BTW, just remembered that I forgot to mention the mileage issue. Most states these days, perhaps not all, exempt the mileage for cars over 10 years old. It may even be part of the Fedaral Odometer laws.......I really should know that........but it doesn't hurt anything to show the mileage if it's available. The ***le will have a place for the seller to select "actual miles", "exceeds mechanical limits" or "unknown".

One other thing. The shipper. That is very possibly more treacherous than the purchase itself. I have only had two cars shipped. I usually haul my own. One was a LOT longer in getting here than originally promised, but did eventually showed up. The other was really first rate, went off on time with no glitches whatsoever. A close friend of mine had a horror story with a shipper. I would seek some references for starters, and keep in mind the best price is not always the best deal.

Ray

 

How much is a r/t plane ticket to Texas?

If you are really serious about the car and having it shipped to New Jersey,I think a trip to Texas would be worth it.
Have CASH and a transporter lined up if the vehicle is worth buying.

Even if the car isn't what it seems,think of the great BBQ you'll have while you're there....