Hot Rods How did you guys go about selling your vehicles to an out of state buyer?

Hey fellas, just wanted to ask and see how some of you went about doing this? I found a buyer for my 1959 ford ranchero and I’m in CA and he is in Pennsylvania. Just wanna make sure I do everything correctly. Not sure how to go about the title transfer or anything like that. Just wondering if anyone has any detailed info on a step by step process. Thanks in advanced!

 

Sign and date the title.
Provide a bill of sale.
Reimburse the buyer for extra money above and beyond the asking price as noted in the Nigerian Bank Certified check.
Say goodbye to your car.

 

^^^^ LOL! Just sold one to WA. Buyer sends a check from his/her bank....... Has to be clear....7-10 days. Notify buyer that money is good.You send title. Buyer araigns shipping...... You wait for the carrier to show up......Done.

 

I was recently in the same boat, but going in the "opposite" direction.

After many questions and answers, and pictures from the seller, I was "almost" ready to buy. I had three more specific questions that needed answering.

Anyway, "my plan", which the seller agreed to most of this with no hesitation. He just had one reservation, that we needed to work out....
Was to have the truck driver (most are "bonded" and willing to do this), was to have the driver bring me the car (from the opposite coast) -
1 - I was to call the "still", owner when the delivery truck driver arrived with the car.
2 - I would deliver a certified, bank check to the driver, with the seller listing to our conversation. The driver would verbally accept the check.
3 - The driver would give me the signed pink slip and last registration, with the seller still listening.
4 - The three of us would agree the deal was complete.
5 - The driver would unload the car from his truck, into the street in front of my house.
6 - the out of state would be complete.

Unfortunately, in my case, the seller started dragging his feet on answering my last three (agreed upon, "no more questions" !) questions. I waited almost about month, no answer. "I'll get it done" was his comments.
I ended up buying another car, and with the help of a friend, the car was delivered, money transaction complete.

The first car, is "still"... for sale, almost three months later !

Mike

 

This is what I have always done and has worked out well.
We agree on the price.
I send a photo of the title.
I give him/her my direct deposit info.
I check with bank for verification of deposit.
I either FedEx the title to him with a copy of the bill of sale or put it in the glove box when the transport arrives (which is always on the buyer).
Never had a problem.
One thing that I also do is stay in constant contact by phone.
There are no exceptions to this.

 

Out Of State Sales …

Seller & Buyer agree on price
Write up contract or bill of sale
Include:
Vehicle identification (VIN or serial number)
Year - make - model - condition
Warranty (if any)
Storage agreement
Payment of funds

Make this contract or bill of sale
expressed (in writing) and send
by text - email - message in writing
before any funds are transferred.

I advise Sellers NOT to become
involved in vehicle transport.

Offer to store free for a reasonable
period of time with payment in full
as a favor with the express understanding
that there is no responsibility for loss
or damage if it occurs.

Most Buyers “ think with their wallet “
which is a polite way of saying they
are cheap - they expect the vehicle
to arrive in the condition they buy
it in at a price point that is below cost.

Sellers - don’t be a solution to a
Buyer’s transport problem.

Folks who transport that are reputable
do not do vehicle inspections or
courier payments.

I advise Buyers & Sellers to do
a bank wire transfer for payment.

Once payment in full is received
by the Seller - they send title and
any other important documents
to Buyer by mail or other service
requiring tracking & proof of delivery.


Jim

View attachment 5952448

 

I only accept wire transfers now. My banker told me that a buyer can cancel a check up to 2 years after written. When the wire transfer hits your account it is secure and can’t be reversed.

 

It really is this simple, especially if you are in a state that does NOT require your signature to be notarized on the title!

Variables would be : Wire transfer instead of check (always my 1st recommendation when asked)

Also about 50% of the time my customers request the seller hand me the title & I bring it with the car.

@Moriarity is spot on...No seller in their right mind will allow the car to be transported before being paid.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

My car came from Colorado, the seller sent me a screen shot of the clean title before I wired the funds. He also sent me a bill of sale with the title (snail mail) after the $$ cleared. I had no problems registering the car in NY.

 

As Ed from VINWIKI repeats, Car, money, title, nobody gets all three.

Have a contract with all information.
The timeline for the money and title to swap is what needs to be hammered out.
Either wire transfer or an escrow account, with the title changing hands at the same time. The seller doesn't get the car, money and then pass along the title.
Car moves after the seller has the money and the buyer has the title and both are satisfied.
As said, responsible storage without liability, transport selected and paid by buyer. Hopefully, the seller and the transport document condition when picked up.
Also having tracking and a reputable transport company is best, that industry is the wild west. Do not use a broker, deal with the actual trucking company.

 

I bought a car 3 years ago and arranged for his friend to deliver me the car from Oklahoma to Minnesota. He wanted my bank to send the money to a bank in Ok then send it to another small bank and my bank advised me not to do this 2 bank transfer. As time was getting too close to the guy who was bringing my car up as he was bringing another car back to Ok we agreed I would pay his friend the entire amount on the car's arrival. I never sent him a down payment, I just paid the full amount to his friend and the seller totally agreed. Hard to believe but he trusted me.

 

My favorite way is i show him the good title, he hands me the cash or bag of cash depending on amount, i hand the title to him. Warranty expire when the tires hit the street in front of my house.

yep, cash at time of pickup. i know so many don't like carrying any amount of cash but still is our favorite way.

 

No professional car hauler is going to get involved with holding and dealing with payment for the vehicle, and you don't want to get involved with an amateur that does. Bye-bye money, car, and title.

And as a seller I'm not going to let the car go until I have a payment that's cleared or in an escrow account.

 

I sold a van to a guy in Holland once. He paid in full via bank transfer. He then instructed me to put the title under the front seat when the transporter arrived. (Seemed sketchy to me but that's what he wanted) They loaded it up in front of my house, it went to Houston, got in a container and about 6 months later I got an email saying he loved it!

He was a very trusting dude but luckily I'm honest and so was the shipper.

 

It's more work, but ONLY dealing within a local area, say couple 100 mile radius, makes it a whole lot easier. I sold a car through the HAMB classifieds to a guy in IL. He drove out with his trailer, inspected the vehicle and paid me cash. All went smoothly, but nowadays I think I'd even be more cautious and stick strictly to local sales. 'May take a while longer but a lot more secure.

 

Does your state or the buyer's state require a notary? Check on that before you start signing things.

 

Send the DMV one of those forms that say you sold the car, so when the new buyer gets speeding tickets he doesnt pay or uses the car to rob a bank , you wont get a warrant for your arrest

 

That's fine for a reasonably priced, fairly common car. If it is something really rare, or a common car but from a climate that isn't as harsh (New England guy wants a rust free anything) or is cheaper to get AND transport due to variable location values, it can be worth the effort to widen the search area.

I don't have the funds to play in the big or even minor leagues, but if I was looking for a 50s Mopar pro car, I couldn't limit the search to close by and expect any results.
https://hearseforsale.org/chrysler/1958-chrysler-desoto-ambulance-hearse-combo/

The 100 mile radius market includes Phoenix and Flagstaff. Guess which motorcycle market is affected by the weather?
Flagstaff is below freezing each night for the week, highs of 44-54 F.
Phoenix is 48F or more each night for the week, highs of 62-74 F.

BTW, AZ is a title state and the seller must have the signature releasing interest notarized, for anyone looking at stuff here.
https://azdot.gov/mvd/services/vehicle-services/buying-and-selling-your-vehicle/selling-your-vehicle
There are 50 states with 50 sets of laws. Research the one that will be part of your deal. Probably a good idea to get a photo of the title next to the VIN and check into having the law clear the VIN too. If this is big money for you and you can't inspect yourself, having another set of eyes from a forum member to a pro PPI is smart too.

 

I just sent my beloved Tempest out of state on a truck last night. A minor pain in every sense of the word, right up to the last minute.
I wish the first caller had just shown up with his trailer like he said he was going to….
Lesson learned; it might be better to accept the slightly lower offer if the guy just drops the cash and leaves with the car. A little extra cash nowhere near makes up for the extra week(s) of disruption and aggravation.

 

Simple. If I am selling a car here, any buyer is responsible for making payment in full, in cash or verified wire transfer before the vehicle leaves. I just want to be notified when and who to expect to pick it up. I will send the title after payment is made. I will, in advance provide details of the title for insurance purposes or for the buyer to search for liens.

 

First thing you do is take that check to your bank and have them look into it. Now days its just about as likely to be a scammer as it is to be a legit buyer, just the world today

 

Yeah, both buyers and sellers in general have become less reliable in modern times, partially due to the longer reach of information and the rise of scams.

 

I shipped a car from MD to CA. The car was not advertised for sale. The buyer lived in CA and was from England. I had a pic of the car on an English Street Rod forum, in England. It was an ENFO. He saw the pic and sent me a PM, that he had been looking for a left hand drive version, would I sell. We talked on the phone, came to a price. He said he would handle all of the shipping. Once all was agreed upon, he sent me a check. I called him when it cleared, and sent him the title NDA. He called and gave me the day and time of the carrier. We may have extended a little more trust on both sides of the transaction than usual, but all went well.

 

I have purchased a car from across the country once. Here is the process that I undertook.

1. Talked to the Seller over the phone and got as much information as possible.
2. Hired a 3rd party to inspect the vehicle (there are plenty of companies all over that provide this service)
3. Based on the 3rd party report, I sent a deposit to the seller.
4. I rented a car and drove out to the vehicle (Minnesota to Virginia).
a. The reason for the rental was if I didn't buy it, I could turn around and head home.
5. Purchased truck (exchange of title and funds) and dropped rental car off at local agency.
6. Drove back home in my "new-to-me" vehicle.

This process worked well for me, and seemed to work well for the seller. Of Course if you can't take 5 days off for the road trip, then other arrangements will need to be made.

 

Come to my house, look at car, hand me green money, get it the hell outta here. Deal done.

 

Guess that I am somewhere in the middle of the posts. I sold a car to a guy in Alaska. He sent a check and it went to the bank ( I have never heard of being able to dispute a check once it clears for payment). By the time the car hauler arrived the check had cleared and I mailed the title to the buyer. Yup, send a note to DMV with name and address of buyer.

 

What I did:
1. Agree on price
2.Notify bank in seller's home town about the transaction to occur.
3. Drive to seller's town and rent one way trailer.
4. Drive to seller's house, both drive to bank
5. Seller gets paid, you transfer paperwork, load car and go home.

 

no chop and ekimneirbo, this was about across the country, not face to face.
Also, I'll carry large amounts of cash across state lines when the police are prohibited from civil asset forfeiture. Check out Lehto's Law.

 

...bastards...thieves...