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Well, first you have to make sure you survive the sale yourself! I have sold quite a few cars myself without a glitch so far. You have to start knowing your buyer from the first discussion on the phone and be a bit selective on who you want to deal with. I have turned down a few buyers just because I did not have a good feeling about them.
Then make sure you disclose everything you know about the car. I always mention that the car is used, sold as is and I couldn't care less if it stopped at the end of the street.
In CA, you have to submit the sale of the car to the DMV (can be done online) so they take you off the car. The buyer has to register the car, but you don't have much control over that. Just make sure that at least that is there intention and make sure you have their contact info.
A lot of good CL tips online. A couple of key ones:
- Meet in a public place. Local PD parking lot's the best, if they allow it.
- Only accept hard cash or a cashier's check. Go with the buyer when they get the CC made so you know the account has sufficient funds. Afterwards, deposit it immediately and call the insurance company to take the car off your policy.
- Don't give up the title until the very end when the sale is complete.
- Set up a Google voice # and Gmail address just for selling your car. Don't want time wasters and spammers knowing your real contact info.
- Go on the test drives and make sure the people actually have a valid license!
A lot of good CL tips online. A couple of key ones:
- Meet in a public place. Local PD parking lot's the best, if they allow it.
- Only accept hard cash or a cashier's check. Go with the buyer when they get the CC made so you know the account has sufficient funds. Afterwards, deposit it immediately and call the insurance company to take the car off your policy.
- Don't give up the title until the very end when the sale is complete.
- Set up a Google voice # and Gmail address just for selling your car. Don't want time wasters and spammers knowing your real contact info.
- Go on the test drives and make sure the people actually have a valid license!
Not a fan of driving with someone whom I don't know their driving skills
Not a fan of driving with someone whom I don't know their driving skills
Most potential buyers will want to test drive the vehicle they are genuinely interested in purchasing. I've had to pass on a purchase once because the seller didn't want to let me drive what he was selling, claiming it was for insurance purposes even though I am insured no matter what vehicle I drive through my own personal insurance. I don't feel comfortable handing over thousands of dollars for a vehicle I couldn't properly test out beforehand.
Do not take a test drive with the buyer. Let him go out alone, but leave his drivers license with you.
Do the monetary transaction at the bank, preferably on another day. This way you have time to download bill of sale etc from online, fill them out etc. The bank can notarize the sale so you have proof the car is no longer yours. Make sure the new owner brings his own license plate before you let him take the car. Turn your plate back in, get a receipt, and only then cancel your insurance on the car.
Having sold several vehicles and trailers on CL, I must say there are some good tips and some rampant paranoia.
Since I live in a State which requires the seller to enter the buyers name and address on the title, and then have the title notarized, I have an instant stopper for scammers (so far, at least). I simply tell them that State Law requires that I have their name and address to fill in the blanks on the title before I can get my signature Notarized to make the title legal for transfer of ownership, and I will not do that until I have cash in hand. None of them have ever sent me the name and address...
I also use a Montana DMV Bill Of Sale form, that has blanks for the buyer and seller to sign. It also states the sale is "as is, where is, no warranties expressed or implied". I make a copy of the BOS to keep in my file for at least a year.
The last vehicle I sold was a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500. The buyer came to my house, we took the truck for a test drive, he handed me 25 one hundred dollar bills, and while he was putting the truck on his dolly ( he drove up from Southern Wyoming) I went to town and got the paperwork done. No problem for either of us.
When I sold my boat, we went to the local branch of his bank, he withdrew the money, his banker did the Title Notarization, and we both went home happy.
As for the license plate issue, that is very state specific. For instance, in CA the license plates stay on the vehicle forever, unless it goes out of state. In Montana, the license plates belong to the registered owner, and are removed and kept by the owner when the vehicle is sold. The BOS or signed title is the temporary registration for 40 days.
I use a separate email account and a burner phone. I also go armed. At the very least, have a friend come with you and meet in a very public place during the day.
Do not take a test drive with the buyer. Let him go out alone, but leave his drivers license with you.
Do the monetary transaction at the bank, preferably on another day. This way you have time to download bill of sale etc from online, fill them out etc. The bank can notarize the sale so you have proof the car is no longer yours. Make sure the new owner brings his own license plate before you let him take the car. Turn your plate back in, get a receipt, and only then cancel your insurance on the car.
He'll need his driver's license while driving. It's the law. And what if it's a fake? In some states, mine included, plates stay with the vehicle, unless they're personalized plates.
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