Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm trying to buy my first car but as I browse through Craigslist I notice that most of the ads are from smaller companies or "flippers". I would like to avoid these guys as I feel they would probably scam me. Where is the best place to look for cars sold by private owners? I even applied the "private seller" filter on Craigslist but 80% of the ads are still from these fishy guys.
You are absolutely correct that Craigslist is mostly full of this type of listing, but there are real sellers out there. I recently found the proverbial "grandma only drove this car to church on Sundays" car on craigslist. Also, you can still get a fair deal from these small companies and "flippers" if you know what you are doing. Facebook marketplace is really catching on now too. Definitely look into that. Happy shopping.
Car is not in their name. There is usually a accompanying story of a friend, relative or someone they are helping sell the car for. If the car is not in their name it is illegal for them to sell it unless they are a licensed car dealer.
They have no records of maintenance, or if they do it’s from the previous owner.
They know very little about the cars history
Any answers to questions about the car are vague, ambiguously answered.
When you call simply say you’re calling about the vehicle for sale. If they ask which one they are most likely a flipper.
The problem with buying from a flipper is that they usually lie about the condition or what has been done to the vehicle. I watched this report on car flippers. One guy went as far as saying it was his wife’s car and FAKED a engine replacement paperwork. When the reporter went to the auto shop that supposedly did the work they compared the invoice numbers and it was for a oil change or some mundane service. The lady that sod him the car had no idea he never registered in his name.
That’s why when i sell a vehicle i tell the buyer the car needs to be transferred out of my name at the time of the sale. Funny some don’t show up to the appointment. Every vehicle I sold for the last 4-5 years I had this condition.
You can filter on craigslist to see only for sale by owner but even then a lot of them are "dealers".
If you search a particular car and the same ad keeps coming up, usually these are professionals. The private sellers forget to refresh their ads or don't have time to do it every day. So look for the oldest listings.
You can filter on craigslist to see only for sale by owner but even then a lot of them are "dealers".
If you search a particular car and the same ad keeps coming up, usually these are professionals. The private sellers forget to refresh their ads or don't have time to do it every day. So look for the oldest listings.
Yes, one can filter adds for private owners.
Of course, some dealers cheat. But as stated above one can easily figure out which ones.
Also a few simple questions such as: ask if original owner. Ask about title. A Carfax can help if one wishes to pay for one.
If I call I ask about "car for sale". If the seller asks "which one" - then I just hang up (if listed as a private seller).
Also view the pictures. If picture is taken at a used car lot or a body shop . . . well . . . move on.
Really annoying when you ask someone if they own the vehicle and hold a title in their name only to find out they lied as soon as you meet up with them.
"Oh I'm selling this for my cousins husbands girlfriends lesbian lover who lives 4 states away where there is no market for Toyotas"
The neighborhood where the car is at is very important. The old zip code rule rarely fails. I would not drive to West Philly to buy a car. The pictures tell a lot too. Look behind and around the car. Does it look like a shady neighborhood? Now, I understand there are always exceptions but I don't have time to beat the law of averages.
Really annoying when you ask someone if they own the vehicle and hold a title in their name only to find out they lied as soon as you meet up with them.
"Oh I'm selling this for my cousins husbands girlfriends lesbian lover who lives 4 states away where there is no market for Toyotas"
Goodbye
Yeah I especially love that. Had a few of those.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
