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I would wait until she gets the duplicate title, just since it could be an issue. Good thing you found out before driving out there. My last private owner purchase the seller did not have the title, but had the paperwork where he applied for a replacement title. The tax office told him it would be a 2-3 day turn around since he was selling it and got it expedited. I bought it anyway since I knew it was his car, and drove it 3 hrs home that day after it passed the pre purchase inspection I arranged with a local mechanic shop. He had paperwork with his name on it from years past and it was in his driveway on Google street view from 2012! He mailed me the title paperwork a few days later and I had no issues. But I had all his personal info, business info and knew where he lived, so I was not worried at all.
Good luck on it, and maybe you will find a better deal closer by.
NEVER buy a car without a ready title available. It is the title you are actually paying the money for.
If you have no title, the car is not yours, no matter how much money you give for it.
I'd like to add something to the skeptical voices on this deal. Not only would I not drive 90 minutes to see the car if she does not have clear title in hand, but if this DID happen, you want to examine the title carefully. Any lien holder? Does the VIN number match what is actually on the car? Is she listed as the only owner? (no husband, no dad, just her) And then, you want to see her drivers license to make sure that she is really the person whose name is on the title.
I once bought a used car off the lot of my town's Chevy dealership. Didn't bother to check anything, just figured they'd be on the level. One day, someone flagged me down and said "Where'd you get that car??" They said it looked exactly like one stolen from them. I didn't prolong the conversation but when I got home I did check the title. It had a different VIN number than the car.
This. There is no car headache worse than a car sans title. Everything, and I mean everything, else can be fixed. Lack of title? There is little to no hope. A lot of these CL car sales without titles are scams. If not scams, they can be stolen cars, or at least cars owned by people who are so disorganized they can't even keep track of the most important document related to the vehicle. And who would want to buy from a person like that?
I had a car without a title and the dealer bought it when I bought a new Nissan. He wasn't at all bothered that I had no title. It had belonged to my MIL who misplaced the title and dealer said he would have no trouble getting title.
It could be legit. It's a 12 year old car and according to CarFax, this is the original owner. But still, you'd think she would have revealed this sometime within the last couple week and a half or so we've been emailing back and forth
Do not buy a car without a clear title and title present. You have become emotionally invested in this deal. This is just one of thousands of cars out there. Best to move on.
very very very dangerous task buying cars from craigslist, been there done that
giant red flag
i have title but its not in my name,
i dont have title,
why do you need a title,
then you have your own mechanic check it and the car has been in a mega accident and is seriously damaged.
they know nothing about it
dont buy cars on craigslist anybody with enough money to buy a car on craigslist is worth robbing and maybe even killing.
We've been going back and forth via email for almost two weeks after I responded to an ad to craigslist. I would ask questions about the vehicle, she would answer, etc. We agreed to meet up this weekend.
I received a message today stating that she lost the title awhile back and is waiting for the state to send a new one. I wonder why she didn't mention that sooner but anyway....she asked if my intent was to buy or just look at it.
She is 90 minutes away so I'm debating whether to make the trip and look at it anyway (which she said I could do) or just wait until she receives the title, look at it, and buy on the spot if I'm still interested and it's still for sale. There are a few other cars I am planning on look at as well.
I've never bought private party before. My question is what does it involve? I assume I would hand her a check, she would sign off on the title, and then I would take the title to the DMV. Am I missing anything?
Should I get it inspected by a mechanic? I should be able to tell if the car is in good condition but there are things that a mechanic could find that I would not be able to. I'm not sure how to work this out with her being so far away thought as I do not know any mechanics in that area. Would it be out of line to ask her to bring the car to my mechanic if I were to buy?
NOOOOOO!!!!!. Do NOT buy a car where the owner is selling it without CURRENTLY having the title. There are a lot of cars on the market. STEER CLEAR of anything that is out of the ordinary or doesn't sound quite right. If and when the seller gets the title, only THEN can she sell the car. Until then...YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT BUYING IT!
Don't buy a car without a title. Never...walk. Never buy a car with a lien as it is not the seller's car until the lien is satisfied.
I know of no one who will accept a check for the private sale of a car unless it is a a cashier's check which can be cashed at the buyer's bank; where you would meet. I have always paid cash and gotten a better deal. $3K becomes $2500 if green bills appear.
If you have the person's phone number Google it and see if any hits come up pertaining to cars for sale - especially bogus. I have found people on CL who have a dozen cars for sale at one time.
Stay local.
The car you are looking for is most likely not rare and another will pop up in short time.
The CARFAX site lists cars with a CARFAX included.
If it was a decent deal on the car, I'd tell her to e-mail me when she has the title and then go check it out once she has it. Simple as that.
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but when I got home I did check the title. It had a different VIN number than the car.
