I’ve placed my ad in auto trader and on Craig’s List…
But the part that has me worried is collecting payment. Obviously I only want cash or cashier’s check. Right?
How do I verify who the person is, and that the payment is good?
I sold a car once in my life…eight years ago…and I honestly can not remember that part.
Anyway…any advice is greatly appreciated.
I see nothing wrong with asking for cash or, if it is over a few thousand, drive with them to their bank and have the bank issue you a check from their account.
If I was buying a car for $2000+ I wouldn’t feel weird if the seller asked for cash or bank issued check.
I sold a car last year, and if things work out like I think they will, I will be selling a car for my son this winter.
I always insist on cash, or cashier’s check.
Before I sold my motorcycle I did some research to avoid being scammed. Mainly googling “how to sell a vehicle”.
As a result of that, I second accompanying the buyer to his bank for a cahier’s check. Apparently, cashier’s checks are easily faked, so being there to actually see it issued is the safe way to go.
No personal checks, and don’t let them wheedle you with “don’t you trust me?” lines.
Just to clarify – a cashier’s check is guaranteed by the bank (which withdraws the money and holds in out of the account when the check is issued) so you do not have to worry if it is “good.”
I would not surrender title without cash or cashier’s check. Its not a tall order and anyone who refuses probably has a sketchy reason for doing so. Accompanying the person to the bank is also appropriate. I have done that both as buyer & as seller.
Unless it’s a fake cashier’s check, which isn’t good. >.>
If it were me, I would meet the seller at their bank and have a cashiers check drawn in my presence. Do not accept a previously drawn check, and do not accept a cashier’s check from out of the area, and for OG sake do not accept a check for more than the amount and give change back. Then and this next step is critical, either go to the DMV or Auto Club and transfer the tittle. Get your name off the tittle.
[backstory]In the mid 1960s my father sold a car for $100. Gave the guy the paperwork, and said adios.
Six months later two rather large detectives from the LAPD stopped by to have a serious talk with my father. It seems the buyer was using the car to run drugs up from Mexico, and since my father was the legal owner of the car they wanted to talk to him. :eek:
It was obvious what happened, the buyer never transferred the tittle over and my dad almost got left holding the bag.
[/backstory]
Nobody sensible would find it weird for you to have some conditions on payment, like a cashier’s check, and a process to verify it’s legit. Anyone who balks at that is either naive or potentially dishonest, and probably not someone you want to bother selling the car to.
For other advice, I’d suggest getting the interior professionally detailed, if you haven’t already. It can make a powerful impression on someone looking at your car.