# How do I not get scammed selling a car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-not-get-scammed-selling-a-car/635504 "2012-09-22T16:01:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-not-get-scammed-selling-a-car/635504/61 "2012-11-02T14:53:09Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > So one guy wanted me to discount my car by a grand even before he saw it. Now since he is looking at a car priced $3K below mine, he told me I need to meet that car’s price if I want to sell mine this weekend. Wow! He’s hit upon a new and wonderful bargaining strategy. He should go to a dealer get them to sell him a new car on that basis. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-not-get-scammed-selling-a-car/635504/62 "2012-11-02T16:33:41Z")
I took a personal check when I was much younger and stupider for $350 for a beat up mustang I sold. It was bad. Soooo, don’t do that! ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-not-get-scammed-selling-a-car/635504/63 "2012-11-02T22:59:22Z")
Those advising about meeting in a bank, make sure you actually go into the bank with the buyer. Dad heard of a guy who sold a lorry, the buyer asked to be brought down to his bank to get out some cash. Seller waited outside, buyer came out with a bundle of cash, sale was agreed. Seller went into their own bank afterwards, was told the cash was all fake notes. Went down to the buyer’s bank and was told that yes, that man did come in, sat around, spoke to nobody, then went out again :smack: ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-not-get-scammed-selling-a-car/635504/64 "2012-11-03T00:05:23Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > The reply did say he had the cash for his price but my thought is that he caould always get a little more (borrow from parents) and it may just be easier to discount a grand to make the sale and so I can say “You’re already getting a deal and I took $1000 off so shut up about at most $1000 in body work.” > BUT > If he can only get $6000 and can pay some per month I’d rather not let this opportunity go, in part because I’m using some of the money to fund my UK visa application/support and I need the money in the bank for 90 day before I can even apply. You’re making this simple deal as complex and fraught with problems as is humanly possible. You do not want to joined at the hip with your used car buyer. Holding paper on the personal sale of a used car to another individual is a high risk proposition. Thinking you will enforce payment with a contract for someone who is scrambling to buy a cheap used car is silly. Your urgent desire to squeeze every last dollar out of this sale is blinding you to the baseline practicalities. Pick a number, collect your cash and move on. ---
**Author:** ![rogerbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/76d3ee/32.png) [@rogerbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rogerbox)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-not-get-scammed-selling-a-car/635504/65 "2012-11-03T05:52:38Z")
There are more timewasters on craigslist than humanly imagineable. Stick to your price and don’t play games, wait until someone is serious. Serious means, cash in hand. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-not-get-scammed-selling-a-car/635504.md?page=3)