[00bladerunner]

I live in NorCal and the cars I like are always remote. How does one go about buying a car from remote forum members?

I'm interested in 3 aspects
a) how to get PPI done
b) how do I pay
c) how do I get the car

I'd appreciate if the members can share what they have done (e.g., escrow etc).

Thanks!

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by 00bladerunner

I live in NorCal and the cars I like are always remote. How does one go about buying a car from remote forum members?

I'm interested in 3 aspects
a) how to get PPI done
b) how do I pay
c) how do I get the car

I'd appreciate if the members can share what they have done (e.g., escrow etc).

Thanks!

From what I have done in the past:

a) Ask them to take it to a local dealer and you will pay them for the inspection. You can pay the dealer directly over the phone.

b) If paying in cash, write them a check and have them sign over the title to you. Or have your bank wire his bank money. Or have you bank pay off his loan and keep the title if you are financing. The list goes on. Escrow can be complicated and put a buyer off, but it is safe. The biggest issue is, does the seller have the title on hand. If not, there will have to be two contracts, a bill of sale (obviously) and a separate agreement that the seller agrees to pay off the loan with the check from you or your bank and send you the title within X amount of days.

c) fly there, pick it up and drive it back. OR have it shipped to you (which I do not recommend without seeing it in person).

[00bladerunner]

So the prerequisites are "title in hand" and "seeing in person" which is when exchanges like money and car can happen in 1 step without the need for a trusting the other party.

[Thescout13]

Originally Posted by 00bladerunner

So the prerequisites are "title in hand" and "seeing in person" which is when exchanges like money and car can happen in 1 step without the need for a trusting the other party.

That is the ideal situation. Ideally you want to see the car in person and want to make sure they have the title in hand. Other options work, but are less ideal.

[MMMCOOKIES55]

having the title in hand is easier but lots of people finance these cars so not having a title in hand isn't a big deal. I've done many a car purchases where the title was owned by the bank still. It just takes a little more time to get the title but as long as you have a solid Buyer agreement notorized you should be fine.

[00bladerunner]

Are you saying I need to have a specially written buyer's agreement which says the seller will send the title when she/he receives it and get it notarized? Would it be binding in any way? All I know is bill of sale.

[eluded]

Pretty straightforward if you buy within the state.

outside of the state, not so much

[Kolyan2k]

If seller wants to screw you for title they easily can, but there is really no reason for anyone to do so. Notorized or not isn't gonna help. When money exchange is done, take at least 1 or both, the car and/or the title. After all you are paying off someone's loan

You always pay with certified bank check, and as a seller I would still want to verify the funds before deposit

[00bladerunner]

Thanks for all the responses. So my take away: don't buy from out-of-state and without meeting in person as it can get quite complicated.

[BOOF-M3]

Originally Posted by 00bladerunner

Thanks for all the responses. So my take away: don't buy from out-of-state and without meeting in person as it can get quite complicated.

Getting to this a little late but I would like to add some input. If you cannot or do not wish to fly into another city it's ok. There is another way... Once you have found a vehicle, ask for all and any service records performed. Then ask for permission to speak with the dealership who has been servicing the vehicle about the car. Ask a forum member to look/test drive the car. There are many who will do this for gas money. It has been done for me and I have offered to do it for others, I have seen others do it for forum members. Ask the owner to remove all of their belongings from the car and ask them to fill up the gas tank and bring the car to their dealership and have a PPI performed. Typically a PPI will cost around $300 from a BMW dealership. You can ask for specific pictures to be taken and ask to know if specific mods that the seller stated are on the car are actually there. At this point you will have seen all service records, spoken to the service manager, had a local forum member verify the car "looks good" and received a PPI with flying colors. At that point you make the transaction and have the vehicle shipped directly from the dealer. The seller never needs to drive the car again. That way they can't remove any mods, beat the piss out of it, put more miles on it etc... It's a simple process if you don't have the time to fly out and drive it back. Shipping is a whole other issue and I have a very good shipper who does not take any money up front until the vehicle arrives. There are shippers who have been identified as being excellent in the forum if you prefer to look there. DO NOT GO ONLINE AND FILL OUT ONE OF THOSE "GIVE ME A FREE SHIPPING QUOTE". You will regret that decision as you will be inundated with emails, texts and phone calls from every broker in the business. And they will make guarantees that they can't keep. It's a long story but if you google "shipping brokers" you can read all about it. Good luck, buying a vehicle is a fun experience. Almost as fun as driving the car.

[5.M0NSTER]

Originally Posted by Thescout13

From what I have done in the past:

a) Ask them to take it to a local dealer and you will pay them for the inspection. You can pay the dealer directly over the phone.

b) If paying in cash, write them a check and have them sign over the title to you. Or have your bank wire his bank money. Or have you bank pay off his loan and keep the title if you are financing. The list goes on. Escrow can be complicated and put a buyer off, but it is safe. The biggest issue is, does the seller have the title on hand. If not, there will have to be two contracts, a bill of sale (obviously) and a separate agreement that the seller agrees to pay off the loan with the check from you or your bank and send you the title within X amount of days.

c) fly there, pick it up and drive it back. OR have it shipped to you (which I do not recommend without seeing it in person).

That's exactly how I sold my last car. Forum member contacted me, we exchanged a bunch of email and I send many pictures of the car

He had a local dealership do an inspection, which he paid for over the phone.

He flew out to me, I picked him up at the airport, and we went to my bank to cash the check. I signed the title over, and he drove home.