Buying car from private seller out of state - need advice

[rob.]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Wow!! Congrats!! I think?!?! Get your credit score up and try PenFed to refinance in a year. On used cars a lot of times they offer better rates for a refinance than they offer for a purchase. Might as well establish membership now and open a savings account with $5, so you won’t be starting completely from scratch next year. Currently PenFed and Navy Federal are in the 6% range on used cars, so you could save a butt load on interest.

Thank you very much. Still can’t believe it finally happened.

Definitely taking your advice. It’s a big payment… worth it but definitely has to improve.

[No one]

Originally Posted by David70

I've done it and glad I did. Sent a couple of hundred dollars before I booked a trip to Boston. As for the risk, from buying a used car to my flight to Boston, hotels, food, wasted weekend, etc. was all a risk. I could have skipped the couple of hundred dollars and the total risk difference would have been tiny. Buyer told me honestly the first person that came with money was getting the car (I don't blame him), a couple of hundred dollars and he said it was mine for a week. Following your advise I would have booked all of this and hoped the car was there when I got there.

I believe the advice is no car no money. This simple. Don't feed scammers. Even if you don't like Boston (I didn't ) and would prefer to spend your weekend elsewhere.

Originally Posted by David70

I also recently sold a car to a private party and at some point they had to wire me the money and waited until the process went through to get their car. They also took some amount of risk as they weren't going to sit in my driveway for 4 hours with the car.

I spent a whole day buying my current car the way I liked it: I went there in my old car, traded it in and left in my new car (while waiting I kept myself busy exploring the new car and its user manual). Isn't your driveway a remarkable place to sit in and then tell the (grand) children about the experience? Is there such a thing as American Hospitality?

[BruinMan]

Yay for you and Congratulations. Enjoyed reading your journey and honesty.

[David70]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

At the end of the day, it is the buyer's responsiblity to obtain temporary plates and correct me if I am wrong but your insurance coverage will end when the car's ownership is transferred. If I sold my car privately I would never leave my license plates on the vehicle.

It's their responsibility but I decided that with them agreeing to my asking price, wiring me $36k, that I would help them out. You should do whatever makes you happy.

Originally Posted by BlkGS

You must be the luckiest guy around. You made like, all the mistakes you could make and walked away without issue lol.

"all the mistakes you could " - meaning what? How likely is it the worst will happen and what if it does?

People believing the worst thing possible is likely to happen is what makes the internet great. Do whatever you want.

[David70]

Originally Posted by No one

I believe the advice is no car no money. This simple. Don't feed scammers. Even if you don't like Boston (I didn't ) and would prefer to spend your weekend elsewhere.



I spent a whole day buying my current car the way I liked it: I went there in my old car, traded it in and left in my new car (while waiting I kept myself busy exploring the new car and its user manual). Isn't your driveway a remarkable place to sit in and then tell the (grand) children about the experience? Is there such a thing as American Hospitality?

I have no idea what you are talking about. Your story about trading in your old care for a new car is bizarre.