When you buy a 2002 from someone far away....

[KFunk]

...and you're not able to be there to complete the transaction when the shipper picks up your 2002 (i.e. when you purchase a rust-free 2002 from California), how do you usually handle the transfer of the money and title?

I just want to make sure my bases are covered. I'd love to drive it cross-country again, but this particular vehicle isn't going to be drive-able for that distance. I already have quotes on uship.com as well, and am ready to accept one of them ($1189, fuel costs are high!).

Oh, and raykoke corrupted me! It's his fault.

[AndyS]

I've done it many times. Wire transfer or bank check. I've had people ask for a scan of the title when they bought from me.

[BMW0299]

This is the way I did mine, long-distance and sight-unseen.

First I had the car inspected locally by a reliable shop and also someone who knows and drives a 2002. Once we had agreed on the price over the phone, the owner sent me a copy of the title, and a copy of a mutually signed Bill of Sale, and a copy of his driver's license. (I had sent him a copy of my driver's license prior to it.)

Once I had received the paperwork, I sent him a cashier's check and he in return sent the title (signed over to me) and a set of keys. He promised (written document) to keep the car till the car was being picked up. He then (at my request) took pictures of the car while it was being loaded and even sent me a picture of the trucker's license.

Hope that helps.

-Raine

[net30]

I used a service called escrow.com. Buyer and seller agree to terms, buyer wires funds to escrow.com. Seller gets confirmation of funds and overnights title to buyer. Once everything checks out, buyer releases funds to seller and they get wired to his account in 24 hours. They are insured and bonded and it helped my make my purchase with a real PITA seller.

[Jim_75Sahara]

Are you replacing the $700 Riviera cross-country McGuyvered wonder??? Hmmmm. Tell us more. Wish you were at Vintage. You've gotta do it.

[KFunk]

Are you replacing the $700 Riviera cross-country McGuyvered wonder??? Hmmmm. Tell us more. Wish you were at Vintage. You've gotta do it.

No way, the riviera 2002 is stickin around for a long time to come. This car will fill a bit different of a niche (practical and super slow), and be something fun for myself and Lindsey to enjoy together.

This was actually off-topic but I made it on-topic by referencing other people's experiences with their 2002 dealings. It was all ray's idea, blame him, haha.

I checked on escrow.com, and it'd be an $81 fee, ouch. I got a response from the shipping company, and they said I could overnight a cashier's check to their driver, and have him exchange the check when he picks up the truck (for a fee, of course, don't know yet how much that is). The seller's idea was that he could mail me the title, and then I'd mail him the cashier's check, but I'm not so sure about that....

Just trying to keep it simple, but I gotta be cheap too!

[KFunk]

If the shipper's 'fee' for doing the cashier's check thing is too high, then I'll probably do some combination of Andy and Raine's recommendations.

I already had it checked out by FunElan, and there's no glaring problems. The price is agreed upon, but I gotta go to my credit union and make final arrangements for the cashier's check. (stupid long weekend)

[Jim_75Sahara]

Oh! That's a relief. You can't get rid of the Riviera car. Good luck!

[ray_]

You could send the cashier's check to Matt and have him handle the transaction and accept the title.

... You biologists have a hard time in the real world! ;-)

This is not OT anyway; it's relevant to 2002 transactions ;-) (but I know that everything is my fault!)

Cheers,

Ray

If the shipper's 'fee' for doing the cashier's check thing is too high, then I'll probably do some combination of Andy and Raine's recommendations.

I already had it checked out by FunElan, and there's no glaring problems. The price is agreed upon, but I gotta go to my credit union and make final arrangements for the cashier's check. (stupid long weekend)

[KFunk]

I used a service called escrow.com. Buyer and seller agree to terms, buyer wires funds to escrow.com. Seller gets confirmation of funds and overnights title to buyer. Once everything checks out, buyer releases funds to seller and they get wired to his account in 24 hours. They are insured and bonded and it helped my make my purchase with a real PITA seller.

Well net30, after a whole lot of confusion trying to figure out the best way, I took your advice.

I asked my credit union to wire the money today using the printout i got from escrow.com. Well they took forever scrutinizing everything thinking that I was getting scammed. They still didn't like the idea of it, and said they couldn't reverse it once it goes through. Well, they said it went. Now I'm in the agonizing time that it won't appear on escrow.com's website. It better show up sometime today..

[net30]

It takes a few hours for the transactions to show up. My seller freaked out because it took 6 hours for the closing funds to show up in his account. In the end it was a seamless process. This is the only service Ebay recommends for all it's high end sales. Good luck.

[KFunk]

It takes a few hours for the transactions to show up. My seller freaked out because it took 6 hours for the closing funds to show up in his account. In the end it was a seamless process. This is the only service Ebay recommends for all it's high end sales. Good luck.

It finally showed up. The shipper dispatched a driver, and now I wait 7 to 8 days for delivery. excited. !

[ray_]

Ok.... what is it?

;-p

Ray

It takes a few hours for the transactions to show up. My seller freaked out because it took 6 hours for the closing funds to show up in his account. In the end it was a seamless process. This is the only service Ebay recommends for all it's high end sales. Good luck.

It finally showed up. The shipper dispatched a driver, and now I wait 7 to 8 days for delivery. excited. !

[Darryl]

I know it’s a done deal but I’ll chime in for future reference. I bought a very very rust free car located in Sacramento. Talked with the owner for about an hour on the phone, exchanged several emails asking for specific pictures. I asked for the pictures and felt that was proof enough he owned the car. He did scan and emailed the title. I asked my local BMW service department to run the serial number. That checked out so I sent him a cashier’s check. By the time all this was done I felt very comfortable with the seller. Two days later, and 700 bucks, the car was picked up and delivered to me 3 days later here in MN…just in time to store it. Definitely the riskiest transaction I’ve ever done but work out fine… If/when I do it again I’ll have someone local check it out and compensate them for there time…

My 02…

[jonny]

... I already have quotes on uship.com as well, and am ready to accept one of them ($1189, fuel costs are high!).

.

$1189.00 from where to where?How far away??

I bought my '75 Opel ascona sight unseen and shipped it from california all the way to CT.(3000 miles!)..and it was an "Inop"= Inoperable.

It cost me $910.00 back in 2000 as I recall, so 1189.00 is GREAT!!

As far as getting shipping quotes....as a rule, I always go to "movecars.com" and then get as many quotes as I can. They can range in the thousands of dollars. Closed vs. open carrier. Inop. vs, operable, etc, etc, i went with the cheapest and it came fast and undamaged and somehow wound up on top above a Mercedes? The cars on the bottom have the potential of fluids being dripped all over 'em. Brake fluid is NOT acceptable!!