442scotty

Im selling my car and I have a fellow from North Carolina interested.
I have sent lots of pics. He cant come to see the car or pick it up because he doesn't have or cannot get a passport.

Now when I bought the car from Boston I only had the pictures posted online and the sellers word about the details of the car which I researched as best as possible. I did a bank transfer in advance and flew in to pick the car not having seen it in person. And it all worked out for me.

Anyway, back to the potential buyer. He wants to meet me in Montana which is a 6 hour drive to do the deal. Cash at a Bank. If Im going to take my car for a 6 hour drive out of the country and it has to be imported back into the United States is it unreasonable for me to request a Bank transfer in advance with time allotted to ensure that the money clears? And only leaving me a $200 deposit? If the guy doesn't show or gets cold feet Im stuck trying to go back across the border holding import papers showing a new owner.. I don't think Im being unreasonable asking for full payment in advance.

Just wondering how others feel about this and what they have done.

Octania

$200 is squat. Buyer should have more skin in the game. mor like 50/50 or at least enough tot cover 2x the 6 hrs travel costs and lodging and whatnot in case you get stiffed.

dc2x4drvr

Full payment in advance or don't move the car,
Just ny .02

Sampson

I think you are doing the guy a tremendous favor to deliver the car 6 hrs away. I would expect full payment. If it gets to be a trust issue he should pay for an independant inspection of the car. Possibly offer him your cost in the delivery off the sale if he has it shipped. A lot can happen on a 6 hr trip. Who is responsible if an engine blows or any one of 1000 other things that can go wrong.

MDchanic

+1. I wouldn't drive 12 hours out of the country for a $200 guarantee.

I do not know about the import process, but I would wonder whether you have to really do a lot on your end as the seller beforehand, especially since the car was originally from the US.
Can't you just sign it over to him when he buys it, sign any appropriate transfer forms at that time, and let him deal with it?
Also, if you got it in Boston, Massachusetts did not title cars before 1990, so there is no US title, so if you have an old registration, or even if you don't, you can probably just sign it over to him with a bill of sale and he can register it in NC as though he bought it in Mass. - nobody needs to know that it was ever out of the country.

- Eric

djcrook73

sometimes it comes down to the repore that you have with the potential buyer. or seller. I have purchased and sold cars in different parts of the country and have had good experiences almost every time. I have left deposits and paid in full in advance, but in either case I would be the one doing the traveling or just having it shipped after full payment when I was the buyer. I would not ask someone to meet me unless it was a short distance( within 200 miles apart if I felt right about things) but have not yet as the trip is half the fun for me. unless you are in a situation where selling it asap is important, and you also did not mind the traveling(which is huge on your part to do) I would come up with a figure to be sent to you non refundable to cover your *** for travel,time and trouble, or tell him to figure it out as a passport issue is not really your problem. that way if he is serious, he will agree without taking it wrong and if not, then at least you dodged a bullet. good luck, hope it works out for the best, dave

pogo69

I would want more info like...how eager are you to sell...has it been listed a while and this is your only offer...what kind of car, now if you ask for full payment you may not have a deal some people are funny but if you feel there is good interest ask for a much higher deposit which should be understandable by the buyer and now you are being cooperative, now the main drawback to this and it is becoming more popular is he may show up with a bigger gun than you have and try to steal it...it just happened in kentucky i think, so good luck with the decision and be safe

2Olds4U

Just an FYI, Eric, Massachussetts began issuing titles in Sept of 1972. I know because I registered my first 67 442 in August and just beat the deadline. That car he bought would most certainly be titled by now.

Paul

allyolds68

X2 As Paul said above. All vehicles in MA are titled. That's how they insure they get their yearly excise tax whether the car is registered of not.

MDchanic

Interesting, because on the Mass. RMV web site itself, it says titles are only required for cars before 1990.

Shows you what the internet's worth.

Still, the car in his picture looks to be a '66 or a '67.

Thanks, though - that's good to know.

- Eric

2Olds4U

It's a 65, Eric. And here's an excerpt from the MA Title laws that you probably saw. The part about titles no longer needed is a new one on me and I live here!


Massachusetts Title Law went into effect on September 1, 1972. This law requires that all motor vehicles and trailers be titled within ten (10) days of purchase. Passenger vehicles with a model year of 1980 and older, purchased before November 26, 1990 are exempt from titling. Any vehicle purchased after November 26, 1990 must be titled, excluding the following:

• A vehicle owned by the United States, unless registered in accordance with the provisions of Chapter Ninety (90)
• A vehicle owned by a manufacturer or dealer and held for sale even though incidentally moved on a highway or used for purposes of testing or demonstration, or a vehicle used by a manufacturer solely for testing
• A vehicle owned by a nonresident of the Commonwealth for which a currently effective certificate of title has been issued in the state of residence

pogo69

I dont know the poster so maybe he should just confirm that the 65 in the pic is the one he is selling

Olds442redberet

The Passport thing sounds a little weird. It just sparks a lot of questions.

Serious buyers usually have a plan of action. Shipping company, deposit and you hold the car for a certain time line, a friend nearby who'll pick it up and pay for it, something. Con artist and idiots usually ask you to jump through hoops to get the deal done.

I wouldn't move the car an inch until I had full payment, and then I would be relunctant because he may decide not to take the car once you arrive. Furthermore, he could demand a refund. What are you going to do then, leave the car thier? What if he does the same and you have no reciept showing the sale and receipt of the vehicle by the new owner? What happens if you return with the car?

As a seller you may have to pass on a few offers before you get the deal you're looking for. IMO this is one you should just ignore.

Or take a $500.00 deposit and hold the car for thirty days. That'll give the buyer enough time to figure out a plan.

Just my opinion
Thanks and good luck with the sale

Olds442redberet

In North Carolina it is getting harder to register older vehicles. It can be done but there are can be some serious hoops to jump through these days. But that is on the buyer to figure out. IMO He really should to do his research before buying your car.

To bad the buyer doesn't live here in Alabama. Then it would be a simple Bill of Sale from his neighbor and he's done. It would look like, as mentioned in an earlier post, an in state purchase.

1969w3155

If he doesn't have a passport, It's really on him to get one, it's not a hassle, but if he can't get one, then you have to ask why? usually not denied, unless a bit of a criminal record.

starfire

When I bought my Starfire (originally a New York car, built in Ohio) from the seller in Nova Scotia, I sent him US Postal Money orders for the whole amount. He sent me the title. I had already arranged for a Canadian transport company to bring the car to me in Michigan, they told me which broker in the US they liked to deal with for the import of the car, I called them, arranged the import, sent them a check for $250, the Canadian carrier brought the car into Michigan, to Flint where the broker is, then when the broker was done with their documentation of the car, the transport company brought the car down to SE Michigan to me. I obviously took a chance sending the seller the entire purchase amount before getting the car, but it was the only way for me to do it at the time. I had a lot of communication with the seller before I sent the money, so I felt pretty good about the outcome. That's my experience from the buyer's side.

As a seller, I would not drive 6 hours across an international border with only a $200 deposit to show for my time and effort if the buyer flakes.

442scotty

yes it is

442scotty

Thanks for your imput everyone. The prospective buyer may even be a member here as he recently sold a 72? vert that he had done up so hopefully he sees everyones comments.

I know its scary sending money up front when you cant see it in person but if you do your homework things usually work out. Good advice from all you guys! Thanks so much.

66luvr

I know nothing about Canada's banking.
But,
I know about US bank wire transfers as I have used them several times, one a couple months back. The money clears in about an hour or less. I repeat, from the time the money is "sent" from the buyers bank until the sellers bank has the money is less than an hour. So no length of time is needed for your money to clear IF Canada is like the US, check with your bank to confirm.
And I would not drive 6 hours without getting enough money to satisfy you that the guy is for real, I recommend full payment in advance. And do not let him talk Escrow, just more BS.


Good Luck, Mike

59-59-59

I find it amazing that in this day and age that people just lack in street smarts. If your posting this here, don't you think that something smells fishy??

BangScreech4-4-2

I don't follow ... you think OP is up to no good?

MDchanic

He is saying a variation on the "If you think of it at all, then consider it as a serious possibility" concept, namely:
If the OP has felt so uncertain and uneasy about the process that he has seen fit to post this question on a forum, then perhaps the OP has his answer already, because if the buyer were legitimate, he would never have had that uneasy feeling in the first place.

- Eric

Olds442redberet

IMO,

There is a wealth of experiance here and it would be foolish not to run an issue by the board. I have bought and sold many cars, some on line, many long distance, but I still read every post in this thread so I could gain the valuable insight that many here have given.

I am very interested in the broker mentioned earlier and how he was used to help with an international purchase. I never used one, never heard of the need to use one, and I would be very interested in hearing all of the details. I learned something new from this forum, Again.

VR
Tom

pogo69

i'm lost now after 59 59 59 and MD's posts and i'm street smart

MDchanic

"If the thought of X so much as enters your mind, then you have to rule it out."

It's a way of making sure that you don't ignore the tiny voices in the back of your head.

- Eric

442scotty

I was uncomfortable with the deal as he wanted it and my gut said to do it with full payment up front. Its always nice to get feedback from you guys. Some of who have been down this road before. With international bank transfers it takes about three days to clear as I found when I sent my payment to the US for the car.

After conversation with US Customs the car has to be imported into the US before it can be sold AND the car has to be at the crossing at the time of import for a quick inspection etc. Customs said that the easiest way to bring a car back into the US is for the buyer to drive it back from the Canadian side.

Second easiest is to ship it and a broker ( aka bandits) does all the paper work for you. (Its really not that much paperwork I looked at it)

So for me to bring it down without full payment would be a nightmare of epic proportions.

Thanks again guys for your imput. Im pretty street smart just like a second opinion.

MDchanic

Go with your gut.


But a nightmare for him, not for you.

- Eric

oldcutlass

It's a tough call, sounds like the buyer wants to have a look at the car prior to making a final payment and have a chance to back out. I would not take the car to him or make any arrangements without the cash in your account. If I remember right all paperwork needs to be at the border prior to trying to import the car into the US.

Joffroi

Like others have said... I would not let that car leave my driveway until I had the full payment cleared.

oldsmobiledave

Don this is a no brainer. Keep the car until you have a real & serious buyer. You are setting yourself up for huge problem with this buyer. He is playing you.

RetroRanger

I don't think I fully agree. Much depends on the car and the price information that has not been provided(generalities are all that's needed) If we're talking about a couple thousand yeah paid in full before. If we're talking tens of thousands everything said for the seller also holds true for the buyer, who wants to forward me 20k on my word that a the car is good as described and b I'll show up? Any takers I'll fwd you my info .

Perhaps if the potential buyer contracted w a third party to inspect the vehicle before hand at the sellers place, most concerns could be eliminated. Or if the buyer met the seller at the border after fwding him a good faith down payment, that way buyer can inspect before payment and seller can provide accurate description of the vehicle so buyer knows what to expect.

On either side of the coin it's hard to commit to an internet buyer or seller w out an in person inspection.

pogo69

right....as i buyer i would be more likely to just pay in full sight unseen for 2500.00 or so and take my chances butafter about 5000.00 i want to see it to make sure its as described

oldsmobiledave

For $250 any buyer can have the car inspected by a professional appraiser who does not have anything at stake. If you want to buy a car that is distal to you then YOU go see the car or send an agent to see the car. The seller should never haul to car to another country for inspection.

BangScreech4-4-2

I have to ignore them, otherwise I would have taken hostages by now.

Paladin31

IMO- To me if the car is 20K and I was the buyer, after speaking to and viewing pics etc from 442Scotty. I would get my butt {or an associate} to Calgary, several airlines have round trip airfares in the $525 range. If car is in the 2k range...I would be hard pressed to travel and look seriously at transportation costs associated with a car at that price, and from another country (even though it is Canada) to boot. As many others have stated, the sale depends on the buyer making the effort, not the seller. I don't feel it reasonable to ask the seller to do anymore than answer questions, provide paperwork, and other evidence to back up their claims of valuation.

Soapbox vacated

Brett

BangScreech4-4-2

True enough. I flew out to Calgary to look at my '69 442 before I bought. Of course we're just next door in BC, so it wasn't a huge time or money commitment, but still. I guess I'm from the old school -- I would never spend a significant amount of money on ANY item I haven't personally seen. Now, as to what is a significant amount of money ... well, that varies for each of us, doesn't it?

442scotty

I have to agree. If you cant come in and you really really want the car, and its your life savings, then hire a local appraiser for peace of mind.

RetroRanger

Ok now I'm confused. Have you suggested this to him and he balked, if yes you should be done w him. If not I think it's a reasonable starting point, he can have the car looked at and at that point it should be easy enough to agree what to do when that is complete.

442scotty

I never mentioned it but it was a good idea that Dave brought up so I think I will put it to him. It was appraised by a professional that is a member of an nationally accredited association that is recognized North America wide.

ent72olds

This guy wins for smartest comment of the day!