How do I sell it?

[BGCarrera32]

Hi-

Thinking its time to let my 911 go, planning to advertise in the "for sale" section of the Pelican BBS.

If I am able to move it, what is the best way to take payment such that I protect myself? I can understand why a buyer wouldn't want to carry 20 some odd thou in cash, but I don't want to get screwed with a bogus cashier's check or something either...

How do I do this?

Thanks!
BG

[Danny_Ocean]

Confirm the cashier's check with the issuing bank via fax before releasing the vehicle. It is also my understanding a bank-wire (wire transfer) is safe.

Do not accept payment from folks making offers from the web with e-mails ending in .ru or .ng, with multiple mispellings/grammatical errors and having a name like "Prince Mubuto" or similar...

[the]

I recently sold a car, and we both banked at the same bank, so it was easy. We walked in and transferred the money from his account to mine.

If you can't do that, you can meet at your bank, he can bring a cashier's check/bank check from any major bank, and your bank can call his bank while you wait, verify the funds, and put a "hold" on his check so he can't go back on it.

I did that around a year ago. I asked my bank "You've now called his bank and done what you need to do, are you guaranteeing that this check is good and that the money is going into my account, because I'm giving the pink slip now," and they said yes.

I think a lot depends on the vibe you get from the seller. I always try to, quietly, get as much info from him as possible. By the time a sale is done, for instance, I usually know the buyer's home phone number, address, work phone number, cell phone number, work address, e-mail address, married or not, how many kids he has, etc. Yeah, selling a used car ALWAYS has some risk, but at the end of the day, your best tool is getting an accurate vibe, as quickly as possible, on the buyer.

[Danny_Ocean]

When doing something long-distance, I always ask the buyer/seller to fax me two items with their name/address on it (utility bill, driver's license, etc.). If they balk, no-sale.