Selling a Car to someone in the US

[MichyMuck]

Everyone,

I decided to put my Mustang up for sale and received two relatively quick offers to purchase by paying with PayPal and then having a carrier come pick the car up.

I have always been a Face to Face transaction guy when it comes to cars so this is a little strange? Maybe its a new normal.

Seems simple enough to receive the funds and then transfer to my bank account before releasing the car. Doing the Bill of Sale etc should be fine with getting copies of Drivers License/Passport from the purchaser.

If anyone has had experience with this or knows someone who got burned please PM me and let me know your thoughts.

[MurrayPeterson]

That Paypal thing is the most common scam around.  Good way to lose a car.

Edit: just google "car purchase scams via paypal".

[MichyMuck]

Thanks Murray.

I was reading some of the stuff on google and received a third offer written almost verbatim to what burned someone else a couple of years ago.

An Airman stationed in Florida with a 306 Area code. Unreal.

[Midnightsky]

Always sell face to face, way too many scabs out there who will try to steal your car.  They will make solid plans and then tell you their grandma died and they need the car right away but they will definitely send the money but they need your credit card info to do it.  Something like that, its scary out there sometimes.

[Apex Carver]

I guess I may have gotten lucky but when I purchased my Integra I never met the seller face to face. I did email/text him lots and I sent a friend of a friend who lived in there area where the car was (Toronto) to take a look at the car in person.

I e-transferred a deposit and sent a bank draft via courier to complete the deal. A bit unnerving for sure but it all worked out in the end