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A car I am interested in was on craigslist and is now on ebay.

For those of you who have done it before, how do you set up a craigslist deal to ensure you are not getting scammed? It looks like if I am able to get a different car I will have to have it shipped to me with only pictures to go by. I have never bought a car like this. I always met face to face with money in hand to take immediate possession.

Do you give 1/2 up front and 1/2 upon delivery? What have you done in the past?

I bought my 56 Pat off Ebay. it was close enough I could drive to see it in person and then just bought it on the spot and dealt with ebay after the fact. I am looking at another one on ebay that is about 4 hours away, I would do the same thing myself, too may spots need to be looked at that cant be done with pictures. My opinion and experience.

Try looking in Hemmings for appraisers. They can go look at the car for you and advise you of pro's and cons, and give you an estimate of price. The opportunities for both bargains and being royally screwed are present if you rely solely on photos and a seller's self appraisal. If you can get the car cheaply enough, its probably worth a gamble. If the car seller is wanting close to book, you really should have someone check it out. As far as how to pay for it, it all depends on the person. A phone conversation is probably the first step.

I bought stuff of Craig's list, but never sight unseen. A 4 hour trip is cheaper than a royal screwing!

Thanks guys. The cars in my budget will always have some issue and an independent inspection would not be economically feasible. Since I am in the northern part of the country, all the good cars are on the west coast or down south. I guess my biggest fear would be sending the money and the car never arriving. That is why I was wondering if some of you have a procedure you follow. As much as I do not want to get screwed, I do not want the seller thinking I'm trying to screw them.

Unless you, or a representative of you is there, I fear you bear all the risk. The seller loses nothing.

Perhaps if we knew the state you're looking at somebody would be close enough to scout it out. I'm in the Vancouver, WA area. However the final decision is yours regardless of other eyes on the car or not. I'd definitely start with a phone call to the seller and ask the tough questions.
Steve

Have you looked into what protections eBay motors affords the buyer? I know that regular eBay transactions heavily favor the buyer in cases of non-delivery, misleading item descriptions and fraud. It's really gotten to the point where all the buyer has to do is file a complaint with eBay and they're almost 100% guaranteed a refund.

As for completing the deal through Craigslist...good luck. I really can't see a scenario where a buyer would release the car on only 50% payment. Then again, I can see why you wouldn't want to pay in full for a car you might never receive. These deals are always much easier when transacted in person.

Like others have said, call the seller and see how eager he is to deal. If you plan to pay with a bank check or wire transfer, I'd also talk to your bank about your options for protecting yourself and your money. They might even offer some type of third-party escrow service that could facilitate the purchase.

Of course, if nothing else seems to work, I might just consider it an omen and move on.

Thanks for all of your advice guys. As it is I don't know how anyone can complete a deal through craigslist from a distance without having a middle man there to see the car and insure it ships.

That being said, I contacted the seller of the car I am interested in. Wonderful guy and willing to work with me. We mutually decided to go through ebay for both of our protection.

Next hurdle is shipping companies. I have been learning about it and there are the actual shipping companies and then brokers. Can any of you add your input into the shipping end of the transaction? What to look for? Things to avoid? Companies you can recommend that are reasonable and trustworthy? I am sure I will need an open carrier because of the cost.

A covered carrier usually runs about a buck a mile, maybe a bit more. I would go with a well-know national carrier. Private carriers can be a problem unless you have experience with them or have good references.

(o{}o)