Online House Hunting

I'm buying a used car, but the owner lives out of town...?

So I found this used car that is pretty sweet. But it is being sold by a third-party for someone who is living out of state and I am beginning to feel unsure about the deal. The guy has a signed title and bill of sale and the car is priced normally, and everything seems good, but is there a way to confirm the identity of all parties involved so I don't feel that i'm risking anything?

Public Comments

1. Do not, under ANY circumstance, purchase a car without touching it, and seeing all of the paperwork!! These "3rd party", "out if state", "we will ship", "escrow account" sellers are always happy to take your money, and laugh all the way to the bank as you spend the next 6 months waiting for the truck hauling your new vehicle to pull into your drive. Trust me.....that truck ain't coming. The Internet is a great place to search for cars and trucks for sale, but the old fashion way of actually buying the car is still the best (and only) way to go.......face-to-face, with a notary. Good luck to you. http://usedcarsale.com
2. If it's priced normally why risk it? If it were priced thousands less than you could hire a mobile mechanic service to go check it out and fly there to pick it up. But its not worth it if the price is normal. Just buy locally.
3. Contact the person whose name is on the title. Ask why he is having the other person conduct the sale. This does not sound like any sort of scam. Sometimes it is easier to have a friend help so you don't have to come back and complete the deal. You could have them fax or send a copy of their ID and signature for verification against the pre-signed title and bill of sale. To those who don't understand...He said the seller was out of the area, not the car. Try reading the question before you comment. The seller is not doing anything illegal. He simply wants his friend to handle the deal for him since he cannot be physically present . Too bad "Lifetime car guy" doesn't grasp this concept.
4. Trust your instincts. There is a signed title from a another person. This is known as title jumping & is totally illegal. It will be just about impossible to confirm all persons involved. There are many risks here especially fraud. The title could be fake. That's easy to do with a good computer scanner. Cars across the nation will always be sweet. But if you cannot drive out in 2 hrs max drive to see a car, then don't bother. Run a Carfax on all cars that interest you. A few bucks spent on that will save you headaches later.
5. For it to be 100% legit, you would need an affidavit from the owner giving the 3rd party the right to sell it. In the real world, it happens all the time with nothing illegal about it. I sold my dads car years ago for him. He signed the title & a blank bill of sale, I filled the rest in and completed the sale. Deposited the money into his bank account and the buyer had no problem registering it. But, If you feel unsure, it might be best to shy away. Better safe than sorry. if its priced normally, what makes it "pretty sweet" ?