Selling a car privately.

Tasty · 12-19-05, 03:31

I have my '95 GMC on the market to sell privately, and as I am getting more calls and a guy this evening telling me he is going to check with his credit union to see what he can line up. I am wondering if any of you have sold a car privately, and if you have any tips. I am about to peruse the Texas DMV website for title procedures. But what do I do to insure that I don't get some angry guy on my doorstep if the alternator happens to go out a week after selling it or something like that?

JohnnyDaJackal · 12-19-05, 03:36

Your selling it "as is" so whatever happens once it leaves is his problem.
As long as your not hiding any problems; like pulling the fuses or cutting CEL wires or any other "quick fixes" your not liable for anything. When I sold my truck I made a brief contract just saying that I sold my car to the guy on the date with xxx number of miles that we both signed. Not really needed, but nice to have if problems did occur in the future.

flatstick · 12-19-05, 03:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tasty

I have my '95 GMC on the market to sell privately, and as I am getting more calls and a guy this evening telling me he is going to check with his credit union to see what he can line up. I am wondering if any of you have sold a car privately, and if you have any tips. I am about to peruse the Texas DMV website for title procedures. But what do I do to insure that I don't get some angry guy on my doorstep if the alternator happens to go out a week after selling it or something like that?

I have bought and sold many cars in my time. what I like to tell people when they buy a car from me is that they should take it to their regular mechanic before buying it. if they decide to do that I will have them set up a day and time so that we can drive the car down together. if they have a problem after their mechanic looks at it they have nobody to blame but him. FWIW I always take a car or truck I am buying to my mechanic to go over it with a fine tooth comb. they will spot stuff on the lift you or I could not see unless you crawled under it. this is what I do maybe others will have another idea but this is the surest way for me to have the person buying the car rest easy that I am not pulling something over on them. a notary in my state takes care of the title transfers, pretty simple actually. both parties go and sign over the title.hope this is useful

medic · 12-19-05, 06:20

if you don't want the person to know where you live, simply meet at some neutral location like the walmart parking lot or corner gas station. Actually, this is probably a good idea anyway because do you really want some random person around your home and family?

but basicly, do what flatstick says about the mechanic. if you've taken it to yours and you want to show your honesty, go ahead and bring your mechnics reviews and estimates for any unfinished repair costs. this shows your honesty.

and in the end it's your choice who to sell the car to. if you don't feel comfortable with the person looking to buy your car, you don't have to sell it. when selling my dad's car a few years ago, a guy came by that got out of his car, walked around our car once, and then offered to pay above full kbb price for it by check. guy was a bit shady and we weren't quite sure if he was trying to get off with the car using a fake check. we just said we'd promised to hold the car for a friends daughter until she could come to look at and that we'd call him if it was still for sale at the end of the day.

Tasty · 12-20-05, 05:15

Yeah, whoever wants to buy mine is gonna have to walk up with cash. No checks at this establishment.

kgb · 12-20-05, 05:26

I have always sold cars privatley up until about a year ago when I traded my Civic in for a Subaru. Selling privately has always been a pain in my butt and I got sick of dealing with the no shows and the people trying to get the price down and everything I just took a little bite and traded it to the dealer. One word of advice I got for you though is to tell people you will not hold the car unless they put like $200 down. Also make sure everything is in writing. Like tell them you will hold it for a couple days for $200 but if they don't come to get it it is going back for sale and you are keeping their $200 and make sure it is in writing.

chpsk8 · 12-20-05, 07:45

Draw up a "bill of sale" stating "sold as-is". You should be able to find a template at Microsoft for Word. I use them allt he time, but i don't hve one loaded no this computer to attach. I would check your state laws first, just to make sure that you have no disclosure obligations. Every state is diffferent.