I can go on with this for hours, though instead I'll share a few quick stories.
Several years ago I found a great K Code Mustang convertible, it was supposedly located in the Netherlands. I contacted the seller and they instructed me to make the payment to someplace I didn't recognize. I told the seller that I have employees all over the world and I could send one of them within 24 hours with cash in hand and they would take the vehicle. Lots of crap about "we have to arrange shipping, do import documents and the like". I knew at the beginning it was a scam though I like playing them just for sport, I of coarse never heard from them again.
Same thing happened with a beautiful Turbo Esprit V8, the car looked amazing and was priced market correct, I got the same thing as your reader, you pay the transport company and they keep it in escrow. I played with him for about two weeks, offered to have someone come to Hartford, CT where the car was stored and give cash in hand. The purported seller tried to keep me going for a couple of weeks and then realized I wasn't going to bite.
Starting in January I've decided I need (need is a very strong word) an Aston Martin DB7, I found one in Chicago that was being sold by a dealer in CT. Since I'm in Milwaukee I drove down to the dealer that had it, not the selling dealer. I drove the car, they were asking 30K for what was likely a 3K car, timing chain rattles, super charger needed rebuilding and the leather, although good looking was not good. I took a pass. The next one was a car being sold in Florida and was supposedly in Texas. I called and spoke to the salesperson and it stunk of a scam, because this was more than a whim and I had a real interest in purchasing one, I didn't bother playing the seller.
That brings me to my trip on this coming Monday morning to Sacramento to do an inspection of what looks to be a really nice car, it's a convertible though it ticks all the other boxes, low mileage, 6 speed and a V12, I would have rather had a coupe though this one looks like a really nice example. When I spoke to the seller it turns out he's an automotive author and we chatted for a good 45 minutes, and I could tell it wasn't a scam. I asked if I could send a deposit to hold it for two weeks until I could make my way there, he agreed. When I offed the 1000 dollar deposit (never offer more of a deposit than you're willing to lose) I asked him to e mail me when he received it, he did and then noted he wouldn't cash my check until I purchased it (more good feelings). He had initially agreed to have one of my local guys come and do an initial cursory glace and he said that would be fine, after talking to him and exchanging e mails I knew there was no need for that, and I still had to inspect myself. The seller has been great to work with, I found the car on Craigslist and must have been his first person reaching out from his post. When we spoke earlier this week he noted that he's received tons of inquiries though because he had my deposit he would wait for me to travel there. When I asked who services the car he said he did, after googling him and finding lots of online information, one noting him pulling the engine and transaxle out of his Pantera I figured the guy knew what he was doing. When I get back next Wednesday I'll let you know how it turned out.
And, wouldn't you know it there's a 15K mile coupe on BAT with a 6 speed that's currently at about 10K less than what I'll pay for the Sacramento one. Looking at the BAT post it looks like a nice car, but who knows? I'm watching the auction which ends in 2 hours but I like my seller much more, I thing the seller on BAT is a flipper judging from the background of the photos and I'm not willing to gamble, we'll see what the final sell price is. I much prefer to touch, feel drive and inspect before purchasing rather than taking a gamble on line.
