As most of u i find this forum a great way to share or recieve info. Today i ran into this unusual way of buying a used car: It is identical to what i found few months ago and is described at http://www.virtualautosales.net/ I spoke to a person in my home town and he offered me a great deal for a 98-99 SE, 5-speed, w/all options, w/less then 50K, w/ clean title for $9,000-$10,000. To understand this better, he DOES NOT have the car as of yet, he will be looking for it for me. I set what i want and the price, he just finds it for me (auction i guess). The question is, Is there a scam here? i was told that most cars come from North Carolina.

 

Most likely the person you speak off is a dealer, what he does is he has a license to go to authorized car auctions. Then he will attempt to find this car that you seek, at a lower price then your paying, A car with those options you asked for could go for around 8, If it happens to have any serious problems then he may either own a shop to take it too or have deals with some shops to have problems fixed then resells it to you at the price he promised. Its definatley not illegal, but personally your better off with finding a quiet private owner living on a nicely paved area. But you may not be so lucky, so see what this guy has to offer, and remember you dont have to give him any money in advance, not until he brings you something you like. So try your luck .

Dave

 

haven't you seen those infomercials on "Motor Millions"....i bet its one of those type of people...they find cars for you from auctions, delaer trade in's, private party, bank repo's and make money on the sale but never really buy anything. I would ask him for references of previous clients, and perhaps see if he is a legit business (perhaps registered with the better business bureua?).

you can have this same kinda of sucess on ebay, and probably with a little more protection given the fraud insurance they offer....just a thought.

 

haven't you seen those infomercials on "Motor Millions"....i bet its one of those type of people...they find cars for you from auctions, delaer trade in's, private party, bank repo's and make money on the sale but never really buy anything. I would ask him for references of previous clients, and perhaps see if he is a legit business (perhaps registered with the better business bureua?).

you can have this same kinda of sucess on ebay, and probably with a little more protection given the fraud insurance they offer....just a thought.

also, at purchase, perhaps ask is he would be willing to do it on escrow...which is a third party that hold the money until both parties agree that the sale is what you thought it would be.

good luck...

 

My friend bought his car that way.

His dealer frequented auto auctions, and looked out for the specifica car he wanted. When he found a few, he would call and describe it and my friend would go to the auction to view the car and make a decision. Dealer guy would add a predetermined amount to the final sale as his commission.

 

the guy called me today. he said he found '99 max w/ everything as i stated and will try to get it for $9,500 (shipped to my sate). he wants 10-15% deposit, and the rest of the money within a month. i asked for VIN and Condition, he said that he can get that info after i agree to purchase (no deposit required at this state). but he also said that he can guarantee that the car will be in good condition and will have clear title. i am still thinking.......

 

Unless it's a REALLY good deal, I would never buy a car without driving and looking at it myself.

 

well, i've been looking for some time now. there is nothing good below $14,000-$15,000, and here i get the car 4-5 Gs cheaper. of course it's a big risk, but $5,000 is alot of money too.

 

well, it seems like you're justifying to us that you have already tried everything else...

all i can say is, patience... don't buy anything you haven't seen or driven before.

 

oh...and about the private parties.....the guy in my area wants $17,000 for a '99, SE, 5-speed, 44K, Loaded.......i was ****ed off just by looking at the ad. the price is the same or higher then at the nissan dealer.

 

I agree that it is a very big risk to take. I live in Birmingham, Alabama and couldn't find a SE 5 spd to save my life; I found one on the internet in Tampa, Florida...talked to the guy, got a decent vibe from him - so I took the chance and flew down there to drive the car and see it in person. Everything was just as he said, so I bought it on the spot and drove her back home to Alabama. I would suggest that when you get the VIN number from the guy to run a report on it from Carfax; I did just to see who the owners had been and if it had been in the shop for any damages. But, you should be very cautious as I am sure I was fortunate to have my gamble turn out so well. Synopsis: do your homework on the broker and the car itself!

 

If I was you,I'd look in the ads.I've been to them dealer auctions and not all cars are in top shape.And there's a reserve set by the other dealer so it's not a garantee the ride is yours.It can go good or bad.But if you're not there at the auction when the deal is goin thru,don't buy it.Have him take you to the auction so you can test drive the car b-4 you bid...Look and test b-4 you buy...

 

What does good condition mean? It's all relative ... one person's definition of good might be that it starts, the other person might think anything less than brand new is good.

You really should see the car in person and test drive it, perhaps have it inspected or you 'might' be unhappy with what you get.

Now, if you were paying $500 for the car with low miles, that's a different story right?