Actually selling my car, round two

Ok, so I’ve got the title in hand and the ads up on the web & in the paper. The big question I have is how to take the money for the car. Everyone’s said “cashiers check,” but how do I know that won’t bounce?

For cashier’s checks, the person has to pay the bank the money, and then the bank pays out the check. So the funds are there. Unless, I guess, if it’s a forgery…

Lantz

Ah, ok.

What care are you getting again?

The 350 Z?

Btw, did you know the Skyline was back in the form of an Infinity?

Check it out: http://skyline.nissan.co.jp/REPORT/JAPAN/index.html

Wow, up on the web two days and its sold already. Some guy is driving here from Missouri and giving me cash…

Does anyone know how to look up someone else’s credit report online? All I can find is looking up my own.

If he’s giving you cash, why do you need his credit report?
I think only businesses can pull credit reports, and then only after
you sign away permission. I don’t know of a way to do it to someone
involuntarily.

Yeah, no credit report possible. I just wanted to check that he wasn’t like a felon or something.

It says that on his credit report?

Well, I’d imagine a felon would have pretty bad credit. Guess I can still do a public records search.

To make sure he isn’t giving you counterfeit cash??

Isn’t that a major invasion of privacy you are hoping for? Oh wait, that is right. This time it benefits you, so throw all that crap right out the window. You are a man of deep moral convictions.

Chet

What in the sam hell are you talking about? Public records are invasive?

I think he’s talking about the credit report, and it does seem pretty bizarre to go looking for one when someone is going to give you cash. He could have declared bankruptcy an hour ago for all you care.

Congrats on selling your old car, though. Is someone seriously coming up from Missouri to give you cash for a used car? Are there no cars in Missouri?

Well, I was only looking to see if he had a criminal record, so I guess you’re right. Though I don’t think Chet would much approve of me doing a public records search for some reason, either. And I guess a super criminal who’d go to the trouble of driving 2000 miles to steal a car would carefully create a fake identity.

Not that I’m worried; he was dorking out about how he was going to use his pocket pc with GPS adapter to get here. Heh.

I think there really is a shortage of these cars; they only built like 20k each year. Probably left money on the table.

I figure we’ll go to the bank, I sign the title to him, I run the cash through, ta da.

Signing over the title at the bank is a great idea. Tell him to bring a cashiers check. You probably don’t want to make a cash transaction with a stranger (unless you’re selling something illegal).

I’m probably just being para, but there are just too many things that can go wrong.

Well, an out-of-state cashier’s check could theoretically bounce at the bank; cash can’t.

Maybe Jason will get mugged and turn into a frothing Republican. That would be good TV.

:D

Yo, Jase, will this put you in a higher tax bracket?

Nope, personal used car sales aren’t treated as income or taxed.

Today was totally bizarre.

I get a call this morning from the guy, saying he’s out in Issaquah at a Motel 6 with a trailer to haul it back. That’d suck to bring into downtown Seattle, so sure, I’ll take the car out there. Doug comes with to give me a ride back and be larger than me. Some conversational highlights:

  1. He pays in cash for everything, not wanting anyone to “know his business.”
  2. Lives in the middle of nowhere in Missouri.
  3. Only address is a post office box in Saint Louis (not in the middle of nowhere).
  4. Gave me a real home phone number, but his cell phone is prepaid or something; I can’t call him back on it.
  5. Says he “runs an internet business from home.”
  6. Knowingly chuckled when I mentioned depositing $9400 in cash would set off the DEA flags.

The bank took the cash just fine though, so la de da. Really, he seemed like a nice guy, just when you add it up afterwards it sounds hilarious.

Some fucked up shit that happened:

We’re in the Motel 6 parking lot and I’m giving him a walkthrough of the car and some girl drinking beer out of a plastic cup comes over and starts asking questions about it. Uncomfortable conversation for 5 minutes until she goes away; we go to the bank in the car. Apparently while we were off doing that she tried to strike up a conversation with Doug, who stayed behind, but he did the old “ooh, I’ve got to make a call with my CELL PHONE” trick. Hah. The buyer told me she (and her friend) were trying to get him to bring down his dog to play with theirs the night before.

Oh, and as we were driving away at the end she was chatting up the cleaning lady. No idea what the deal was, but strrrrange. Just off interstate exit + near a state park = weirdos.

Postscript:

The Issaquah Burger King where Doug & I ate lunch had a sign on the wall saying that one “Mr. Fagman” had completed manager’s training and was in charge. I’ll post the picture when I get home.