buying a car from a distance

[rubez]

hi, i am interested in a car though it is 400 miles away in the UK.

i could get it transported easily enough via a transporter, though how do i ensure i don't get ripped off?

obviously the owner wont want to release it without the funds in their account, but equally i need assurances too.

thought about some sort of escrow system, a quick search brings up plenty of scam warnings. is there any such legit service out there for this? and what other due diligence should i be carrying out?

or what are my options for the payment? (can't travel 400 miles and driving it back myself)

thanks.

[steveo3002]

go and view it , saves rip off's and disapointments ...whats it gonna take a weekend away?

[TwistingMyMelon]

dont buy remotely it wont end well

Unless its a dealer then maybe you are covered by distance selling regs, but I dont know this for sure

Even if you are you would still have to reject it which is a ballache

[RobM77]

I did this once and really regretted it. If you're spending thousands on a car you'll spend time in every day for the next few years, it's worth a trip away. I've often bought cars long distance, but since the aforementioned bad experience, I've always gone to view them and drive them first.

[rubez]

like i said, i can't get away for a weekend. i need a car, but am very picky. so i either buy this one, or a local piece of st one that i wont be happy with.

i bought my current car this way (scooby) and it went well... though i realise this was foolish and i could have easily been ripped off. i paid without ever seeing the car/meeting the owner and got it transported. just lucky the guy was legit.

i want to minimise the risks this time.

i could get those HPI checks and an AA inspection or something to make sure the car is good. but i want peace of mind with the payment more than anything.

Edited by rubez on Thursday 16th March 11:38

[Fonzey]

No options for trains or planes to make the journey quicker? My Lotus was bought relatively long distance (North Yorkshire to Essex) but I did the journey twice, once to view and leave my 'demands' for fixing a few issues and the second to check the work had been done and to hand over the cash/collect.

This was from a dealer too, no way would I take any risks on a private seller by buying blind and getting it shipped. If the car/spec/condition is THAT rare, it's worth the trip. If it's not - then another one will come up.

[TooMany2cvs]

rubez said:

or what are my options for the payment? (can't travel 400 miles and driving it back myself)

<shrug> It's a day trip.

Is it a private seller, or trade? If it's trade, then you're going to need to get some agreement about any comeback, because you're not going to be willing to be heading back to him, are you?

I wouldn't even bother suggesting escrow. A trustworthy seller will assume you're a scammer.

[KevinCamaroSS]

What is so special about this car that you are looking at one 400 miles away?

[RobM77]

KevinCamaroSS said:

What is so special about this car that you are looking at one 400 miles away?

This is PH - if you're passionate about cars then finding the right one is easily deserving of a 400 mile journey, surely?

My wife's car is very ordinary; a bog standard FN2 Civic Type R, but we did a 7 hour round trip to buy it, simply because we looked at three closer to home and they were all shagged, and this one was pristine. Several years later my wife still has the car and we're glad we made the trip. For a car that lasts you years and that you drive everyday I'd happily travel then length of the UK to buy the right one.

[berlintaxi]

RobM77 said:

KevinCamaroSS said:

What is so special about this car that you are looking at one 400 miles away?

This is PH - if you're passionate about cars then finding the right one is easily deserving of a 400 mile journey, surely?

My wife's car is very ordinary; a bog standard FN2 Civic Type R, but we did a 7 hour round trip to buy it, simply because we looked at three closer to home and they were all shagged, and this one was pristine. Several years later my wife still has the car and we're glad we made the trip. For a car that lasts you years and that you drive everyday I'd happily travel then length of the UK to buy the right one.

This completely, if it matters to you make the journey otherwise just buy one locally.

[rubez]

groan... sorry. i specifically stated i cannot make the trip (the whole reason i created the thread) and all i get is people telling me to make the trip :s

lets assume the car is in good working order... i can at least half-way confirm this with an AA check, and HPI to make sure it isn't stolen or written off.

my only worry then would be the payment/making sure i am not ripped off. i mean, if i am paying into someone's bank account, which is tied to an actual person... so how hard would it be for them to get away without trace with my cash?

[cbmotorsport]

If they're an ebay account holder, ask them to put it online as a buy it now, you cover his selling fee, you buy it through ebay/paypal and therefore get some element of protection.

[slipstream 1985]

If i owned the car you were wanting to buy i'd be more worried about you ripping me off.

[berlintaxi]

rubez said:

my only worry then would be the payment/making sure i am not ripped off. i mean, if i am paying into someone's bank account, which is tied to an actual person... so how hard would it be for them to get away without trace with my cash?

If they wanted to rip you off it would be a lot easier with you at a distance, hence as much as you don't like it the advice to go and view the car and seller is good, the whole thing could be done in a day, fly to wherever, view the car, buy it and arrange delivery by a n other.

[trickywoo]

rubez said:

groan... sorry. i specifically stated i cannot make the trip (the whole reason i created the thread) and all i get is people telling me to make the trip :s

No. People are telling you to make the trip or don't buy it and my advice is the same.

Scotland isn't a great place to live if you want a rare car in great condition and won't travel.

[rubez]

slipstream 1985 said:

If i owned the car you were wanting to buy i'd be more worried about you ripping me off.

though you obviously wouldn't release the car to the transporter until funds were safely in your bank account.

not sure if you are just being dumb, as this is 100% not a concern.

[rubez]

trickywoo said:

No. People are telling you to make the trip or don't buy it and my advice is the same.

Scotland isn't a great place to live if you want a rare car in great condition and won't travel.

the condition of the car isn't a concern.

[cbmotorsport]

strikes me that the only options you have are:

make the trip
trust the seller
use ebay for the transaction.

You choose.

/Thread.

[slipstream 1985]

What is the car. I once negotiated a price over the phone about a car with a dealer but only because I was 400 miles away. We agreed if the car was as described I would buy it at agreed price. But that makes sence for more unique cars not run of the mill stuff.

[trickywoo]

rubez said:

the condition of the car isn't a concern.

rubez said:

but am very picky. so i either buy this one, or a local piece of st one

Which is it? Just buy the local one if you don't care.