Help selling car when we live in another state

[Bibbidi]

We need to take care of selling my DH's dad's car. Problem is, he lives about 1000 miles from us (obviously in another state). We can't be present to show the car to anyone and are considering using one of his neighbors to help with that aspect of it--and we'll compensate that person for their time. Are there any pitfalls we should be aware of, or anything that could help facilitate the process? Time is of the essence in helping with FIL's cash flow, so we'd like to sell asap, without getting burned on the sales price. We know that we can list on craigslist local to his area, and ebay motors, but we're not sure what else to do. It's just a really difficult situation to manage, so if anyone has any experience with this, I'd appreciate the input. Thanks.

 

[ssawka]

We need to take care of selling my DH's dad's car. Problem is, he lives about 1000 miles from us (obviously in another state). We can't be present to show the car to anyone and are considering using one of his neighbors to help with that aspect of it--and we'll compensate that person for their time. Are there any pitfalls we should be aware of, or anything that could help facilitate the process? Time is of the essence in helping with FIL's cash flow, so we'd like to sell asap, without getting burned on the sales price. We know that we can list on craigslist local to his area, and ebay motors, but we're not sure what else to do. It's just a really difficult situation to manage, so if anyone has any experience with this, I'd appreciate the input. Thanks.

If he has a CarMax near him take it there. They will make you a fair deal and it only takes an hour or two. It's just not worth the time and effort to sell it privately anymore.

 

[Bibbidi]

If he has a CarMax near him take it there. They will make you a fair deal and it only takes an hour or two. It's just not worth the time and effort to sell it privately anymore.

The ratings online for the carmax that would be local to FIL are horrendous, so we will be trying to do it privately.

 

[disneymarie]

In Pa there is a power of attorney form that can be used. If you have AAA, or it may be worth it to join just to take care of this transaction. We have Notary Public, in PA....I retired from, so that is why I suggested the auto power of attorney. It is limited to that transaction.
good luck

 

[ssawka]

The ratings online for the carmax that would be local to FIL are horrendous, so we will be trying to do it privately.

I'm not sure how they are as far as buying a car from them, but selling is a different story. They will simply make you an offer and you accept it or you don't. You will have up to 7 days to accept. But, you do whatever makes you comfortable.

 

[lastminutemom]

There is a tremendous amount of fraud associated with car sales on Craigslist. For every one real offer, you will get scores of fake ones.

In addition, your situation would raise red flags for me if I were a buyer, as the fact that you are not in the same place with the car is one of the warning signs of fraud.

I agree with at least getting it to CarMax for a price estimate.

If it is a high end car, you might price what it would take to get it t you and then get it sold locally.

 

[Bibbidi]

There is a tremendous amount of fraud associated with car sales on Craigslist. For every one real offer, you will get scores of fake ones.

In addition, your situation would raise red flags for me if I were a buyer, as the fact that you are not in the same place with the car is one of the warning signs of fraud.

I agree with at least getting it to CarMax for a price estimate.

If it is a high end car, you might price what it would take to get it t you and then get it sold locally.

We definitely understand the concern a buyer might have with fraud. I certainly wouldn't bid on a car from a seller who lived in a different state. We don't use Craigslist for anything in our day to day lives, so it's good to know that you have to be particularly cautious. The car is worth about $9k, so it's not necessarily worth the expense of getting it here or to SIL's in yet another state to try and sell it either. I'll ask my DH about the idea of CarMax for an estimate. I just think they'd probably be offering way too little and right now we need the full value to pay some of his other pertinent bills for him.

 

[ssawka]

We definitely understand the concern a buyer might have with fraud. I certainly wouldn't bid on a car from a seller who lived in a different state. We don't use Craigslist for anything in our day to day lives, so it's good to know that you have to be particularly cautious. The car is worth about $9k, so it's not necessarily worth the expense of getting it here or to SIL's in yet another state to try and sell it either. I'll ask my DH about the idea of CarMax for an estimate. I just think they'd probably be offering way too little and right now we need the full value to pay some of his other pertinent bills for him.

CarMax generally gives you a fair price. If you value the car on Kelly Blue Book and look at the private party and the trade in values, CarMax will come in somewhere between the two. The last car I took to them, I tried to sell myself after I received their offer. I found it very difficult to try to sell myself, and quite frankly it wasn't worth the agrevation. I had one person come to look at the vehicle and they didn't want to offer me more than CarMax, so I told the person to forget it. Why go to the hassel of going to the bank with the person to get a cashier's check.

 

[scrapquitler]

There is a tremendous amount of fraud associated with car sales on Craigslist. For every one real offer, you will get scores of fake ones.

In addition, your situation would raise red flags for me if I were a buyer, as the fact that you are not in the same place with the car is one of the warning signs of fraud..

I agree with this.

How about having someone drive the car to where you are and sell it in your own area yourself?

 

[lastminutemom]

You also need to be very careful of fake cashier checks. I think you are going to have to put a lot of faith in a non-relative to make this go smoothly.

 

[Disney845]

I don't know about using Craig's List, but I know that about 10 years ago my Ex bought a car off of ebay, and a year or so later his coworker did as well, so it can work, and not everyone is a scammer.

Ex was looking for a specific model car with certain features that was not common in our area at the time, we couldn't find any used ones anywhere locally. He found one on ebay and we went out to TN (from FL) to look at, test drive, and buy the car. The whole process was extremely smooth.

We then moved to IN, and one of his coworkers liked his car so much that he wanted one for himself. So coworker also was looking online at ebay. In a weird turn of events, Ex and I were actually back in FL (he had a business trip, and I tagged along to visit family, go on vacay) and his co-worker found one online. We were in South Beach, and the car was in Fort Lauderdale, so he asked us to head up there to test drive it for him. He ended up buying it!

I have to say though, that if you are really in a pinch and just wanting to unload the car, do as another poster said and go to CarMax!! It will be the least painful, they will offer you a "fair" price on the car, and you won't have to deal with this private party sale.

 

[Bibbidi]

Thanks everyone, sounds like we should at least consider having the car appraised at CarMax to get a sense of what they'd offer.