Bearclaw

That's about as solid as it gets. Your buyer did word the email so it sounded odd, but maybe that's just his manner of speaking. If you both go to the bank, they verify he has the funds and you make the transfer, the money is yours and it's done - forever. My wife is in auto finance and deals with this all day long. That is a done deal. Don't often get that lucky, to have a guy use the same bank.

And yes, the world is awash in fake cashier's checks. Even in this day and age, it can take a bank 2-3 weeks to find out it got a bad cashier's check. Then guess whose problem it is?

matt777

It sounds very similar to numerous e-mail inquiries I have received for items have posted for sale. Its a numbers game. Bottom line....make sure the cheqck clears first. I find it easier just to blow off odd inquiries rather than deal with them.

patela

It's the name of someone who does live in San Jose, so either he's really dumb, or also working a identity theft scheme.

Ask him for his home address and see if it matches any of these: http://pipl.com/search/?FirstName=de...=2&Interface=1

The interwebs are your friend.

turbobooost

THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP FROM LOOSING SLEEP OR YOUR SANITY IS A MONEY WIRE !!! WE WERE PAID WITH A STOLEN CASHIERS CHECK MANY YEARS AGO FOR A 930 TURBO...I'M A FAST LEARNER !! IF YOUR BUYER IS LEGIT AND REALLY WANTS THE CAR YOU WON'T HAVE A PROBLEM..THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO DO BUSINESS AND THAT IS THE "RIGHT" WAY...

gr1275

I sold our last one for cash... just used one of the special ink markers to verify. The wire transfer sounds solid. Otherwise I would lean towards doing the transaction at the buyers bank and receive the bank check directly from the manager as recommended.
As for the buyer, my feeling is he is a scammer!

Gary

1pcarnut

Same here, when I first read his reply to my ad, I was getting ready to delete it, it just sounded fishy, but had my wife read it for a second opinion. She thought it might be legit so I played along politely and now it looks like he may actually be legit. We are scheduled to meet on Saturday at our bank for him to check the car over and then do the financial work in the branch. Seems like I should be pretty safe if we move the funds from one account to the other right there in the branch.

hoggel

I did exactly that with the last car I sold. The buyer and I are customers of the same credit union so we went there, he transferred money and I signed the title. If he tried to scam me I'd walk down the hall to his office and kick his *** ... since we work in the same building.

I hope it works out for you.

1pcarnut

Don't have that option but I like the sentiment.

Caveman

Good luck and please let us know if it all goes well. If he starts any delaying tactics just walk; well drive in this case!

Cheers,

David

Steve 96C4S

Remember the old days when you'd meet someone at your house, the car was so cheap that you were selling they'd pay you in cash for it (Like $1800 or $2200 or so for a car) and you'd part ways, both ecstatic with the deal? I miss those days. I bought many a car in the past with a personal check and a handshake in the small towns I lived in, too. Never had a problem with a seller not accepting a personal check and my license for ID when buying a car. This was before all the scammers out there ruined it for all of us.

I miss those times. The tone of this email is totally suspicious to me, and that's just plain sad. That he agrees to your asking price in the email so readily is "off" to me. I'm guessing this won't pan out but I hope I'm wrong. Good luck with it.

shaggy

Beware.

1pcarnut

I put in the ad that the price was firm so maybe he is okay with that. But the tone is still off. Maybe its just a factor of language differences. I'm trying to be open minded but we'll see.

advent996

Roger, glad our dealings on the 996 were so enjoyable. We're loving the Great Pacific Northwest. The car has been a pleasure...

1pcarnut

Hey Bill!! Good to hear from you, glad to hear you're still happy with the car, that's a cool avatar pic you've got.

Well, just got back from meeting this guy and it turns out he was legit. He came with his wife and son, no funny business, drove the car, liked it, we went in to the bank and did the deed. I was so sure it sounded like a scam when I got his first email, guess I've got to learn not to jump to conclusions.

So, now I've got to find another DD. I want one with a back seat that folds down this time so thinking A4, maybe an Avant, a 530i or an Acura TSX if anyone knows of one please give me a holler.

Cheers everyone and thanks for the feedback, this is a great place.

Bearclaw

Good deal!!!

It's too bad that we feel like we have to be inherently suspicious, especially just because someone has an unfamiliar accent or an odd syntax in an email.
Awareness is good, but suspicion sucks. Just the way the world is now, I guess.
Like Steve said, something's been lost forever, due to the underbelly element.

I read the email and it didn't put me on guard, and I'm always lookout for that kind of stuff. This one just sounded like somebody who maybe learned English later in life to me. Maybe I'm just naive.