IDEAS: Have You Ever MADE A LONG DISTANCE TRADE?? Ideas on How To Do it Safely/Fairly

It looks like I may be doing a trade of one of mine for two of someone elses. I'm pretty trusting, but the guy I'm trading with brings up a good point - neither of us knows the other. On the plus side for him, I'm pretty accessible, easy to find and lots of people know me.

Worst case scenario, one of us reports the car traded as stolen if the other guy flakes,I guess.

I plan to fly out and drive one of the cars back from Phoenix and ship the other.

What would be ideal is finding someone in the Bay Area with a truck and trailer who could take my trade to Phoenix (I could ride along) and we could basically do the deal in person, load up one of my new vehicels and I'd follow home in the other.

Anyway, has anyone done a deal like this? How did you do it? Ideas?

 

Do the trade in person and store the second car at a HAMBers house until you can ship it or come get it? You could store one in my garage in Yuma, AZ for a while if you needed to but I'm sure there are guys in PHX that would do the same thing for you. Also if you come back through Yuma, stop and I will buy you lunch.

 

Good idear!

I think he's more worried about the deal than I am, so smoothing it over for him is more important I think.

 

I did a look over for on a bike here in KY for a buyer from New Zealand once as an un-biased opinion, I did'nt know the seller or buyer. But lived in the area and figured I could help another out for some good karma. Do you have any contacts in Arizona that could look over the cars for you with an un-biased opinion? And maybe he could do the same... Lots of stuff can be hidden in pic's and owner discriptions.Good Luck

 

i made a long distance trade once, and lost my ass. i should have backed out and knew that but since the other guy drove to meet me halfway i didn't. i said i would never do a long distance trade again. since then i have bought 1 ride long distance, but i drove all the way there so if i wanted to back out i wouldn't feel guilty.

 

I also have had good luck in the past buying site un-seen. I bought my 31 over the phone sight un-seen, and sold my 48 Chev truck to a guy in New Jersey who never saw the truck till it got to him.. I know there are a lot of scammers out there, so it can be scary.Does the guy know who your associated with, that you have a lot to loose if your full of shit?

 

This guy not a H.A.M.B.er? He should sign up and see your a stand up guy!! Besides, any one who's a member of the "Snuglers" mc is Kool...

..............Roach.

 

He does know who I am and where I work. Honestly, I'd just go for the trade, but better safe than sorry.

I've bought cars long distance from photos and done OK. On my end, I am always OVER critical when it comes to my descriptions of what I'm selling. I'd rather scare someone off that have them feel like they got screwed.

 

Well if your wanting to scare them, put your old Avatar back on!!!

Hope it works out and post pics....Roach.

 

havnt traded cars long distance, but i have traded hot rod goodies to a few hambers in america and never been let down. hamb people are the best and id never have a problem dealing with another member, but id be carefull if they werent. maybe get another hamber to check the guy out?

 

Iv'e done it quite a few times with cars I've only seen in pics & so far I have never had a problem & always been happy with the deal. I also have a hauler I use that knows cars & he checks them out when he gets there.

There are a lot of horror stories out there,guess I have been lucky & dealt with straight up guys. A few are HAMB members!!

 

This kind of deal is a tough one. No matter how many scenerios you go through something unexpected can always jump up and bite you in the ass. I've always just trusted my intuition. When I've had ANY kind of reservation about a deal it usually had a hangup of some sort. I've been changed from a generally trusting individual to one of the most skeptical bastards you can imagine by the ever increasing number of people who are out to take advantage of you. Not much help but the old saying "let the buyer beware" was coined for a reason. The good thing is in this case there are actually two buyers

Frank

 

Ask for a detailed video. I'm talking a 1 hr closeup (camera 12 inches away) of every detail on the cars in question. showing all details of the paint, interior, undercarraige, engine compartment, door, hood and trunk fit seeing all components open and hearing and seeing them close in the video. Make sure the owner is doing a voice over of everything as he goes. Ask him to do this with the car on a lift. Ask for a view of the cars VIN tags and both sides of the title too.
Have the owner start the cars with sound on the camera activated. Have him focus the camera on all gages so you can see the RPM at idle, vacumm, oil pressure and temp. have him take both cars for a drive with a passenger running the camera. Watch the camera for vibrations and listen closely to the sound for gremlins and squeeks.

Of course you should be comfortable and accomodating and be willing to recipricate with the same on your car.

If after the video, both of you have the same feelings for each others cars, then work on doing the transaction

 

I just sold the '35 and the video is what the guy said was the good point about selling.............we will see if he likes it once he gets it - but I think the video thing is a pretty smart idea - this way it gives a much better overview than just 10 or 15 pictures

 

I traded a 57 vw bug for an off topic P-u with a guy 370 miles away. The trade was good everything was on the up and up. He left part of the trade (some loose parts) at home. We did the deal and when he returned home I emailed him my mailing address and he sent the parts. I think we both got what we said we going to get. No more and no less.

 

I just got home from tulsa trading my Olds for the roadster, long story there. Trade pics ask lots of questions, meet somewhere neutral, and inspect the cars before the final trade. Thats what we did, I traded with gassycowboy on here went smooth up until the trip back. Thats another story altogether.

 

I traded a lowrider truck for my '47 sedan long distance. I think your initial idea of going out with a truck and trailer and bringing them both back at the same time is the best way. One transaction and no loose ends to get messed up.

 

hey kirk what is your timeline? i'm in sacramento and i have a tahoe and a trailer. the issue for me is the time. if we can work out logistics i'm down to help out. my trailer is open. i don't know if that is an issue. google says it's about a 12 hour drive. give me a call if you want 916-952-7208

 

How safe is it?
Exactly as safe as the other person's honesty.
If he wants to screw you, all the photos will be fake or re-touched, and he's counting on you not backing out.
Remember: when analyzing what could happen, easily half the evil plans couldn't possibly work - because the people doing it are pretty stupid, so don't discount any on the basis of "no one would ever fall for that".

us reports the car traded as stolen

Great idea: lose the car, and fix it by filing a false police report.
Guess who gets arrested on that one?

 

Have all 3 cars appraised by independent appraisers, swop info & there ya go. $250-$300 a car...money well spent IMHO

PM "boldventure" on here, he has the Appraisal hook ups

 

I mean if the car was never shipped.

 

If you can get a trailer,I have the Truck and the time.
'01 F150 SuperCrew with Factory Tow package.
I towed the Tiki Bar to Viva and Tiki Invasion in '08 for Notch.
(I also have a Commercial license )

 

And you passed out on the floor downstairs. No pillow , no blanket

 

Going on the deal yourself is the best idea. If it was me, I'd conduct it like the fancy drug deals or secret spy meetings/handoff of secrets I've seen in some movies.

I'd pretend to pick a place that's neutral, but it's really not. It's strategically advantageous to not only your security, but also your defensive capabilities, extraction/emergency escape from an ambush, and your ability to conduct an ambush should you deem it necessary. This will probably be a shipyard or some kind of dock facility at night.

I'd tell them not to bring any guns, but I'd bring a lot. I'd have two tough looking guys (one is good at karate and the other one's specialty is knifery) standing with me and a bunch more hidden behind barrels and such (on the roof is always good) with machine guns. When the other guy pulls up, I would be standing by my open trunk and flash my lights twice.

What happens next is up to them. But I'll be going home with my new cars.

Unless of course, they're not as described. In that case, you signal the guys in hiding, turn around and walk back to your car. Then star dissolve to a close up of an uzi firing and the sound of automatic gun fire.

 

I've sold serval car on Ebay with buyers comming from all over the states , I myself would never do it , but if I did this is what I'd do NUMBER ONE never go alone , Number two post a ad here to see if anyone around his area knows him , he may be a standup guy and then again he may be someone who is known to have and sell junk and if his neighbors wont buy off of him or trade with him then perhaps you should'nt either , Don't never leave without the titles and get them notorized make it legal , and now heres a thought he could have filled for a lost title and give you the orignal and then your screwed , lots of things to worry about but if your gonna do it then think it trough

 

That wasn't the first time that's happened...
At least I made it in the house and didn't sleep in the Truck...

 

You pay him for his and he pays you for yours in advance.
When you get there if he wont give you the car you bought then you can hang on to the one he bought for collateral.

 

i offer a service for after you get ripped off

 

Dave makes a very good point here! An objective professional appraisal can also be a tool to aid in selling your car. Our report covers the car car bumper to bumper in words and pictures.
Our pre-purchase report can be especially helpful when contemplating buying a car located a long distance away. If there are specific areas of concern we can pay special attention them.
Thanks Dave!

 

Kirk;
I sold a car to a guy 600 miles away.I made him a video of the car,pointing out it's flaws and good points.
Least that way ,he knew what he was buying before he left his driveway..
No bailing out or low balling after he seen the car in person..

Maybe you both should do the same.
Just a thought.