So You Found a Great Deal On A Car. Problem – It’s Located in Another State…Now What?
You saw the gorgeous sports car on Autotrader.com or eBay.com, and you couldn’t help but drool. Unfortunately, you can’t really drive it home – you need to get it shipped to your home because it’s currently located in another state. You really, really, really want that car, though! So, how do you make sure that it is worth the money you are going to pay for it before you hire a car shipping service?
Hire a Pro to Inspect The Car
It’s not uncommon for car sellers to try to sell a car that doesn’t work to a hapless person who is too far away to actually take a good look at the car, so do your part in making sure that you don’t end up getting scammed by slick sellers. Before you call up your favorite auto shipper, you need to make sure that the car that you are buying is actually worth the money that you are paying. Hire a 3rd party inspection service to take a look at the car before you buy it, or better yet, ask for a video inspection prior to signing any papers. The more trustworthy the inspector is, the better off you will be. After all, auto shippers do not know what purpose the car that you are going to be shipping is going to have. If it is a clunker, most shippers will assume that it’s a “fix ‘er up” project and not a bad sale.
Review all Documents
Next, it’s important – crucially important, actually – to review all the documents that you are going to have to sign before the car is officially yours. Go over them with a lawyer if it’s an individual seller and not a dealership, and make sure that if you are buying from a dealership, that you are not being charged too many fees. If you feel like something is awry with the pricing, the fees, or the taxes, speak up before you sign a single paper. Out of state car purchases are very high risk in terms of the sheer amount of ways that you can be cheated out of money, so make sure that it is perfectly squared off before you pick up the car.
Hire A Car Shipping Company
Once you have actually purchased the car, it’s time to get an car shipping company to drop off your car at your home address. If you have gotten the car from an individual seller, it’s worth collaborating with the seller on a good time to pick up the car, and to have them sign off on the car’s pick up. (If an individual seller isn’t willing to meet with an auto shipper for a pick up, you should not buy from them at all.) You should ask the seller to mail you all documents pertaining to the purchase. Some naive sellers will place the documents inside the car itself, or hand them to the driver. It is best to have all documents mailed instead. Your car shipping driver cannot be held responsible for items left inside the vehicle. The auto shipper should also contact you to make sure that you know when the car has been picked up – after all, you do have a right to know where your new car is. If you bought the car from a dealership, it’s okay to go with the dealership’s choice of car shipping company. Almost every car dealer has one that they do business with for a discounted price.
Remember, buying a car from outside of your state does come with a certain amount of risk. If you really do believe it is worth it, then you will need to keep your guard up. Though not ever bargain car seems like a bad deal, it’s always a good idea to take every step you can in order to ensure that you are not fleeced in the process.