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Need help, advise, guidance, wisdom... on buying used car

C

CirekL

Senior member
So, I'm set to buy a new/used car -2000 Solara SLE- for quite a good deal. However, the seller cannot produce the "pink slip" until the DMV mails it to her. She just paid off the lien holder of her car yesterday. The thing is, I don't trust buying a car without a pink slip in hand when giving the money.
So far, the sellers are very friendly, nice and cooperative, as well as understanding. But the deal is for best offer, so during the period in which the pink slip is being mailed to her, someone might come along with a higher bid, so I'm thinking perhaps I should just buy it anyway this weekend and hope she mails me the pink slip.

Facts:
The seller did indeed payoff the lien holder yesterday as they said, they even emailed me a copy of the cashier's check and lien holder's statement when I requested it last night. No hesitations or delays what-so-ever.
I have done a carfax report for this vehicle and it checks out, very consistent with what the sellers have told me.
The sellers don't look like theives at all. Not pushy, and very respectful. They have a registered domain, and lots of family pics and stuff on it. I have their phone numbers.
We will be signing a contact (Bill of Sale) on the day of transaction.

Concerns:
No pink slip upon transaction.
Not sure if both phone numbers of sellers are residential or cell phones.
No home address (always met somewhere, but this was for my convenience).
Car owner not under seller names, but she said it's her uncle's credit union.
I'm paying by cashier's check for the total amount.
Seller is moving out of country.
Found home address of seller on an online resume, but could not be found on Yahoo Maps or MapQuest.

So.... I need help ppl! please... I really want to buy this car this weekend, and I would like to trust these people, really. But I've gotten ripped off before. Do I have sufficient evidence to believe these people can not possibly rip me off? Is there any other scam they could be running? What should I ask for to be safe?
Thanks in advanced...
BTW, does anyone know how long it takes for the DMV to mail out a pink slip in California?
 
Draw up a contract that says they agree to sell you the car and you agree to buy it once they can produce the title and that you will leave a deposit. If they break the contract, they must refund your deposit. If they don't get the title within a reasonable amt of time, they must refund your deposit and forfeit the sale.

Of course it will be hard to enforce such a contract if the seller leaves the country.

In general once you decide to buy the car, you put down a deposit and this "reserves" it for you. While they can give you your deposit back and sell the car to someone else if a better offer comes, it's generally considered bad business to do so...not illegal, but a violation of customs....once you put down the deposit it should be a done deal unless something funky happens like they can't come up with the title...
 
I read their Bill of Sale, and it states that if they can't produce the title in 3 weeks, they will refund my full amount given that the car is in original condition. However, same problem. I have their credit union's phone number of the receipt she copied me. If I call them and ask, do you think they will tell me?
 
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