OT: Selling my E34 - how much leeway to I give to someone else's mechanic?

[DanDombrowski]

I'm not sure the subject accurately described what Im asking, but I wanted to fit the title in without it being cutoff.

Anyway, I'm going to be selling my E34 in the next few months, and as I've never sold a car before (but bought 2) I have a few questions, but the most important is -

When going on a test drive, obviously I'm going to be in the car with the person. However, as any smart car buyer should, when they ask to take the car to their mechanic for a PPI, how do I let them take it? Should I just let them go and bring the car back? Should I go with them (time could be an issue there, since I work 9-5 every day)? Or would it be best to take the car to their mechanic myself?

The only other time I did a PPI, I had the person take it to a mechanic of my choice (because I was out of town).

Second, I used to be pretty involved with an old company with fraud prevention, so I know a bunch of the tricks with typical car buying scams (I'm buying a car overseas.......let me send you a check and you wire me the difference), so I'm not falling for any of that. What I am worried about is bogus cashiers checks when I sell the car locally. I live in South Florida where there are a lot of illegal immigrants from the island nations (Cuba, Haiti, Jamiaca, DR, etc), and there is a lot of fraud that goes on (insurance scams, slip and fall scams, etc). I used to just show up to buy a car with a cashiers check and no one had a problem, but I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to minimize any risks. I plan on taking the car to the DMV the day I sell it to make sure the buyer isn't riding around on my insurance either.

So, I guess those are my two questions. Thanks a bunch guys.

Oh, BTW - my new car, which I already own, is my 330Ci. I'm a member on bimmerforums and E46 fanatics for that car. Most of the posts in the E46 sections are a bunch of retarded children that care about fitting 20" rims and are years behind the technical expertise of this board. This place is still my #1 spot for intelligent car tech talk.

[Ross]

Dan,
First, 99% of your prospects wont do this anyway.
My advice would be to agree on a mechanic you both trust, have your buyer pay the mechanic in advance and for you to deliver the car for inspection. More often than not the willingness to subject the car to an inspection will satisfy most buyers.
Good luck with your sale. Make sure the racing numbers haven't left their image on the car.
Regarding your comment on other boards I completely agree this one is tops.
Don't be a stranger now that you're "movin' on up".

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Its a question of attitude, your car is worth $XXX and thats it,if he wants a PPI then let him bring the mechanic to your car, arrogant but it means you keep the car in sight. If he wants to test car make sure he is insured! You have a worthwhile car so think positive, if its a clunker then pray he steals it and claim!

[DanDombrowski]

Uh, what race numbers.......? (rub rub rub) I don't see any race numbers?

Oh, uh, whoops, left my helmet in the trunk....in case I....uh....ride on a friends motorcycle.

Here, I better get this blue tape out of the trunk too, you wont need that. Suppose I should put the spare tire, jack, lug wrench, and trunk carpet back in also. I was, uh, cleaning it.

What? You don't need a PPI on this car. Here, read my tech inspection shee.....er, nevermind. Don't read what thats for.

Anything else you'd like to see?


:)

[Alan_525i]

Never let someone take your car unattended unless you really know them or you have a check in your hand for the value of the car.

As for bad checks, request a bank casheirs check and physically go to the bank with the check and confirm that it is correct. You must go to the bank that issued the check. Thats about as good as you are going to get without convincing a buyer to put both the money into escrow before the title gets transferred.

[Bin_jammin]

I'm not sure the subject accurately described what Im asking, but I wanted to fit the title in without it being cutoff.

Anyway, I'm going to be selling my E34 in the next few months, and as I've never sold a car before (but bought 2) I have a few questions, but the most important is -

When going on a test drive, obviously I'm going to be in the car with the person. However, as any smart car buyer should, when they ask to take the car to their mechanic for a PPI, how do I let them take it? Should I just let them go and bring the car back? Should I go with them (time could be an issue there, since I work 9-5 every day)? Or would it be best to take the car to their mechanic myself?

The only other time I did a PPI, I had the person take it to a mechanic of my choice (because I was out of town).

Second, I used to be pretty involved with an old company with fraud prevention, so I know a bunch of the tricks with typical car buying scams (I'm buying a car overseas.......let me send you a check and you wire me the difference), so I'm not falling for any of that. What I am worried about is bogus cashiers checks when I sell the car locally. I live in South Florida where there are a lot of illegal immigrants from the island nations (Cuba, Haiti, Jamiaca, DR, etc), and there is a lot of fraud that goes on (insurance scams, slip and fall scams, etc). I used to just show up to buy a car with a cashiers check and no one had a problem, but I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to minimize any risks. I plan on taking the car to the DMV the day I sell it to make sure the buyer isn't riding around on my insurance either.

So, I guess those are my two questions. Thanks a bunch guys.

Oh, BTW - my new car, which I already own, is my 330Ci. I'm a member on bimmerforums and E46 fanatics for that car. Most of the posts in the E46 sections are a bunch of retarded children that care about fitting 20" rims and are years behind the technical expertise of this board. This place is still my #1 spot for intelligent car tech talk.

So far as the scamming goes, take the buyer to their bank and cash the check in front of them. Tell the buyer you're wary of scams, and it's just safe practice. Either that or tell them to bring cash. Now accepted at most locations worldwide :)

So far as bringing the car to a mechanic, I'm a mechanic, I inspect cars for buyers all the time, and I still don't see how that works. I would NEVER let someone else take my car until they gave me money. I'd drive them to another shop and let someone else inspect it, but I'd be right next to him the whole time watching to make sure he didn't even breathe on my car wrong. That's just me though, and I'm rabidly paranoid about my cars.

Working in the dealership, we've had customers take out cars to their mechanics, we slap a dealer plate on it and off they go. The running joke when we do that is that we should tape a $20 bill to the bottom of the car for the guy inspecting it ;)