Send a check via registered mail, with paid in full for the mini on the memo line.
Send a check via registered mail, with paid in full for the mini on the memo line.
Where overseas is the car?
smells of a scam, proceed with caution.
How long has he been an ebay member? Maybe he just sold a bunch of cheap things to scam for a big sale?
Find someone in Europe (I'm guessing the UK) that can act as an intermediary to check out the existence of the car. Shouldn't be hard to find an enthusiastic third party.
Well, if the funds are transferred to an American bank account, assuming you have a bill of sale (get it notarized), you're on fairly solid ground in terms of legal follow-up if nothing shows up. Fraud is still fraud even without ebay/paypal protections. If the person who owns the account can be verified, and you have their information, you should be ok.
That said, I'd still find someone overseas in-country to physically verify the car. At worst, you could probably just find a local law firm (in the UK or wherever) and pay them to handle the legal transfer from that end, depending on how much that would cost.
This is a common scam. I manage a super market that has Western Union money transfer. I can not tell you how often I get customers trying to send money to Europe for a car supposedly in the U.S.. I will always refuse to send that transaction. As a Western Union agent its my duty to help customers avoid scams. Most recent was a young girl with her mother trying to send $3500 to London for a car that was supposedly located only 30 minutes away. I had to refuse money transfer service and explain to the customer why. Then I told them to tell the seller they want to see the car in person. If the seller refused then just walk away.
I agree with Keith, find someone in the UK to go look at it. Also, why take the chance? I'm sure it seems like a good deal but is it impossible to pass up? I would rather walk away than go through the head aches of possibly losing the money. Or actually buying a car and dealing with the shipping, customs, registration, and insurance.
Just me thinking out loud here, but I wonder if you could find a Mini for s00per cheap in Japan... it's too old for it to be worth anything there, and they seemed to get any vehicle ever sold anywhere. Really easy to deal with the exporters over there as well.
In reply to Datsun1500:
If you're serious about getting a Mini from the UK I might be able to put you in touch with a couple of people over there who I trust to do the right thing.
There is a ton of stuff you have to keep an eye on to make sure you can get one that can be federalized (a friend of mine used to export Minis to the US for a while) so it isn't going to be super cheap. Especially as old Minis in good shape aren't exactly cheap in the UK anymore.
Tell him you'll meet him at the port. When the title and keys are in your hands, you'll hand over the check.
Otherwise not worth the risk for only an "ok" deal.
In reply to mtn:
Of course there is the little matter of verifying the correct UK registration certificate. Especially as they supposedly just changed it again.
It IS possible to legitimately buy a Mini from the UK on eBay. I have the proof in my garage. Private seller in the UK, though.
Wait until the car is on shore, give him the check.
Smells like scam. How have you verified the seller is in the US? I'm old fashioned: in my little world, payment is exchanged >at the same time< for title and possession.
"It's not that I don't trust you. But I'm not going to expose myself to the risk that you're not trustworthy."
David
I have been researching th exact same thing. Main problem with Minis are re-vins on stolen vehicles.
That said, I would look into an escrow account. You give up the money, the car is shipped, an escrow intermediary shows up and looks at the car, and then the fund are cleared. Lots of real estate is sold this way. Protects both parties but you have to pay a cut.
I might be able to offer a hand: If you found one on Hasznaltauto.hu, I wouldn't mind offering to look at the vehicle / ask questions, store vehicle at my house, drive to Budapest for shipping etc. (assuming the vehicle is within a reasonable distance from my house, of course)
There was a company at ekauto.hu I saw at a car show (in Budapest) a year ago who ships vehicles to New York and Miami for about $2000, plus $300 or so for paperwork etc.
Then again, if you found a Mini in Budapest you might be able to go through EKAuto for the whole process....
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