Article: How You Can Tell if a Private Seller on Craigslist is Really an Auto Dealer
How You Can Tell if a Private Seller on Craigslist is Really an Auto Dealer

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I think I just learned something, though it is not like me to pass something like this along without extensive validation. We've all gotten those good old urban legends a well meaning friend passes to us with warnings.

I'd be pissed if it happened to me, so passing it on.

John

 

After 30 years in the auto sales business with the last 12 as Mopar dealer in Florida I've seen a fair number of scams from both dealers and the public.



I can only speak for Florida but suspect that most states have very similar laws dealing with dealers and titles.


Here if a dealer sells a car and the paperwork upon registration shows it came from a dealer it matters not a bit legally if he sold at his lot, in your family room, or at the corner vacant lot; he is still bound by the states applicable laws.

It would be theoretically possible for a small time used car dealer who had taken in a trade or bought a car off the street to do what's called 'jumping title' directly from whomever he had bought it from or traded it in from to whoever he eventually sold it to. That's relatively rare and if a dealer were get caught doing it there are severe penalties and possible loss of license.

For a major franchised dealer to do this would be pretty damn foolish since not only could they lose their license but their franchise as well and the loss could be in the millions. Not worth the small relative profit.

A Carfax report generated a day or two BEFORE such a purchase has a very high likelihood of showing who the most recently registered owners was/is and quite often gives the dealer information if it had been traded to a dealer or bought by a dealer from an auction

 

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What he said. If something sounds too good to be true it is. I have been a car dealer for 34 years and have only seen this one time. It was of all people my brother, who is a hardhead and a know it all. He got a very bad car from this type of scenario. The red flags were waving and he didn't listen and got burned. There are shady people in all areas of business, the car business is not immune.
Most every dealer just wants to sell cars. Nothing more, nothing less. We know people think everything we say are lies. Makes being honest difficult at times. I can't tell you how many times I have had people tell me straight to my face "We know how you people are." It goes with the territory.
Almost every time I have heard of this type of thing happening it has been on the West coast. If something doesn't feel legit on a car purchase or any other purchase walk away. Don't buy speakers from guys in a white van either. If you do, and the box is full of rocks it really may be your own fault.

 

RD, Om, thank you both. This is great feedback. I just posted this cause I felt like I learned something and wanted to share.

Your erudite comments have taught us even more than the original article. Appreciate you taking the time friends.

John