Buying a car online on a fourm

[retrograde.]

i found a car i really want on another forum [forum name redacted by moderator].the only problem is that im located in northern california and the seller is located in southern california.i dont have the time to fly down to socal.is it possible to make a transaction online and ship the car?or do i have to go down there to do the paper work?

[Encryptshun]

The short answer is that yes, you can have the car shipped. The bigger question is what are you doing to make sure this is the right car for you and that you're not getting ripped off?

[retrograde.]

i plan on paying someone on the fourm thats from the area to help me check it out.how would the paper work be done?

[Encryptshun]

That's between you and the seller (which is why I don't ever buy anything sight-unseen). He needs to sign over the title to you, you need to pay him the money you owe. Simple.

If you have someone down there you trust, that person can mediate for you, or you can pay the shipping company that's picking the car up to oversee the paperwork.

Don't take this the wrong way, but if you haven't done your homework on this (called your secretary of state, contacted a shipping company, etc.) you really shouldn't be doing this sort of transaction. I'd advise you to stop before you get in over your head.

[retrograde.]

thanks for the advise.i've never bought a car before lol

[Encryptshun]

Kinda difficult to know if someone's being sarcastic so I'll assume you aren't. If this is your first vehicle purchase, then I would absolutely involve your parents in this decision and process. And I personally would not buy my first car long-distance.

Part of the fun of getting a car is going to look at them -- you're going to need to learn about what you're buying. What kind of car is it? What do you know about the seller? Can you afford the insurance? What will the upkeep be like? Will it be reliable enough for you to drive every day, if that's your intention?

[retrograde.]

thanks for the advice.ill just wait for a good deal to pop up around my area then