Best way to buy truck out of state?

[I_Drive_Chevy]

I'm looking at buying a truck out of state and having it shipped maybe use uship I think that's the cheapest? I'm in northwest ind not a lot good solid trucks here, they want lots money also here. I like to have southern or truck from the west also one with some kind of history and be mostly stock. From what I seem around here none of that for a fair price. Yet I find gems in other places.

Yes I like to check the truck myself with knowledge I have checking the frame etc I always check frame first. I love undercarriage of cars tells so much ya know.

What's the best way to not get robbed as far as money goes I know not seeing them in person isn't the best but I know people buy like this I have before actually. I like to know what's the best payment method tips and shipping info that some others use. Thanks for any advice
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[PanelDeland]

Welcome to the board.The first thing to do on an out of state truck would be to get lots of pictures.Ask for pics of the specific rust prone areas.Get detailed pics.If it's had bodywork ask for the name of the shop.Talk to them about it.Many shops will do a mud and shoot just to please a customer but the work will look good but be shoddy.Once you're pretty sure it's worth looking at ask for local members here to go check it out.I wouldn't worry too much about one of them buying it out from under you though it has happened,it's very rare and most will help just to help a fellow member.

The next part may not work for you but it's the only way I would do it.Fly out and look it over in person.If you make a deal drive it home or fly home and have it shipped.
You can take a leap of faith and do it long distance but you already seem to be worried about that.
This is just my opinion,others may have advice that works better for your situation.

On the payment,I would do a escrow setup.Your bank should be able to help you.If not you may need to look into a full service bank.Keep in mind that shipping may be a large portion of your purchase,so check pricing before making a deal.

[Coley]

Been there, done that.....and lovin' the result.
The backstory on this..... I'm from the PNW up in B.C-Canada and like you, I was after a nice southern rust free truck and I found one.....or two.
Now, I would never recommend it for most people....which is not what is on this forum. In other words you have to do a lot of homework on this....ask a lot of questions, get a lot of information and be patient.
I have bought 2 U.S trucks (one a 2005 Silverado-Duramax a few years ago, and one is a '72 California 1/2 ton). I've had no problems with the results and I wouldn't think twice about doing it again.
Coley

[duallyjams]

I have bought 3 trucks off of CL. Had 2 of them shipped and 1 I drove out to pick it up. It's easy to tell if the seller is BS ing or telling the truth and is willing to work with you.

[I_Drive_Chevy]

What's the best form of payment you use do you don't get burned ya know. Also any of you know cheap shipping company's?
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[jocko]

1) cash in person
2) cashier's check made out to seller

I haven't found ANY way to completely avoid risk when buying other than #1. Meeting the person/truck for an inspection and THEN doing #2 (so to speak) is also acceptable, but still secondary to cash.

I feel your pain. Just went through this - actually still going through it - and duallyjams is exactly right, you can usually tell if someone is full of crap, but be wary of them all until you're familiar with em personally. I'm still waiting on my 71 to be delivered, but steady/reliable comms with the seller is key. Responsive doesn't always=honest, but it's a good sign. Sending the cashier's check off is a sinking feeling, but it's what I did after I got the warm fuzzy it was safe.

Here's another tip - ask the seller these 3 things:
How long has he lived at the residence where the truck is located
How long he's owned the truck
Has it been stored in/out of a garage

the point here is that if he hasn't moved in awhile, has had the truck for awhile (<4-5 years or so) and stores it outside - it's probably visible on Google Earth. (excellent tip from a fellow member... ) That helps clsoe the loop to tell you it's not a pimply-faced 12 y/o hacker trying to pay for his future college expenses. Absence of the truck on google earth means nothing negative - BUT, presence is a very good sign if you think about it.

[SS Tim]

You know.... I'm never going to make anything towards buying a truck if you offer coffee for billable hours and keep givin' my techniques away. :-)

No actually that is one to share, I'd never want someone to get a raw truck deal and anything that helps when you can't be there is a good thing.

Now anyone who gets a good deal, out of a bad one, a good nights sleep or domestic bliss as a result is invited to donate to my dog food fund.

[jocko]

I was trying to withhold the names to protect the innocent....!

[Mrhorsepower97]

I found that flying out and checking over the truck in person is the best deal. I'n my case I've borrowed an enclosed car trailer and made a mini road trip to go check out the truck and if all was good, haul it back home with me. When dealing with people I've found that cash is king and you are able to score a better deal that way. Make sure that the truck has a clean and clear title and write up a bill of sale. Best of luck.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I'll be hoest... if youre looking for a "rust free" southern truck the southeast isnt where you should look. I see way more original trucks with bad rockers drip rails and door bottoms than ones that are "solid". If you want original i would concentrate on the southwest.
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[briank]

Keep your eye out on the board here, you'll find one and a lot of the guys will work with you. As far as shipping, I live in north central Illinois and bought a 68 burb from Whidbey Island in Wa state,it cost $850 to ship to my door. Ive also taken the truck and trailer to southwest Ok which only cost tolls and gas. I always prefer a good road trip though myself.
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[big_al_71]

My opinion is that i would just fly over see it in person then ship it back to my self. I would much rather spend an extra 1,000.00 between flying tickets, hotel and so on to have peace of mind thatn having to deal with any issues afterwards.

[Coley]

Originally Posted by I_Drive_Chevy

What's the best form of payment you use do you don't get burned ya know. Also any of you know cheap shipping company's?
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I used a Certified/Cashier's Cheque in both cases for my long distance deals.
The 2005 Silverado was at a (certified) GM dealership...so this deal started off with a high degree of legitimacy simply from the traceability, etc.
The 1972 (California) 1/2 ton deal unfolded successfully due to a lot of precautions taken that are stated here (ie: Duallyjams and Jocko's comments).
I made sure I had phone numbers for the seller (both home and work) and called him at both. I had a real address. The seller was into old vehicles and knew about these trucks so he could provide me with a lot of very good info not only on the truck but also not typical of 'scammer based info'. I made a point of having several conversations and communications with the guy and my confidence rose with every conversation with the guy and the ease of access to get hold of him. Remember scammers generally want the 'easy and very quick way out' and will not go to a lot of effort in providing contact info or item info if they can help it. Nor will they want to talk a lot about the vehicle in several conversations...it increases their chances of getting spotted and caught. For them, there are easier targets out there for them and they will quickly move on if you ask too much of them. Use this as a point in your communication method.
Again, be wary of the guy saying he doesn't know much about it...this is a red flag.
Your budget plays into this a lot. If you can afford the time and money to travel to location for peace of mind...knock yourself out. If you can't, then you have to get that peace of mind by being very diligent so you limit the 'surprises' when it pulls into your driveway.
There are lots of shippers out there....mine cost me $750 (all in) to pick up the truck in N.East California and deliver it to within 15 minutes of the U.S/Canada border north of Seattle.
I wouldn't hesitate to go get another one with my current methods and experience doing it this way.
My two (or maybe four?) bits.
Coley

[ultrahd4me]

Coley is exaltly right in his method. I just completed a deal this morning on a 66 I sold to a guy in Montana. The key is COMMUNICATION and lots of it, and frankly there has to be a level of trust also. This was a ebay purchase where I had lots of info and pics to back up my truck, plus I sent several other pics for him to see. I made him do the the $500 down with paypal, then we completed the transaction today by wire transfer from his bank, NOT a wire service. I only delt with his bank associate when it came to giving out account numbers. I feel that is a better method for all parties involved because most banks do not treat out of state cashiers checks as cash, they put a hold on the funds. Now for the trust part, he has to trust that I'm sending him the notarized title and bill of sale today. I have already e-mailed him copies of everything including a bill of sale, and purchase agreement. I also helped with getting the truck listed on central dispatch to get him a good price on shipping, and should be picked up in a few days. I've done a few deals this way and so far has worked very good for everyone. But as stated earlier good communication is the key for a good deal.

[Rochlow]

I'm going to say from experience.. Go look at the truck before you put your cash down.

I bought a truck from a member on this site. About a months worth of emails back and forth, tons of pictures, stories.. blah, blah, blah..

I buy the truck without seeing it in person and have it shipped to me. I was told that the truck had no major rust issues. After, I pulled the carpet, gas tank and gauge cluster I found that wasn't true at all. Basically, rust and rot from under the dash to the back of the cab. The truck was what my grandfather use to call a turd with a paintjob. So now I'm staring down the barrel of doing some extensive metal work to get the cab in shape. If I had looked at it in person, I would have pulled the carpet up and looked under the dash with a flash light to see the problems.

I contacted the previous owner when I found this out and sent him pictures, his response was that he was unaware of those problems. (it was the answer I expected)

Pictures hide alot. I would fly out and look at it in person before I bought anything again.

[67ChevyRedneck]

...and in case you've missed the thread that's been at the top of the page all day...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=547865

[I_Drive_Chevy]

That sucks the guy got lied to about the short bed. I'm looking for as original I can get spending no more than 1500-2000 on a truck. So flying there etc are not options on my budget..
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