2002 ZL1 Camaro on Auto Trader for $19,800

[DierDesire824]

why dont u both follow through until the point of sticking money in if he tells one of you that he has already sold it it might be legit

[TraceZ]

why dont u both follow through until the point of sticking money in if he tells one of you that he has already sold it it might be legit

If he replies to my latest email with a VIN number and pictures I will call Escrow.com and see what risk I'd be facing to make the payment.

[Dave M]

Tracy, make sure you go to escrow.com on your own (type it into your browser) and do not follow any links he sends you, even if they look legit. Scammers can replicate a website, right down to the copyrights, and send you bogus links that look like they direct you to the real thing. Then you type in all your info and bam, they've got access to all you cash. I wouldn't touch this one with a 10 foot pole. It's just too fishy. If you do it, make sure you're going to the real escrow.com.

[TraceZ]

Tracy, make sure you go to escrow.com on your own (type it into your browser) and do not follow any links he sends you, even if they look legit. Scammers can replicate a website, right down to the copyrights, and send you bogus links that look like they direct you to the real thing. Then you type in all your info and bam, they've got access to all you cash. I wouldn't touch this one with a 10 foot pole. It's just too fishy. If you do it, make sure you're going to the real escrow.com.

Yep, that's correct. That's exactly what I did. Then I compared it to the link in the email, and it matches exactly. He sent me a valid link.

[Blevyou know]

This is very interesting. Keep us posted!!!

[fastTa]

Yep, that's correct. That's exactly what I did. Then I compared it to the link in the email, and it matches exactly. He sent me a valid link.

Don't waste your time Tracy. It's a scam through and through. This is his latest reply:

I am located in Prague ,Czech with the car for the moment with my job.
My price is low because I am obliged to sell the car due European Emission standards, it has US title and registration.
Shipping lasts approx 6 days, costs 1100 dollars via Air Cargo.
in order to eliminate any concerns, I will use Das Autoshippers a reputable company,
upon tracking information that I will provide you and you will see that the car is it's way to you, you will deposit the money in escrow.com account.
I prefer to use their services in order to eliminate any fraud case.
https://www.escrow.com/solutions/escrow/index.asp ,
Like this we are both protected,after 10 days of inspection, if you accept the car, they will release the funds to me,or in case the car is not suitable for you, I will take the car back on my cost and you will be 100 % refunded,
As I will have your confirmatio! n that you have the funds available I will proceed the transaction,
I will need also your full name and address to set up the papers,
Let me know today because I have other offers and I have to make up a decision,
thank you
William

[Joe 1320]

I'll bet you anything that if you put the money into escrow, it is released to him the instant the vehicle (or whatever vehicle he does ship) is in the hands of the shipper. I don't see any way possible that escrow is going to hold the dough for 10 days after it arrives at your doorstep.

Listen to what I am saying here...........when buying cars:

Rule #1- NEVER PURCHASE A CAR WITHOUT SEEING IT AND PICKING IT UP IN PERSON. I was going to pay to have an independant appraiser/inspector look at the car first. If it passed, I was going to fly out and pick up the car in person.

Rule #2- If it is not possible to see the car in person, SEE RULE #1.

Rule #3. If you still are persistant, remember that if it seems too good to be true, that is usually the case.......SEE RULE #1.

If you choose to do it anyway, don't say that you weren't warned. Besides, here is the e-mail I sent that still got the same form response:

Look, I'm not some chump that you can simply blow off my questions........ Before I put a dime anywhere, I want to talk to you in person. I want a paid independant inspector of my choosing to examine the vehicle. If it passes inspection, I will hire a shipping company of my choosing. The funds will be presented in cash on the spot by a licensed and bonded agent of my choosing. This is the only safe way to prevent fraud by either party. So, do we have an understanding?


This got nowhere and that should tell you something.

[TraceZ]

I don't see any way possible that escrow is going to hold the dough for 10 days after it arrives at your doorstep.

Listen to what I am saying here...........when buying cars:

Rule #1- NEVER PURCHASE A CAR WITHOUT SEEING IT AND PICKING IT UP IN PERSON. I was going to pay to have an independant appraiser/inspector look at the car first. If it passed, I was going to fly out and pick up the car in person.

Rule #2- If it is not possible to see the car in person, SEE RULE #1.

Rule #3. If you still are persistant, remember that if it seems too good to be true, that is usually the case.......SEE RULE #1.

If you choose to do it anyway, don't say that you weren't warned. Besides, here is the e-mail I sent that still got the same form response:

Look, I'm not some chump that you can simply blow off my questions........ Before I put a dime anywhere, I want to talk to you in person. I want a paid independant inspector of my choosing to examine the vehicle. If it passes inspection, I will hire a shipping company of my choosing. The funds will be presented in cash on the spot by a licensed and bonded agent of my choosing. This is the only safe way to prevent fraud by either party. So, do we have an understanding?


This got nowhere and that should tell you something.

I've purchased all 3 of my cars sight unseen. 2 of them (including my Z) I never even saw until they were paid for and at my house. The 3rd I drove to pickup after making the deposit to hold it. I'm not afraid of buying a car I've never seen.

Also, the website for the escrow comapany says they will hold the funds for anywhere between 1 and 30 days (whatever the partys agree on) allowing for an inspection period. No BS on the escrow companies part.

I'm 99% sure this is a scam, I just dont quite understand it yet. We'll see what happens.

[thenuge876]

I dunno man, i saw something a while back for a car, and it was basically the exact same e-mail but with a different car, i forget where i saw it. Anyway its a lot of money to be putting at risk, i personally wouldnt do it, but if you feel that you can be safe then it is your decision. If the escrow company is really going to hold it for that long, then you should be safe as long as it only gets released AFTER it has been delivered to you adn inspected by you, but keep us posted.

*EDIT*

Here was the one i was thinking of SCAM

[fastTa]

I'm not afraid of buying a car I've never seen.

You really should be Tracy. I would never EVER buy a car without first seeing it in person. There is just too much that can be hidden in pictures and text descriptions.

I'm 99% sure this is a scam, I just dont quite understand it yet. We'll see what happens.

Understand that it is a scam. Anytime you see a car listed as being in the states and then the seller claims to be out of the country, you can bet there is an underlying oppurtunistically malicious plan.

[Joe 1320]

I've purchased all 3 of my cars sight unseen. 2 of them (including my Z) I never even saw until they were paid for and at my house. The 3rd I drove to pickup after making the deposit to hold it. I'm not afraid of buying a car I've never seen.

Sellers must love you. You are indeed a brave man. And that comes from 18 years of high ticket retail sales. With the knowledge that I have of the business, you can bet that I'll never do that.

[TraceZ]

Sellers must love you. You are indeed a brave man. And that comes from 18 years of high ticket retail sales. With the knowledge that I have of the business, you can bet that I'll never do that.

It works out very well for me. I got my Z for $2500 under book and the Olds for $2300 under book. In both instances there were lot of pictures to look at. For that level of saving it is worth the risk that I might have to spend a few hundred fixing something.

The Oldsmobile has been perfect. It has not required a thing other than gas and oil. The only imperfections in the car are a couple door dings. The leather interior is perfect.

The Camaro.. well..not perfect..I have done allot to it. But that is mostly due to normal f-body issues and the fact I'm a perfectionist with it because it is my hobby.

My next purchase will hopefully be a C5 convertible and it will likely also be purchased online, sight unseen for thousands under book.

With proper pictures, low miles, clean carfax and the right price I cannot justif not buying some cars.

I found my brother in laws Bonneville SE on Ebay for nearly $3000 under book. It's perfect, minus a couple small interior pieces that are broken (and have been replaced) and a couple door dings. Both his Bonneville and my Olds look like new under the hoods too. You could eat off the motors, just like my Camaro.

How can you pass up deals like this?? You'd rather pay thousands more?
Check out Ebay once every few days. If you sort the listings properly and know what to look for you will be absolutely amazed at the deals there are out there. Many dealers that dont sell used are dumping there low mile trade ins online for nearly wholesale. I paid $3200 for my Olds with 46,000 miles on it. It booked out at $5500 at the time. The original owners were an alderly couple that traded it on a new Lexus. They literally used it for going to church and back. LOL.

I'm not saying it is a bad idea to inspect a car first. It is a very good idea, but if the pictures are good, the miles are low, the carfax is clean and the price is low.... You might want to be a little more open minded about it.

I'm not typing this up to defend trying to buy this ZL1... It is an obvious scam, I'm just trying to get you to see it can under the right circumstances be a great deal to buy a car sight unseen. It is a thrill, too. Too see a car show up at your house that you have never seen before.

[fastTa]

You can't hear rod knock in a picture. You can't hear lifter or other valvetrain noise from a picture. You can't hear detonation in a picture. You cannot inspect the oil and other fluids from a picture. You cannot feel the transmission shift from a picture. You cannot hear an exhaust leak from a picture. You cannot verify that a car has never been wrecked or had body work done from a picture. You cannot feel how well the car drives from a picture.......and on and on and on

We're not trying to give you a hard time Tracy, just trying to point out the obvious. You can always find a great deal on a car for thousands less than book, and they can be looked at locally. You have obtained a few cars in the past without seeing them in person and they turned out to be OK. You were very fortunate. Don't count on that fortune to always follow through for you though.

[SixtyNineFbody]

post edited due to profanity. Please censor yourself so that moderators don't have to do it for you.

[SixtyNineFbody]

BTW, that is definatly a California plate on the car