Canadian trying to buy our used car we're selling - what's up with this?

[honeymist]

We're selling a used truck. It's a nice truck, in great shape, good on gas, and we're selling it for about a grand or two under blue book value (basically just trying to make back what we owed on it). FYI - we're in FL.
So we've now gotten 2 phone calls from Canada about this truck. It's a nice truck and all, but it's nothing special (great shape, good price, etc. but I mean...???). The first Canadian that called never followed through, and we actually googled his number/reverse looked it up, and it had a review saying it was linked to some scam. So we never talked to that guy again.

Then about a week ago we get another call from Canada. This guy sounds more legit, even gives us the name of the company he works for (it checks out, the fax number he gave us to fax info to, is the same one listed on the company's website). He says he's going to fly down here on Thursday, pay cash for the truck, and drive it back to Canada. All we had to do was fax him a copy of the title (marked COPY and VOID) so he can give that to the border people so when he drives it back across to Canada once he buys it, he gives them the real title and is allowed to pass back through.

Anyways - I told my boyfriend he should definitely do this at a bank - it's selling for close to $10K so obviously I think he should do the transaction somewhere that the money can be verified as legit and all that stuff.

But why on earth would someone from Canada want to fly all the way to Florida (probably a relatively expensive ticket) and then drive all the way back (more $ for gas!) for a used truck?

Do you think I'm being super suspicious? Is there something I don't know about Canada and auto-shopping? Is this common? I heard something about the sales tax being outrageous in Canada and since the dollar's so weak now...maybe that's it? I guess it doesn't matter if he pays cash, right?

[Paws n Jaws]

Because the American dollar isn't worth spit and Canadian currency IS.

[JohnnyNocera]

be extremely cautious of anyone outside the US that shows an interest.
Mostly it is overseas that are the scammers...

[thndrkttn]

I am seriously trying to figure out why he would need a copy of the title prior to him purchasing the vehicle if he is flying down and going to drive it back up with the orginal title clearly showing that he purchased the vehicle from you. I wouldn't be faxing a copy of my title anywhere other than the DMV or my insurance company. Two pennies of course.

ETA: I would be concerened that he was going to use your legitimate VIN in place of another truck that has a reported stolen VIN. You fax that title to him and that would be all he needs.

[Avery&Todd]

Originally Posted by Lesley10782

All we had to do was fax him a copy of the title (marked COPY and VOID) so he can give that to the border people so when he drives it back across to Canada once he buys it, he gives them the real title and is allowed to pass back through.

I dont understand why he needs a copy of the title anyway - why would the border people care? I mean, if he's asked "business or pleasure" cant he just say "pleasure" and be done with it?

Just sounds a little "odd" to me...

[Coopspuppy]

I would say don't send him the title even marked void or copy. Just my two cents.

Coopspuppy

[boysmom]

I would NOT send the title, for the VIN switch (scam) mentioned above!

[AnnLee&Me]

I would be wary, too. Sometimes people have airline miles or family members that can get them tickets, so the fact that he can fly down doesn't sound too far fetched. What sounds far fetched is the fact that he's not balking at the cost to drive back.

Sounds weird to me...really weird.

We are looking at doing this very thing in the near future to get my car...but the drive portion would be from Portland to here, which is only an 8 hour drive or so. We are carefully weighing our options here because it will cost about 60 dollars in gas to drive back. Airfare would be paid for. So while it's not completely out of the question in our case...FL to Canada is a bit ...odd. And the only reason we may be doing it is because it's a car that's extremely difficult for anyone to get their hands on. If that's not the case for your truck or your truck at your price - I would be even more wary.

[JennVT]

Am I the only one who sees that he is flying to FL. Why would he need anything to show the border patroll on the way down?

We sold a boat to someone in Canada a couple of years ago. They needed NOTHING to show on the way down. Just directions to where the boat was. On the way back they needed a notarized title and bill of sale on the boat. Then border patrol called us to verify we had sold it to them when they got to the border.

DH also worked at 2 car dealerships and they have never needed anything ahead of time to "show at the boarder" on the way down. Just the aforementioned notarized documents to show on the way back.

And where is this guy going to get plates to put on the truck for the trip back??

Smells a little fishy from here in Vermont.

[crznsnshine03]

Does he have an insurance co or DMV that you can send the title to instead of him? That way if it is for real and he is buying the car with good intent you know you aren't being scammed. Just my

I never thought of the plate thing..... Does seem pretty strange to me too now!

[muttbutt]

I'd be careful. We're selling my DH's 68 Beetle and we've been hit with a number of scammers in the past few months (and one of them was out of the US)

I wouldn't send any relevant title document copies until the cash had exchanged hands.

You can check with Canadian import laws at the border to find out exactly what kind of paperwork they would require. I'm not sure why you'd need title paperwork until you're actually trying to move the vehicle across.

[Paws n Jaws]

All the OP asked is why someone would buy a car in the states and drive it back to Canada. Furthermore, if YOU were going to buy a car, fly a thousand miles to pick it up, wouldn't YOU want to see that the title is IN HAND first? I would.

While this could be a scam, it may very well might not. Personally, I've backed out of car deals that were just across town because a guy wouldn't/couldn't verify he had a title in hand.

So while a potential buyer wouldn't NEED the title before leaving Canada and flying a thousand miles, he might darn well want to make sure he/she didn't waste the trip. Just my 2 cents.

[Black Labbies]

Being Canadian myself, I'd be careful, too. When buying vehicles and homes over the border, you need to be extra careful.

It's been on our News that Canadians are flocking to the "warmer" parts of the US to buy second/winter homes, and then buying a second/third vehicles for when they're living in their 'new' homes. Although this doesn't appear to be the case with the Canadian interested in your truck. Ask the dude if he's a legit car dealer. I found out some info on this recently when snooping around.

[honeymist]

We faxed the title to his work fax (Meikle Automation - sp?) yesterday and he called to set up the time he'll by flying here on Thursday. So he already has the title, but honestly - we've sent the VIN# to a bunch of people asking for it to do a carfax, how is this any different? When you fax a car title, it has a security feature on it that makes this COPY icon thingy come through so anyone who looks at the faxed copy can see it's not the original. So at least there's that.

He said that he needed a copy of the title, as well as a recall clearance letter (from a Toyota dealership - which he will get on his own) to bring it across the border. There were other various documents he said the border people need in order to make the importing process easier.
I don't know I agree it does sound a little weird. But on the other hand, car prices in Canada are absurdly higher than the US. I looked on the Toronto craiglist and the closest price for this truck was at least $10K higher in Canada.

[Breezeline]

Let me say that this is what a LOT of Canadians are doing including me!

My DH and I just bought a 2005 from someone in VA and saved over $5K by doing so. As with this person, DH flew down and drove back with the car.

There is a lot of things that Canadians have to do it import a vehicle and it is simply NOT just go and get it and bring it over the boarder.

IF the person you are dealing with is willing to go to all the trouble that it takes in paperwork and PRIOR arrangements then it is legitimate.