Need Help - Avoiding Scams while selling a car

[fatmike]

My Question:

While selling a car, how can I collect funds in a 100% safe way from an International Buyer? I am selling a car & have title in hand. Buyer is physically here on a visit.

Background:

A European buyer has expressed interest in buying my BMW. The buyer is here on a visit and realizes that he can buy a car in the States and ship it across the pond cheaper than he can get the same car in Europe. The car sells for much more in Europe & with the exchange rate from Euros its a no-brainer financally (even paying the taxes).

I met him, he looked at the car. We've had a very typical discussion between buyer and seller. He's asked the right questions, etc. So have a decent level of comfort with the buyer, except that he's only here on a visit which sets off my scammer alarm bells...

What I really want to understand is how I can collect funds in a 100% safe way? I have the title in hand. Are there any common scams to avoid? Do I insist on cash? Is a wire transfer safer? Its possible payment will come from a US based account (via a family member he's here visiting). Should I insist on a Bank Check from a well known US bank?

There are a few threads on this board were folks have sold cars to Canadian buyers which is similair -- but I really didn't find specific do's and don't from a seller's perspective.

Comments, suggestions? By the way, we're talking about a $40,000 transaction -- if it was smaller like $10,000 I'd just take cash and be done with it...

Thanks!

Mike