Leave keys with used car dealer?
 

You might have noticed from my other posts that I am selling my beloved Boxster. I got a call from a used car dealer that says he has a customer who is looking for a car like mine. Sounds promising, right?

So I took the car over to him a little bit ago. Its a small-medium used car store called Harbor Motors http://www.harbormotors.net/ The salesman seems friendly enough, he is a polite older latin fellow. After checking out the car and genuinely appearing very impressed, he said he would contact his buyer and let him know that its an excellent car.

Then he asked me to leave the car with him for the day on Saturday, and preferably the entire weekend so he could show it to the interested person and maybe others. I'm not too comfortable just leaving my car at a used car dealer, but I am trying to sell it after all.

What kind of security or contract should I be asking for in order for me to leave the car with him?

Thanks
- Xavier

I am a dealer in Carlsbad, CA.

I would stay very far away from this guy.

Nuff said.

Good luck.

If the dealer is really interested - he'd BUY IT from you.

This dealer is trying to "broker" this car AND make a full markup on it.

This is illegal in CA and this dealers knows it.

If he is acting as a broker, he is required to provide you with a broker agreement.

Sleezy.

Thanks, that is exactly what I was wondering. I figured there had to be some kind of contract in place. Esp since I have had several calls from other consignment shops explaining to me their consignment process - a process which this new dealer doesn't seem to have.

There were a few red flags in my 30 minutes there. One of them was that he had two other Boxsters on the lot, both with really dirty plastic windows. I said "you know you can clean those up with Plexus" and he had no idea. I explained, and he called his assistant over, and the assistant babbled on about how he knows but the window is delicate and he proceeded to make no sense.

After the fact (you know how you think of something better to say later?!) I thought I should have asked "Can you clean up those rear windows?" and allowed the dealer to spin me some BS about it.... then I would know his tactics better.

I realize you've got to go in to those places knowing that the dealer is usually doing his worst to try to work you and get the best deal on his side. (There are exceptions, Brucelee!!) Even if he is basically ethical, he has the vast advantage of having negociated hundreds of deals before and he just knows what works and what doesn't. But I see that the majority are not even ethical and so that makes it tougher still.

Thanks - just curious if anyone has other advice or sleezy dealer stories??

If you ever want to chat with me on how to deal with dealers or sell your car, feel free to call.

760-522-7327.

Leave the keys with me...I will take great care of it!