OffRoadGuy
New member
X2 on giving vin# out. Only takes 5 mins to add new car to existing insurance policy. Also vin# not required for a quote. Remember I'm the strange critter on CL.. Lol
What's a single mom to do?
- Thread starter fiercefoxie
- Start date
fiercefoxie
New member
This call was a man that saw me drive by. I wrote for sale on my windows with a window marker. Plus I have his number and name!
fiercefoxie
New member
Well, he didn't actually ask for the VIN, I offered it. I mentioned it if he wanted to do a carfax and he said yes please, so I sent.
Ok, I won't send VINs anymore. Lol
DeadMoney44
New member
My 2 cents:
I HATE, HATE, HATE when my only contact option is email. In todays world, email is slow and only offers delayed gratification. Often I have a simple/quick question that determines whether I am in or I'm out.
Always list your number as a combo of words and numbers. This stops the phone # fishing programs from finding you. I've always done it and have never had even a single scammer attempt.
NEVER give any price but your asking without a person in front of you that can hand you cash. Whatever number you give out over the phone, via text or email, becomes the new asking price.
As a single mom, I would suggest you show your Toyota at a public place. Mall/Restaurant parking lot or other like location. If you bring your title and a deal is made, it's easy to get a cab with a big wad of cash in your pocket.
And lastly, when you do sell your Sequoia, at least go look at a 2010 or newer Subaru Forester.
I HATE, HATE, HATE when my only contact option is email. In todays world, email is slow and only offers delayed gratification. Often I have a simple/quick question that determines whether I am in or I'm out.
Always list your number as a combo of words and numbers. This stops the phone # fishing programs from finding you. I've always done it and have never had even a single scammer attempt.
NEVER give any price but your asking without a person in front of you that can hand you cash. Whatever number you give out over the phone, via text or email, becomes the new asking price.
As a single mom, I would suggest you show your Toyota at a public place. Mall/Restaurant parking lot or other like location. If you bring your title and a deal is made, it's easy to get a cab with a big wad of cash in your pocket.
And lastly, when you do sell your Sequoia, at least go look at a 2010 or newer Subaru Forester.
BrianSD_42
New member
x2 on meeting somewhere in public, during the day AND with cameras.
A bank parking lot would be a great example.
A bank parking lot would be a great example.
PitbullRescuer
New member
If I was buying and seller wouldn't give me a VIN #, I would no longer be a buyer. Nothing wrong with giving it out. Don't scare her. Buyer is going to know where she lives at some point one way or another.
Sounds like you had some interaction with the individual prior to giving the information. I made my statement under the impression you gave it up in an initial email or some sort.
If I was a seller and you asked for a VIN upon first contact via Email or over the phone, you would no longer be a buyer. Its not personal, but there is absolutely no way a complete stranger is going to know where I live with my wife and kids. Yes, eventually a buyer will have that information, but until I feel comfortable the individual is not Buffalo Bill, private information stays private. Im not saying to not give that information to a potential buyer at all, but you wont get it from me until I feel comfortable.
No one is trying to scare anyone, but we don't live in a society where everyone leaves their front doors unlocked anymore. There is nothing wrong with being cautious.
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BrianSD_42
New member
I see where you are going with this but that information is not private anyways. She can just suggest she will give out the Vin after they meet in person but she will have to give it out.
Your stance doesn't make much sense to me because it is not like some killer is going to go after a CL ad poster this way, especially before even meeting in person first.
VINs are very very common in CL ads. Everyone likes Carfax.
JohnsD90
New member
Are you guys serious? You realize that when you show the car to the person and they ask to verify the title to see that you own it, your address is on there as well as the ID they check of yours to make sure it is your car. Thats besides the fact that you can get the vin number off any car in any parking lot just looking through the windshield, or a select few other places.
If a buyer wouldnt give me a vin number of a car when i asked for it, that would make me very concerned, and likely lose my interest.
If a buyer wouldnt give me a vin number of a car when i asked for it, that would make me very concerned, and likely lose my interest.
I never suggested the information should not be given at all. I merely suggested it not be given first thing. It can be given at a predetermined meeting place.
Give a stranger your VIN and from that they can get your address and full name. If dug deep enough, they can get your SS number and then ruin your life. And they may have never actually been interested in your vehicle to begin with. Waiting until both parties meet to pass that information along will guarantee 2 things...
1) that the potential buyer is actually interested
2) the seller is real with a real vehicle
If at this meeting either party gets a bad vibe, no personal information has ever been divulged and both parties go on their way.
Its not that someone wants to kill you. There are other ways a stranger can ruin your life. And there are folks out there who get a kick out of doing it.
Carfax can be passed along to a potential buyer with the VIN blacked out. To me, if a buyer doesn't appreciate that I would be unwilling to give out any personal information until I get some validation that the buyer is serious, then I am not interested in doing business with them.
Again, its not personal. I don't ask others to do things or conduct themselves in a way I would not want to be asked to do, or treated. If I am interested in a vehicle or some other high value item, I will wait until I have inspected the vehicle/item and met the seller face to face before asking for any personal information.
fiercefoxie
New member
Yea, that is how I see it too. I want a VIN number before I ever bother going to check out a car. I want to know if there were serious accidents to it and you can't tell what happened to a car in most cases by just looking at the body anymore. Why waste time? I am not gonna go waste my time looking at a car that has had serious collisions.
Yes, in person. I am talking about an initial contact from a potential buyer where personal information is passed along.
It appears someone has taken my stance and turned it into a strawman.
Sure can. But you didn't specifically give it to someone. There is a difference.
I find it inappropriate to ask that question in an initial contact with someone. And if someone told me they were no longer interested because I was unwilling to give out personal information to them sight unseen, I would not lose sleep over it.
fiercefoxie
New member
I wouldn't trust a Carfax with the number blacked out. That defeats the purpose of showing the vehicle's history. For all the buyer knows, you have a Carfax belonging to another vehicle and not the one of interest.
fiercefoxie
New member
Yea, I already plan on bringing my ex bf for test drives and for the sale. That's the part that scares me the most so I definitely wouldn't meet up by myself.
We are all different. I find nothing wrong with your line of reasoning.
You can ask the seller to provide a carfax report. If I was selling a used vehicle I would have one posted in the ad. Minus all the personal information.
Its a two way street... Just like the buyer wants to know the seller is legit, the seller wants to know the buyer is legit. Its two parties having something the other wants. Buyer wants the vehicle and the seller wants your cash.
And the buyer could show up with $2000 less than the asking price, wasting both parties time.
Once both parties meet and there is confirmation the buyer is serious, then that blacked out information can be revealed.
Give and take.
fiercefoxie
New member
Well then the buyer doesn't get the car and I will end communication with he/she then. Solved. lol
I'd like to add something about the VIN and Carfax.
I have 30 days unlimited Carfax when using a license plate and 6 reports when using a VIN.
In my search for the perfect 4runner I ran probably 30 reports using license plate and state. Once the Carfax comes back, it has the VIN on it.
I pulled VINs using license plates from pictures in the for sale adds. I get not wanting to hand a VIN out right away, but anyone with the Carfax service can pull your VIN in 20 seconds using your license plate.
I have 30 days unlimited Carfax when using a license plate and 6 reports when using a VIN.
In my search for the perfect 4runner I ran probably 30 reports using license plate and state. Once the Carfax comes back, it has the VIN on it.
I pulled VINs using license plates from pictures in the for sale adds. I get not wanting to hand a VIN out right away, but anyone with the Carfax service can pull your VIN in 20 seconds using your license plate.
JohnsD90
New member
I've bought cars that were 2500 miles away from where i live, I'm not waiting to get there in person to get the vin number. I think you should get off the internet, someone might be able to trace your ip to where you live, someone can get to your house.
BrianSD_42
New member
Opie you position just makes no sense. The VIN is viewable from the dash (as already mentioned) this is how cops give out tickets.
You are wayyy to paranoid.
