Free preview · from the dealership side of the desk
Buying from a private seller is often the cheapest way into a good used car: no dealer markup, no doc fee, no finance office. But there’s also no one to fix the paperwork if it’s wrong, and usually no warranty. In most states a private sale is ‘as is,’ and if you hand over $12,000 for a car with a lien, a washed title or a seller who isn’t the owner, that money is usually gone.
The first check costs nothing: ask for the VIN before you go see the car. A seller who won’t share it is a seller to skip. Then ask, ‘Is the title in your name and in hand, and is there a loan on the car?’ Below: how to run the VIN, check the title and clear any liens, inspect and test the car, agree on price with facts, pay safely, handle registration and tax, and a private-purchase checklist.
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In the full guide
- Step 1: Screen the listing and the seller
- Step 2: Run the VIN
- Step 3: Check the title and any liens
- Step 4: Inspect and test the car
- Step 5: Agree on price with facts
- Step 6: Pay safely
- Step 7: Paperwork, registration and tax
- Your private-purchase checklist
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