Buying a car from a private seller in another state works well if the hand-off is planned. Here is what to settle with the seller before a truck is booked.
You can ship a car bought on Facebook Marketplace from another state the same way as any other car: book the transport yourself, and have the seller, or someone the seller names, hand it to the driver. The difference is that the seller does not work for you, so agree the pickup details with them in writing before a carrier is assigned.
Settle these with the seller first
- Payment is complete and cleared before the car is released, and the seller has signed the title over to you.
- Who will meet the driver, at what address, and on which days they are available. A pickup window works better than a single day.
- The keys, including any spare, go with the car.
- The seller walks around the car with the driver and signs the pickup report, so its condition at pickup is recorded.
- Whether the car runs. A car that does not start needs different loading equipment, and the price is agreed before pickup.
Book the shipping yourself
Arrange the transport with a licensed company you have checked, not one the seller insists on. A seller who refuses to let you choose the shipper, or who sends you to a "shipping company" website and asks you to pay it before you have seen the car, is a common pattern in online car-sale scams. Check any shipper’s MC and DOT numbers on the federal record before you pay; here is how.
What it costs
A private-sale car ships at the same price as any other car on the same route; the route pages show current bands for each corridor. Send me the seller’s ZIP code, your ZIP code, the year, make and model, and whether it runs, and I will give you a quote for the actual trip.
Paperwork for the trip
The driver needs the keys and a person to sign the pickup report. Keep the signed title and bill of sale with you rather than in the car. At delivery, inspect the car against the pickup report before you sign, and write any new damage on the form.
Written by Brian Smith, Auto Transport Manager at Leader Auto Ship LLC — FMCSA licensed property broker, MC #1638331, DOT #4232283. Brian has more than four years of experience and has personally handled about 800 shipments. Verify the licence yourself.
