Paying someone to "hold" a car for you on craigslist

Will paypal protection side with me if I pay someone on craigslist to hold a car, until I can get out there. Want to buy a car but can't make it out there until Friday.

You do not need a pay service. You need an agreement between buyer and seller.

Until you have the car and they have the money, you'll just have to trust each other. If I didn't feel I could trust someone at their word to hold it, I wouldn't let them hold my money.

Give enough to make you creditable, but little enough that if it's gone by the time you get there you only yell at the guy. A $100 bill is probably about that number for me for a car at least. $20 for small stuff.

Reality is you can make a deal and if someone comes along and offers more, seller will likely take the deal.

I always deal in first with the cash at my door, takes the car. I have seen way to many flakes on CL and Kijiji.

While I agree with NGTD's approach, if someone sends me a reasonable non-refundable deposit, I'll hold the car for a week. Key being "non-refundable", if the potential buyer doesn't take the car, it's a payment for my inconvenience.

I'll hold a vehicle for a 10% cash deposit.

I've even had higher offers after a deposit and still held the vehicle. It's an honor system that depends on the buyer/seller to have honor.

If I say I'll hold a car, I will. No deposit necessary. Never had a problem. Problems arise when you start entertaining multiple offers at once. It's either for sale or it isn't at any one time.

Does anyone want to deal with telling someone random Craigslister that they can't have their hundred bucks back? Not worth the drama.

On the buying side -- I don't consider a car held until I'm driving it.

I've done this before since I never keep my cash liquid in most cases. I just draw up a little contract stating that I'm giving you $XXX to hold this car till XXX date. At that point, I will either pay in full or forfeit the deposit. Have both parties sign it and we are good to go. Now I only try this if I'm working with people that look like they are use to contracts and understand what it means.

It's worked out twice for me, once for a car dad wanted, it was for sale in the town I lived in, dad was 3 hours away. I saw/test drove the car, reported back to dad, and gave the seller $500 check toward the car to hold it for a week until dad could get there. Dad paid the seller, seller gave me back the check I had wrote.

Second time the car was 6 hours away, saw listing late Friday, couldn't make it until the next Monday. Talked with the seller, said I want it, offered earnest money via Paypal, they refused, said it'd be fine, they'd hold it for me. They were honest and held it for me, even said they turned down 2 other offers in the time it took me to get there.

It's a gamble, but you're banking on the honesty/integrity of both buyer and seller.

I've paid to hold cars or held cars in the past, but I offered or required at least $200 or more to do that. Some people will hold regardless, but it ultimately comes down to SOME kind of financial commitment up front from the buyer to convince the seller that they are serious. "Oh man I really want this! Can you hold it until I get paid on Friday?" isn't the same as "Here's $500 and I'll give you the rest on Friday the 24th when I get paid."

A few hundred dollars is enough for me to hold my word and keep it for you. But if I don't get any money and someone shows up tomorrow evening ready to pay me for the car right then and there, it's gone.

Also, I would think paypal should work, as long as you prove to the buyer that you are legit and not some scammer with the over pay with a money order routine in mind. Call them on the phone and talk to them, give them your phone number and address too.

CL Scammers don't speak with real details or personal information. Every time I get a really vague "Is this item still for sale?" email I reply and say "Yes it is. I'm located in ___ and I can show it tomorrow night if you'd like to see it. Where are you located?" Usually "where are you located?" is enough to shut them up and stop emailing if they are a scammer.