BUYING
This is the typical process for buying a private party car on Built for Backroads. The transfer of funds, title, and ownership are handled between the buyer and seller.
1. Explore Car Listing
If you find a car you’re interested in, start by Googling the VIN to see if it shows up in past listings, forums, or auctions. It’s also smart to research similar makes and models to understand the market.
2. Talk to the Buyer
Ask about the car’s maintenance history, how long they’ve owned it, and any known issues. Confirm the state where the car is registered and that it has a clean, transferable title. After a few message exchanges, it’s important to move the conversation to a phone call or in person.
3. Don’t Feel Rushed
Be cautious if a seller tries to rush the transaction or avoids answering basic questions, or if they don’t seem to have a solid understanding of the car. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is. The majority of transactions happen in person, so use extra caution when dealing with remote sellers.
Read our Buying Safety Guide for tips on avoiding common scams.
4. Get a Vehicle History Report
Purchase a Carfax or AutoCheck report. We recommend doing both. Check for reported accidents, title status, ownership history, and service records. Always purchase your own report as copies from sellers can be altered or outdated. If the vehicle has an accident on record, be sure the vehicle inspector is aware so they can check the impacted area more closely.
5. Meet Up In Person
Walk around the vehicle and check everything including windows, lights, AC, the underbody, and look for rust, leaks, or worn tires (a new set can cost $800+). Go for a ride with the seller and take it for a drive in different conditions: city streets, stop-and-go traffic, and the highway. Listen for unusual noises, and pay attention to how it drives, shifts, and brakes.
6. Pre-Purchase Inspection
Get a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) from a trusted mechanic or local dealer (Ex: BMW dealer if buying a BMW). It’s paid for by the buyer and you’ll schedule it together. This can cost approximately $100–$200 and can save you thousands by spotting issues you might miss. The inspector should provide a copy of the report to both the buyer and the seller.
7. Negotiate Fairly
Use your research, PPI findings, and known market value to negotiate fairly. Use facts, not feelings. If it is clean and priced fair, don’t lowball. If it needs work, make your case and offer a reasonable price..
8. Smog Check
A smog check is required in many states before the sale, and in most states this is legally the seller’s responsibility. If the law states that it is the responsibility of the seller, do not accept responsibility for the smog and plan to complete it after the transaction as this can potentially create serious complications with the transaction.
9. Finalize Payment
Agree on a payment method ahead of time and be aware of common scams involving payment by reading our seller safety guide. If there is still a loan on the car, the seller will need to work with their lender to pay it off and release the title. This process can add significant time to the transaction.
- Escrow Services (recommended) – A third-party escrow service securely holds the buyer’s payment until the car is either delivered or picked up in person and accepted. Once everything checks out on both sides, the funds are released to the seller. This protects both parties throughout the transaction. Use a trusted service like KeySavvy.com or Escrow.com. There is a fee associated with this service (around $200), but it’s well worth it, especially when the buyer isn’t physically present.
- Cash – Simple and immediate, often completed at the seller’s bank for safety.
- Cashier’s Check – Request the cashier’s check from a teller at your bank with the seller present for peace of mind. Most sellers will not accept a check unless they are present at the bank and see your bank teller issue the check. Once the check is issued, the seller will deposit it immediately at their bank and confirm that the funds have cleared.
- Wire Transfer – Fast and secure when done correctly. Work with your bank and use extra caution as there is no way to reverse a wire transfer. Always confirm the funds have cleared with the seller’s bank before accepting the title of the car. Most banks charge a small fee to the buyer.
10. Transfer the Title
The Certificate of Title, commonly known as the pink slip, is the official document used to transfer ownership of the car from the seller to the buyer. The process for transferring the title varies based on your state.
- DMV – You and the seller can complete the title transfer at your local DMV.
- AAA – If both parties are members, AAA can quickly handle the title transfer, registration, and sometimes even the release of liability on the spot. Call your local branch to verify they have the service. Memberships are approximately $65 for a year.
- Paperwork exchange – If the seller chooses to just hand over the Certificate of Title then they’ll sign the front of the title in two places. The buyer fills out their information on the detachable portion (the release of liability), which the seller keeps and submits to the DMV. This is a critical step and each state has a strict timeframe by which this must be completed. Never extend this timeframe.
11. Finalizing the sale
Complete the sale by signing a bill of sale and submitting the release of liability. This officially transfers ownership and protects the seller from any responsibility for the car after it’s sold. Search online for your state DMV paperwork to see if these forms can be submitted online. Example for California: Bill of Sale and Release of Liability
Check your state’s laws regarding whether the seller needs to remove the license plates before handing over the car. Don’t forget to add the vehicle to your insurance policy.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We are committed to helping buyers feel confident and secure when making a sale through Built for Backroads. Read our buyer safety guide for known scams.
Buying a car on Built for Backroads is free. No buyer or seller fees, period. It’s free to list your car as a seller or purchase as a buyer. Why do we do this? Read our story or check out the BimmerLife article.
A good first step is to do a Google search of the VIN to see if any past sales, forum posts, or salvage records come up. If you are serious about purchasing the vehicle, purchase a Carfax or AutoCheck report to understand more about the car’s history.
Most enthusiast cars have known mechanical weak points like rod bearing wear in the E9X BMW M3 or IMS bearing failures in certain Porsches. Research the specific year, make, and model so you know what to ask the seller.
Carfax and AutoCheck are the two main sources for vehicle history reports. Both provide useful info on title status, accidents, and ownership history. They often pull from different data sources, so it can be helpful to check both. Carfax is the gold standard for vehicle history reports.
Seller has a report
It can be helpful when sellers offer these reports, but screenshots or PDFs of these reports can easily be altered or edited. If the seller has recently ordered a report, it may be possible to view the report directly on the website (carfax.com). Otherwise we recommend purchasing the report directly from the website for peace of mind.
Carfax
Carfax pulls from 100,000+ sources to show accidents, title changes, theft, flood damage, and ownership history. The report will tell you how many previous owners the car has had, if the odometer reading is correct, if there’s a loan or lien against the car, and if it has a clean title or was ever deemed a total loss. Beware that some accidents don’t get reported, but it can be uncovered in a pre-purchase inspection (PPI).
The service history can show work that has been completed and when it was done if it was conducted at a shop that reported this information. This history might not be complete if an owner worked on the car themselves or took it to an independent shop that did not record work completed.
AutoCheck
AutoCheck is owned by the credit report giant Experian. AutoCheck looks at many of the same factors as Carfax, but sometimes they gather data from different sources.
Sometimes people request Carfax to delete certain records about their vehicle (either due to inaccuracies or dishonesty), but sometimes these records can still be found in the AutoCheck report.
Discrepancies
These reports aren’t perfect and sometimes they contain errors. This is part of the benefit of purchasing from a private party – you can ask any questions that may arise and look at any available service records that the seller may have retained. Potential issues or history missing from the reports may also be discovered during a pre-purchase inspection (PPI).
It’s best to be honest about your budget and negotiate using words like, “Would you consider $x” or, “My budget is $x”. It can be helpful to ask the seller if their price is negotiable prior to going to look at the car, but actual negotiations should happen after seeing the car and gathering all the information you can about the vehicle.
Note: Our guides are meant to provide general guidance for buying and selling on Built for Backroads. While we aim to keep them accurate, they may not cover all scenarios or legal requirements.