Meeting up
- Meet in a public, well-lit place — many police stations have exchange zones.
- Bring a friend, and tell someone where you're going.
- Daylight beats a rushed evening meet.
Trust
Safety Center
Most private-party deals go fine. These habits keep it that way.
Safety guidance
Payment
- Cash or an in-person bank transfer for local deals.
- Never wire money, send gift cards, or pay a 'shipping agent'.
- autoshoppe doesn't handle shipping — if you agree to ship, use a payment method with buyer protection.
Inspection
- Ask for extra photos, casting numbers and receipts before you travel.
- For engines, ask for a compression or leak-down test.
- For cars, arrange a pre-purchase inspection at an independent shop.
Paperwork
- Confirm the title status and that the name matches the seller's ID.
- Write a simple bill of sale with both signatures.
- Check the VIN matches the title and the car.
Red flags
- The seller refuses to talk on the platform or wants to move to another app immediately.
- The price is far below market and there's urgency to pay a deposit.
- The seller can't produce a photo with today's date or a specific detail you asked for.
- Shipping is offered by a third-party 'agent' you must pay first.
- The title is 'in transit', 'with the bank', or otherwise unavailable.
Report anything that feels off — every listing and profile has a report button, and our team reviews reports directly.
Questions about a deal?
Keep the conversation on autoshoppe so we can help if something goes wrong.
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