Is cash for cars legit?

How instant car buyers make money

A cash buyer pays a wholesale price and resells the car at auction, to a dealer or to a dismantler. Cars that can't be resold are taken apart, and the parts and metal are sold separately. The difference between what they pay and what they recover is their margin, which is why their offer is lower than a private sale but often higher than a junkyard.

Signs of a trustworthy buyer

• A specific offer that's honored if the car matches your description
• Free towing, or a towing fee disclosed before you accept
• Payment handed over before the car leaves
• A bill of sale or receipt for your records
• A real phone number answered by people

Red flags

• A high phone quote that drops sharply at pickup for reasons you already disclosed
• Pressure to sign the title before you're paid
• Surprise fees for towing, paperwork or title processing
• Requests for your bank login or a payment app transfer to you before pickup

At Car Emptor, the offer you accept is the price you get as long as the car matches your description, towing is free, and you're paid at pickup. Read how it works or call us with questions.

Questions to ask any cash car buyer

1. Is the offer the amount I'll be paid, or do fees come out of it?
2. When and how do I get paid, and does the car leave before or after?
3. What could make the price change at pickup?
4. Who does the towing, and what does it cost me?
5. Will I get a bill of sale or receipt?
6. How long is the offer good for?

A legitimate buyer answers all six without hesitating. Vague answers about fees or payment timing are a reason to get another quote.

Protecting yourself on pickup day

• Have the payment in hand before you sign the title or hand over the keys.
• Fill in the buyer's name on the title. Never hand over a title signed but otherwise blank.
• Write the odometer reading and date, and take a photo of the signed title.
• Keep the bill of sale, and file your state's release of liability the same day.
• Remove your plates if your state requires it, then cancel the insurance.

How Car Emptor handles the same checklist

Our offers state the amount you'll be paid, with no towing, title or processing fees. The driver pays you before loading the car, and the price only changes if the car is different from your description. You'll get a bill of sale for your records. The details are in our terms and on how it works.