webuycars.org

[Julesh]

So I deal with these guys selling my current car.

You call them, give them the details, they give you an estimate.
You schedule a time for an appraiser to come.

So I do all this and the guy never shows, he got the day wrong. He's very apologetic, reschedules tentatively for another day, but never calls me back to confirm, so I have to call the main # for this.

Guy shows up pretty much on time and goes over the vehicle. He quickly spots where it's been repainted. He calls up another person and goes over any issues and this guy gives him a price. Then he drives the vehicle about 1 mile.

So I find out I need a lein release for my car. But they can still take it. So I sign the title over to him, saying I'll call and get the lein release to them. The guy gives me a check. But, here's the sketchy part, it's a company check, not a certified check. So I call the bank and verify the funds are in their account and the check appears legit. But they put a hold on it for a couple days until I get the lein to them I guess, and then they want to come get my car that day. I say no way, you get the car when the money is in my account. I can't believe they do not deal in money orders, cert. checks, or cash.

They told me they were offering me $500 more than carmax, which is probably true. I didn't take my car there, but I know carmax doesn't give you much at all for your car.

So that's my experience with him. Also you get $100 for referring someone.

[Julesh]

He offered to give me back the title until I get the lien release and then bring me a cashiers check, but still they want to take the car before they come to get the title to swap for a cashiers check. These guys pretty much want the car QUICK. They want to shop it around to dealers so they can sell it quick before the market changes and probably get their money back quicker (sorta' like flipping a house).

I'm pretty impressed with how polite they are and how easy the whole process is. I would recommend selling your car yourself if you can, but if you don't want to deal with the hassel, or you think your car will be hard to sell, they are great to deal with, much better than carmax.

[Julesh]

Update: The check webuycars gave me had a stop payment placed on it. Read below for my entire experience:

I contacted the company via webuycars.org to sell my car. This was on or about March 8. They were supposed to come on the 11th to appraise the car, but they never showed up. I spoke to the appraiser Patrick and he apologized and said he got the days wrong. We tentatively rescheduled for Friday the 14th. Patrick was supposed to call back to confirm the day, but he never did and I had to do this myself. On Friday the 14th of March Patrick arrived and appraised my vehicle. I signed the title over to them. I received a company check with "deposit only" written on it. I also received a contract that was signed by me and Patrick that stated that the car was sold for $8500 and a check # was put on the contract that matched the # of the check that was given to me. I was told I would need a lean release form and that there would be a hold on my check for a few days. I ensured there were sufficient funds at the buyer's bank to cover the check by calling their bank. I deposited the check that day and the bank told me it would be held for 4 days. I was later apprehensive about not receiving a cashier's check. I still had my car. They had not towed it yet. I called patrick back after depositing the check and we spoke. I told him I really wanted a cashiers check or certified check. Patrick assured me that the company was reputable. He told me many people are afraid of not accepting the check, but it would be ok. Patrick told me if I did not give them the car today, he could come and give me the title back. Then he would wait for my lean release form to arrive, have the tow company pick up the car, pick up the title and lean release form, give me a cashiers check, and take the car. I told Patrick SPECIFICALLY that I had already deposited the check earlier that day. I also told him that I had requested the lean release form and it would arrive on about Thursday the 20th. Patrick kept saying he would give me less for the car if I waited because the value would change week to week. He said the car values change every couple of days. He assured me that the company was reputable and the check was good. I decided to have them take the car and stick with the deposited check. The very next morning they came and towed my car. The tow truck driver asked me why there was a delay. I told him about being apprehensive about not getting a certified check. He said many people feel this way but the company is great and he has worked with them for a long time. On the evening of March 20th. a stop payment was placed on the check. I was charged a $15 fee. I had purchased that very day a new car and put the amount I was given for my old car down on the new car. Now, my entire bank account was depleted because of the return check. We buy cars/auto wholesale supermarket had now had my car since the 15th. I called Patrick on March 24th. and he said that he had told me not to deposit the check. This is a lie. Patrick even knew that I deposited the check. Why would I be given a check if I could not deposit it? The check # was even written on the contract. This was the check that was stopped. All I was told is that there was a 4 day hold on the funds. Patrick and I even spoke at length about 2 options, the first option was to stick with the check I had already deposited and let them tow my car, the second option was to have my title returned to me and to have the bank cancel the deposit while I waited for a lean release form so that I could then call patrick to arrive to pick everything up and give me a cashiers check.

As a result of this companies shady practices, I have been charged fees by my bank, I have depleted the funds in my bank, they have lied to me, and they will have had my car for over a week without paying me.

They are going to try and add $15 to my cashiers check to cover the fees my bank has charged me, and I am told I will be receiving this check tomorrow, March 25th., 11 days after my vehicle was taken. Patrick is supposed to come pick it up in exchange for the lean release form.

They lie, they are dishonest and what they did was illegal. Also I do not have faith that they will actually show up to give me the cashiers check. I am now out $8500 that I thought I had in my bank account. The check to the car dealer I wrote for my new car could have bounced, and this could have caused me to be in breach of the promissory note I signed with them. This could have caused a huge negative impact on my credit and the car to be repossesed. This company lied to me because they wanted my car as soon as they could get it. This is so they could shop it around to dealers and find a buyer before they paid me. They lied and said they paid me so that I would give up the car because they knew that no one in their right mind would give their car away before they were paid for it. They are completely dishonest and deceptive.

[SamN]

I suggest that you contact the Virginia Attorney General's Office. They are the led agency in Virginia to help folks with consumer fraud issues. They may be able to assist you in recovering your cash. PM me if you need help. My wife works for the AG's office and can help point you in the right direction (i.e. tell you who to contact). You can also find their contact info on Bob McDonnell's official AG's web site. Good luck.