Berlin Motors
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 575
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From: Ventura California
Berlin Motors
As anyone ever heard of Berlin Motors in Miami Florida? I received an email regarding a 88 convertible I have for sale from a guy in Germany that states he has bought cars before through them. Are they legit? Anyone ever deal with them?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,479
Likes: 565
From: Clearwater Florida
..... No matter who you deal with , DO NOT release the car , the title , or the keys to ANYONE until you have cash in hand ! ... I once sold a TR6 to a German ship captain ... he and his Polish engineer came to look at it and we negotiated a deal ... his kink was that I had to deliver the car to his ship at Port Manatee in Tampa Bay ... I did ! ... He paid me on arrival and quickly had his crew rig the car and they lifted it up on to the deck of a 600' orange juice tanker that was headed for Wilmington where it would be loaded into a container for the trip to the father land ... once on deck , he proceeded to drive it around wherever he could for around 20 minutes ... I will never forget that sale ! .....
Racer
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 337
Likes: 26
From: San Antonio, TX
I feel like this is probably something equivalent to the Norwegian Prince email scams. First thing to ask, why is he contacting me, how did he find out about my car, why specifically this car? If the guy has the dough to import a Vette from Germany, why's he looking at an 88 Convertible? No offense to the car, I like them and I'm not saying it's worthless by any means - just things to consider, we don't want you ending up the victim of some scam. If the guy says he needs a small fee to import the car, get out of it - there's no reason he can't pay it himself if he's going to buy the car from you and have it imported. I've never dealt with them before, but international deals always need to be approached with a lot more caution - it's a lot harder to run a guy down in Germany from the US if he doesn't pay you than it is to find him in just the US. Like C409 was saying, don't give them ANYTHING until you have cash in hand - otherwise you're asking to be had. JMO
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 6,479
Likes: 565
From: Clearwater Florida
..... CASH or money transfer to YOUR bank ... accept NO OTHER forms of payment ... yes , even bank/cashiers checks can be forged or stolen ... so can money ... buy one of those markers from office depot .....
Last edited by C409; Feb 8, 2018 at 07:51 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,478
Likes: 254
From: Downers Grove Illinois
Wire transfer from bank to bank is quick and relatively safe. I sold a 1977 Corvette to a gentleman in Amsterdam that way and it went relatively smoothly. The biggest issue I had was with the truck driver coming to pick it up kept changing the day/time he was going to come. At one point he said just leave the keys in your mailbox and sign the paperwork, no way.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,583
Likes: 504
From: Indianapolis IN
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
C4 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
Hi ctrain22
Personally, I would never even consider going that route. First of all, there are many buyers right here in the U.S., if you are patient, you WILL sell your car. Secondly, there are sooo many scams out there involving off shore buyers that we've all lost count. Could it be legit? There's a REMOTE possibility...but I highly doubt it.
Why doubt the legitimacy? Well, if I were in your shoes I would have to ask myself the obvious question: WHY would a buyer from Germany want to spend the kind of money it would take to transport my 1988 convertible with over 130,000 miles from California to Florida and then halfway around the world to Germany...ON TOP of the price he would pay for the car??
It just doesn't make sense nor sound logical to me. I would pass.
Whichever way you decide to go, good luck.
Regards,
Dave
Personally, I would never even consider going that route. First of all, there are many buyers right here in the U.S., if you are patient, you WILL sell your car. Secondly, there are sooo many scams out there involving off shore buyers that we've all lost count. Could it be legit? There's a REMOTE possibility...but I highly doubt it.
Why doubt the legitimacy? Well, if I were in your shoes I would have to ask myself the obvious question: WHY would a buyer from Germany want to spend the kind of money it would take to transport my 1988 convertible with over 130,000 miles from California to Florida and then halfway around the world to Germany...ON TOP of the price he would pay for the car??
It just doesn't make sense nor sound logical to me. I would pass.
Whichever way you decide to go, good luck.
Regards,
Dave
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
Likes: 266
From: indy indiana
For one thing, shipping by boat is a lot cheaper from the east coast uncluding Texas, Otherwise, they have to sail around the horn or thu the Pan. canal. Yes, I agree, I would wait until the funds are firmly in my bank account before anything else, The truck driver wanting yu to leave keys and signed paperwork is crazey..and this is coming from me, a retired big truck driver.
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,897
Likes: 143
From: Manalapan New Jersey
Wire transfer from bank to bank is quick and relatively safe. I sold a 1977 Corvette to a gentleman in Amsterdam that way and it went relatively smoothly. The biggest issue I had was with the truck driver coming to pick it up kept changing the day/time he was going to come. At one point he said just leave the keys in your mailbox and sign the paperwork, no way.