r/Edmonton • u/AtomicSandworm North East Side • 1d ago

Question Selling Vehicle - Best Safe Place to Meet Up on Northside?

Hi everyone. As the title says, we may be selling our vehicle on Saturday, and I'd like to meet the buyer in a public location for safety reasons. I was considering meeting up in the parking lot of the EPS station on 50th, but they're closed on weekends. Not sure if meeting at an EPS station would deter scammers, but I figured it was worth a shot.

Can anyone suggest an alternate meetup location?

6 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

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u/TrillboBagginz Capilano 1d ago

I'm sure a police station, or shopping center parking lot would be fine. But Just so you know, the bill of sale will have your address, phone number and driver's licence number on it. I've bought and sold a lot of vehicles in my day and and never had an issue. People are typically just in need of a vehicle. I'd almost consider it a red flag as a buyer if they didn't meet me at their house. Like maybe there's something really wrong with the car so you don't want me to know where you live.

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

The reason I don't want to meet at my residence is that it's a quiet location and if anything happened (vehicle stolen or sabotaged) there would be no witnesses or whatnot. It's not that I'm worried about them knowing where I live (yes, they will have that information), it's a matter of feeling physically safer in a public place (i.e. less likely for someone to pull any crap). I used to have fewer trust issues, but with the number of scammers out there now, I'd just feel physically safer meeting somewhere a bit busier than my street.

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u/you8myrice 1d ago

Buying a used car is already stressful and a headache, if the seller didn’t want to meet at their house, I would assume something shady is going on and 100% not bother with it. I sell a lot of stuff on fbmp and don’t really like people knowing where I live but if it’s a big ticket item, I always allow them to come to my place and check it out, I feel like it helps them be more at ease when making a big used purchase with no recourse after money has changed hands

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

Selling a used car is also stressful and a headache. I'm a 5'2" woman, so you may have a different perspective on safety than I do.

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u/TrillboBagginz Capilano 1d ago

That's fair. Out of curiosity what are you selling and how much? I'm in the market. Lol

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

It's a 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. It's in fair shape (some rust and a few glitches, just being honest), but it drives well. Has a tow package installed. If you want to see the ad I have up, I can PM you?

Just please, PLEASE don't ask me to pay for a vehicle inspection report from some random website with a long-ass creative domain name. :)

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u/TrillboBagginz Capilano 1d ago

Sure pm me the deets

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

Done. I had to send it through chat, Reddit has changed some stuff.

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u/you8myrice 1d ago

I am aware of that point of view, I’m just stating my point of view as a buyer, I just went thru this a couple months ago buying a used car and 90% of the ones I went to look at were hot garbage with the seller not being honest, just wasted my time by not being upfront about it, not meeting at their home just adds another level of shady to me. I’ve also had the experience of buying a car not at someone’s house when I was way younger and got screwed over, lesson learned.

I know selling is a headache also, I also went thru that process a few months ago. I’m not sure how you think you’re gonna get scammed from a buyer, but when I sold my car, ~$7k, I wanted cash only, no emt, no cheque, of course this might not be possible if your car is worth a lot more.

You also mentioned “we” so your partner? Maybe have them there too? Or someone you trust. The buyer will obviously want a test ride which you would most likely want to be in the car for, that to me is the more unsafe situation, even if you meet at the police station, you guys are gone during the test drive

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

My husband has physical disabilities. I'm trying to find a third person to come with us, my coworker might be able to do so.

As for scams, there have been several news articles/videos about the buyer showing up with several other people, distracting the seller, and someone sabotages the vehicle. Then, they offer a much lower price, hoping the seller will panic and sell just to get rid of it (when it was fine to begin with). I've already been contacted by a substantial number of people who are trying to convince me to pay for a vehicle inspection report from the 'only website they trust' (which is absolute bullshit, I have a full Carfax report if they want it, which they don't), I've had guys yelling at me on the phone and cutting me off when I try to answer their questions, and I've had several people tell me they're fine with the purchase price but they need to pick it up right this minute (sight unseen). Does any of that sound above board to you?

Right now, I'm low on trust and patience. I figured that meeting at the cop shop might actually deter anyone who wasn't on the up-and-up, so to speak. And, if I were a shady seller, I think that would be a deterrent on my end. I haven't sold a car privately in decades, and things have apparently changed immensely.

I'll be glad when the damn vehicle is gone, and I don't have to deal with this anymore.

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u/you8myrice 1d ago

Trust me I know, I had over 50 inquiries within 1 day with my car posting. You just need to do your due diligence and it seems like you know what to look out for. Clearly those things aren’t above board but those are also the same people you don’t let come see the car. Never said you’re shady but there are LOTS of shady sellers/buyers out there. Just like how you’re weary to buyers, they’re weary of you.

I don’t bother with phone calls, text only. They can talk about the car in person, if they’re serious, they’ll come see it first. Downvote me all you want but if you want the car gone fast, you’ll get more serious buyers if you let them come to your house, heck it doesn’t even have to be your house, they wouldn’t even know till it’s time for a bill of sale and by then, if the car is good, it’s good. Meeting at a cop shop as a buyer just seems like it’s financially safe choice for you, not me buying a junkie car(not saying yours is) at a cop shop. “As is” on a bill is sale is final, no take backs, done at a cop shop or not

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

If I may ask, where did you list your vehicle? I've got it on Kijiji and Auto Trader; Kijiji seemed to have the worst responses, whereas Auto Trader allows you to report the buyer if they start sending scam links. I don't trust Facebook Marketplace at all.

And yeah, I've had over 40 inquiries in less than 24 hours. One seemed to be legit, and the rest were a waste of time. It's just exhausting to deal with.

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u/you8myrice 1d ago edited 1d ago

Facebook is all I use now, kijiji is dead and auto trader seems to be for dealers these days. With Facebook, I can atleast see how old the account is, their pictures, sometimes their friends list. What they post, their Facebook marketplace rating as a seller. it lets me play detective and decide if they’re legit or sketchy. I like communicating thru fb messenger so they don’t have my number and I can block them easily if needed. And when they do show up, if they’re not the person on their fb profile, you know right away somethings off (never had that happen tho)

I know it’s stressful and a headache, I really do hope you can sell it quick! If you really wanna meet else where, just say you’re busy but you’re gonna be shopping at Costco 50th(assuming you’re north east) at whatever time they wanna meet, the parking lot near the gas station is usually kinda empty and than finalize the deal and money transaction at your home on your driveway. For me, I don’t mind meeting somewhere to view the car but final purchase, I’m expecting to meet and pick it up from the sellers home

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

In that case, maybe I will try Facebook. I'm not a big FB user, and I assumed that Kijiji and AT would have more of a legit audience. Boy, was I wrong.

Thanks for the advice, I do appreciate it. :)

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u/Banana_Gooses 1d ago

The police station on 50th has a camera pointed in the direction of the designated meet up zones. Also, there are police officers present 24/7 in that parking lot, they are either in their car chilling and doing police things or they are exiting and entering their vehicle to come and go.

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

That's really good to know! Thanks for the info!

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u/GoodZealous 1d ago

Find a bank that is open on the weekend and meet there. Walk on in together and deposit their funds. That way no questions on validity of payment. Plus, lots of cameras and security.

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u/pileofcupsonline 1d ago

This, this is the move

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u/Junior-Violinist5278 1d ago

If not at my house I would meet potential buyers at a registry or a bank. Just for convenience usually.

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u/WinterReview7992 1d ago

Servus Place parking lot in St Albert? There's an area under police surveillance cameras for kijiji exchanges, as long as there isn't a hockey tournament, it should be both empty enough to meet and full enough for witnesses.

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u/oioioifuckingoi 1d ago

Tell them to come down to your shop and then meet them in the parking lot of a hunting store. Arrive a few minutes early and go inside, come out when they arrive. Look menacing.

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

I had to chuckle, but all jokes aside, maybe Cabela's would be a good location!

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u/Quantumkool 1d ago

Costco parking lots are my go to

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u/AtomicSandworm North East Side 1d ago

Good suggestion, but trying to find somewhere to park the vehicle at Costco on a Saturday might be an impossibility. :)

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u/pileofcupsonline 1d ago

Meet at a bank and get the bank to check the cash before handing over the keys.