Scams
Cars that don’t exist, stock photos, sellers who want a deposit before you’ve seen anything.
I check the listing for scam patterns before you send a single message.
Hi, I’m Shreyas Balaji.Private automotive sales consultant in Michigan.
Pay less for your next used car. I’ll coach you through every message.
Buying from a private seller on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist? I check the listing and the title, write your offer script, and help you answer every seller reply. You make the deal.
Limited spots each week. The first call is free.
Why it matters
Private sales are a minefield.
No dealer, no warranty, no return policy. Here’s what goes wrong.
Title washing
A salvage or flood brand quietly dropped by re-titling the car in another state.
I run the title history so a “clean” title has to actually be clean.
Odometer rollback
Fewer miles on the dash than the car has really driven.
I compare the odometer against the mileage on record in the VIN history.
Curbstoners
Unlicensed flippers posing as private sellers to dodge dealer rules.
I check for repeat listings, and you confirm the name on the title matches the seller’s ID.
Payment fraud
Fake cashier’s checks, payment-app reversals, cash grabs at the meetup.
The Handoff Guide shows you exactly how to pay safely and in what order.
Overpaying with no comps
Taking the asking price at face value because you don’t know what similar cars sell for.
I pull comparable sales before you make an offer, so your number has a reason.
The usual mistakes
Why buyers leave money on the table.
They open too high.
The first number sets the range. Open near the asking price and the best you can do is a little under it.
They show too much emotion.
Once a seller can tell you love the car, they have no reason to move on price.
They skip the comps.
Without knowing what similar cars actually sold for, the asking price is the only number on the table.
They skip the inspection.
Problems you find after paying are problems you paid full price for.
They pay before checking the title.
A lien or a name that doesn’t match turns into your problem the moment money changes hands.
The difference
How coaching flips it.
Going it alone
- Guess an opening offer, usually too high
- Let the seller see how much you want it
- Take the asking price as the benchmark
- Hope the car is fine
- Check the title after paying, if at all
- Improvise every seller reply
- Walk into the meetup alone
With a PinkSlip coach
- Open with a scripted number backed by comps
- Stick to a script that keeps it even
- Know what similar cars actually sold for
- Know what to check, and who to call for an inspection
- Title and lien checked before money moves
- Get help with each reply, message by message
- Bring the Handoff Guide, with me a text away
Learn more