Car buyer from online auction, trying to scam me?

[Jdeere562]

Isn't removing your plates from the vehicle enough?

No idea. I feel better with my name removed officially.

 

[GaryMX5]

Procedures might differ state to state. Here in colorado you simple sign the back of the title, no notary or name of whom you sold the vehicle to required. For peace of mind, I always prepare a bill of sale (use free online forms) that includes the buyers name, vin number, date of sale and statement sale is as is. We sign two copies and we each get one. Adds a little protection for both of us.

 

[SC Maintenance]

$10K+ transaction automatically triggers an IRS "event". Your bank must report it to the IRS. Obviosly its legit, but I would want all the documentation to line up - JIC.

No way on earth I take over $10K in cash anywhere other than having them handing it to the bank teller directly and I hand them the signed title. Not worth the trouble any other way.

Now a 5K beater - sure I'll take cash at the police parking lot with the currency pen.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/understand-how-to-report-large-cash-transactions

 

[oil pan 4]

Someone got the high bid on an online auction (over $20k) for a car I was selling. I message him with congrats and then he messages me back saying he wants to get vehicle during the weekend with cash (he claims to be 650 miles away, 10+ hour drive). I told him I was only going to do the transaction at my bank during weekday banking hours in order to verify funds and have the title transfer notarized. This seemed to irritate him, and he kept demanding a weekend transaction. We went back and forth a few times, with me finally telling him I wasn't going to do this transaction without my bank being involved. As it stands, the auction purchase is in process of being cancelled.

Is it normal for folks to buy vehicles from out of state with just cash, and no offical recording of title transfer, on a weekend? The whole ordeal left me kind of shellshocked. What has been your method of buying vehicles out of state, or selling to people out of state etc?

I only take cash and pay cash for vehicles.
If you put that's how you want to do it in the description and the guy didn't read it then he can go pound sand.