What to Do If the Price Drops at Pickup

1. Do not sign yet

   Under RCW 46.12.650, selling involves releasing your interest on the title and handing it over. Hold on to the title and keys until you have agreed on a number.

2. Ask what changed

   Say: “We agreed on [amount] on the phone. What is different from what I told you?” Then let the driver answer.

3. Check your notes

   Look at what you told the buyer, and your photos if you sent any. Did you mention the missing catalytic converter or the crumpled quarter panel?

4. Call the office if there is one

   Ask the person who gave you the offer to explain the change. Keep it calm, and write down the name.

5. Decide

   Accept, counter or decline. You can say: “Thanks for coming out. I am not going to sell at that price today.”

Stay in a safe, public-facing spot. If a conversation turns threatening, step away and call 911. No car is worth that.

An offer can depend on the car, so a change is not automatically wrong. It helps to separate what is new from what is not.

If the reason is real and the new number still beats your other options, taking it may be the sensible choice. You are comparing it with your next option. It may help to know that number before the truck comes.

Keep your title, your keys and your plates, and let the truck leave. Then call the next name on your list and describe the car exactly as the driver described it, so the new offer holds up better.

If the car has already been loaded, ask the driver to put it back down before you say anything further about the price. If someone refuses to return a car you have not sold, stay calm, do not get in the way of the truck, and call your local police non-emergency line for help.

This is harder, and the answer depends on what you signed. Do these things in order:

• Take photos of everything you signed and everything you have been given.
• Write down what was said while it is fresh: who, when, what amount.
• If the car and title are gone, file your Report of Sale within five business days. You still need that protection.
• Contact the business in writing and ask it to pay what was agreed.
• File a complaint with the Attorney General (1.800.551.4636). For a licensed business, you can also file one with DOL. The AG asks for a reply within 30 days, but says it cannot compel a business to respond or adjust.
• For a serious dispute, talk to an attorney.

Most of the protection comes before the truck leaves the yard.

• Describe the car fully. Include missing parts, damage and access problems. Our guides to what to tell a buyer and what photos to send help here.
• Ask two questions. “What could change that number when your driver sees the car?” and “If it changes and I say no, do I owe you anything?”
• Get it written. Ask for a text or email with the number and your car’s description. If you can’t get one, write your own note with the date and name.
• Don’t strip the car after the quote. Taking off the battery or wheels changes the car you described.
• Have a backup. A second number gives you an easier no.

Our offers depend on five things: year and model, condition, demand for parts, weight and size, and towing distance. That is why we ask about the car and take up to 3 photos on the pickup form. Ask us the two questions above, and hold us to the same checks as anyone else. Call (206) 941-0612. How we work out an offer explains more.