1. Never wire money, and never accept an overpayment. If a buyer's cashier's check is for more than your asking price "by mistake," or any payment arrives before a deal is final, stop. That is the single most common car scam in the country, and it's covered in full below.

2. Meet in daylight, in public, and tell someone where you'll be. A busy parking lot works. Many police departments have a designated "safe exchange zone" with cameras — ask yours if one exists. Bring a friend or family member if you can.

3. The machine prepares you; it doesn't complete the deal. Everything here helps you understand values, spot red flags, and know what to say. The title transfer, the payment, and the final paperwork still go through your state's actual DMV process and a verified, cleared payment — never a promise of one.

4. If a deal feels rushed, that's the deal telling you something. Real buyers and real sellers don't need you to decide in the next ten minutes. Urgency is the oldest trick in this entire book, and it's just as at home in a parking lot as it is in a phone call.