Browsing through the collection of oddities and potential thrashers on Craigslist is a great way to kill time, but what if you actually want to buy a decent, daily-drivable car from Craigslist. It sounds simple, right?

Purchasing a car from a private seller is nothing new, people have been doing it for over a century. The internet, however, has a way of introducing complication in situations like this. If you’re not careful, you can end up getting scammed. So follow these tips to ensure that you come away with the car you want and a clean bill of sale. So, You’ve Found a Car In many regards, this is the part of the process that Craigslist makes simple. Particularly in the era of aggregators that can gather search results that would typically be out of your search radius. Approach your search results cautiously though. Avoid deals that look too good to be true. Craigslist is full of fraudulent vehicle listings. A car might have a salvage title, it could have had its odometer rolled back, or it may even be stolen. Checking out the Car After you’ve carefully reviewed the listing, get in contact with the seller. Arrange to meet in a public place and bring a friend when you go to see the car, even better if you or the friend is mechanically inclined. Try to meet during daylight hours. You should insist on the seller providing their proof of insurance, ID, and registration to prove that they own the car. Ask them about why they are selling it—long, elaborate stories can be a red flag. Also, ask for maintenance records so that you know the car is well maintained. If you choose to move forward with the purchase, you may want to have a mechanic perform an inspection of the car. The seller should have no problem with you doing this, but you’ll need to work something out to get the car to the mechanic. Making the Transaction As part of your prep work for the purchase, make sure you understand what the vehicle is worth. Kelly Blue Book is a great resource, as are other listings for similar cars on sites like Autotrader and Cars.com. Also, make sure that you know the emissions laws in your state—if you’re not careful, you can wind up with a car that’s not legal to drive. Never bring cash to purchase a car. Instead, if you agree on a price for the vehicle, plan to go with your seller to a bank nearby where you can get a cashier’s check or money order. Lastly, listen to your gut. If someone you’re working with is acting shady, end it. You can find another car. That’s not so difficult, right? So why do we stress so much about these transactions? Cars are large purchases, and the truth is, you should be thoughtful about everything that transpires in the process of buying a car. Follow these suggestions, and you might just get a steal on the ride of your dreams. Scott Huntington is an automotive blogger from Harrisburg PA. Check out his work on Off The Throttle or say hi on Twitter @SMHuntington.