I've bought an sold a few with no problems but always had someone inspect the car if I wasn't able to do so myself, and that is a must. If it's a high value car car I've always used my lawyer to clear funding to ensure a smooth transaction and any reputable buyer/seller should have no issues signing a contractual purchase/sales agreement to structure it through their lawyers. It's a few hundred bucks to ensure you are protected and that the funds and titles transfer as they should.

I bought my '70 L78 Nova off of EBay.Took a month of back and forth with the owner before I pulled the trigger.One of the things that I insisted on before sealing the deal was getting a copy of the Nova's insurance appraisal and talking to the appraiser.I kept the Nova 13 years and posted an add on this site.A dealer in Kansas City,who is not a member,saw my add,sent me 2 emails and then wired the money to my account.Never spoke to him!