[mrmustang]

I'm going to play the devils advocate here. You negotiated a deal, but perhaps a friend or relative of the seller told them that you could abscond with the car (sans title) and not wire the money. He would then be out the car and the cash. Personally, as the seller, I have never used an escrow account for the sale of any of my cars. The buyers understand that they have the option of sending an inspector to view the car before they send payment. If they don't like my terms as the protected seller, then I do not sell them the car.

Bill S.