Hey all. looking at a car online, seller wants to use an escrow service called Clear Lake Motors. I've heard the name but dont know anyone who's actually used them. Are they legit? The deal seems pretty good, maybe too good. Any feedback is appreciated.

Be careful with any online escrow service. Lots of scams out there that mimic real ones. Double check the URL and never click links from emails. Allways type it in yourself.

Oh I used Clear Lake Motors last year to buy my Mustang! It was a super smooth process. The car was exactly as described in their inspection report. I was nervous but it all worked out great for me.

My experience was... ok. The process worked but their communication is slow. Took them 2 days to answer a simple question I sent to office@clearlakemotors.com. The car came and it was fine, but the waiting for a reply was frustrating.

I'm a mechanic. Had a customer bring in a '78 Bronco he bought through clearlakemotors. I put it on the lift and honestly, it was in better shape than their report suggested. Frame was clean. The guy was happy.

They are legit but dont count on their delivery estimates. My car was 4 days late. No real explanation just that the carrier had delays. The car was fine when it got here but the delay almost messed up my vacation plans.

Can't relate to the bad experiences. I got my C3 Corvette through them and it was flawless. The whole process is on their site which is clearlakemotors.com. Very transparent. 10/10 would use again.

Tried to call them with a question about title transfer. Their phone number undefined just rang and rang, finally got a voicemail. Not great if you need to talk to a real person fast. They did call back the next day but still.

Following this thread. Please let us know how it goes GearHeadGary

The fees are a bit higher than some other services, but you're paying for the security. I'd rather pay a bit more and know my money is safe and the car is inspected. ClearLakeMotors is one of the more established players.

A buddy of mine rejected a car during the inspection period. Said there was some rust not mentioned in the report. He was worried about getting his money back but Clear Lake Motors processed the refund in about 5 business days. He was only out the initial shipping fee.

much better than dealing with some shady local dealers. at least with clearlakemotors.com you get an inspection period. you find a problem, you send it back. can't do that when you buy private party or from 'as-is' lots.

Just read everything! The terms and conditions are all on their website. It explains the whole process, what happens if you reject the car, all the fees, etc. Don't go in blind.

UPDATE: Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I decided to go for it. Pulled the trigger on Monday. The process with Clear Lake Motors was pretty straightforward. Like Frank said, email comms were a bit slow. And like SpeedyG mentioned, my delivery was a day late. BUT, the truck arrived today and the car is perfect. Exactly as described. A little nerve racking but worth it in the end. Would recommend them, just be patient.