Is this the best way to sell a vehicle? On CL?

I have been using CL to sell my goods (electronics, concert/game tickets) for the past three or so years with success and never had problems with my customers. I suppose I have been fortunate. But I'm also street-savvy and generally wary of anyone and everyone. I have my guard up 24/7 and if something doesn't feel quite right, I listen to my instincts.

So, my special friend requested my assistance in selling his 01 Audi S4 to the general public. Originally, I said sure but then I had second thoughts. I never sold any item over a couple thousand before and selling someone else's vehicle online would be a new experience for me. Along with the complication of dealing with a large money transaction, a potential sale such as this can be daunting. I gave my friend a number of excuses to back out of helping him. Why should I anyway? I made it clear I didn't want commission (I wasn't going to be bought) and if I did help him, I would be helping under false pretenses, namely wanting a bf/gf relationship with him. Obviously, I would be fooling myself.

Sadly, I'm foolish, generous and can't say no to a cute boy with dark brown messy hair and freckles. The following day I take digital photos of his Audi, post a CL ad, create a new yahoo account, link up his photos online and wait.

Three responses in 24 hours. Two seemed legit. One guy in the city asked for additional photos and more info about the car. The second one asked for the location of the vehicle. Both didn't respond back to my emails. The third, a woman, pulled up red flags with me. She responded fairly quickly and didn't ask for details about the Audi other than wanting to test drive and see it "up close and personal" ASAP.

First off, this woman sent a form letter. How do I know this? She sent me the same email twice except one said "interested in your car" and the other "interested in your Audi". Secondly, she didn't ask questions. If you were willing to shell out several thousand on a vehicle, wouldn't you want to ask questions about it before making a trip to test drive? Maybe I'm wrong and I shouldn't be too cautious. She gave me a 209 cell # and her full name. I googled her. I couldn't find much info. My gut feeling was that something wasn't quite right. There are a lot of scammers out there and my instinct was telling me to pass on this one. The more I thought about it, the stronger my thoughts said no.

What would happen if my friend, desperate to sell his Audi, accepts this woman's cashier's check? I doubt my friend would be savvy enough to call the bank where the check came from and confirm that the funds are there. What if he cashes it, hands over his car and title, only to find out a week later that the check didn't clear? I would feel terrible to let a friend get screwed over even though he probably deserves a lesson in the value of money. But that is beside the point. He asked for my help and I agreed to do just that.

I decided to call up my friend and tell him to cancel their meeting for today. I had my doubts and having to drive out to meet this person for a test drive in the middle of the day would have strapped him for time anyway. Better safe than sorry.