Buying a used car from dealer

missyc35

Hi we are buying a used car and they want full payment before delivery even though we haven't seen it in person yet.  Is this right?  Also, they want bank transfer payment.  Is it better to pay part cc part debit card?

Ebe_Scrooge

When you say "before delivery", does that imply you'll not be picking it up yourself from the showroom?

The normal course of things is you view/test-drive the car, decide you want to buy it, put a deposit down, then come back to collect it at the arranged date, whereupon you pay the balance by debit card/bank transfer/whatever.

It's worth paying a small amount on CC so you're covered by S75.  Most dealers won't accept the full amount on CC due to the fees they get charged, but they'll normally accept a deposit.  You actually only need to pay 1p on credit card to get S75 cover, as long as the car is between £100 and £30,000.

Paying by bank transfer is no problem as such, assuming they're a genuine dealership, not some fly-by-night, "meet you in the pub carpark" type of outfit.  Must admit, years and years ago I always used to pay the balance on debit card, but in recent years the local dealership that I tend to use has asked for bank transfer - which I have no problem with (having paid the deposit on credit card).  I'm assuming it's fees again - they still get charged a fee for debit card transactions, though it's much lower than for a credit card.

I have to ask - why are you buying a car you've never seen, nor test-driven?

tacpot12

You should really try to see the car (and its documentation) in person, before paying anything other than a small deposit to stop them selling the car to anyone else (£100 should be enough of a deposit for them to hold the car for 24 hours until you can see it)  

Have you done a HPI check on the car to ensure it is not stolen or has outstanding finance on it? When you do the HPI check, you should have checked that the VIN on the car is correct. You can only do this in person.

Have you checked how long the dealer has been in business? Some dealers regulalrly change their name in order to frustrate customers from persuing them through the courts for dodgy cars they have sold.   

missyc35

That is all the questions I have been asking too.  It is a larger car dealership.  They showed us a video of the car inside and out.  We were originally looking at it, paying and picking it up tomorrow but they now say the car won't be ready until Tuesday but they want the full amount with it being a bank holiday?  We have already put down £500 deposit.

Flight3287462

Just tell them you will pay the balance on delivery.  Bought a pre reg in January and did this.  However the bank had a hissy fit and blocked me.  Took 30 minutes to go through all the fraud pritection stuff and free up the money.

missyc35

Tried this they won't have it

Ebe_Scrooge

In that case tell them you'll go elsewhere.  Used cars are not exactly rare - unless yours is a particularly special model or outstandingly good value, there'll be another one at the dealership down the road.  And me personally, I'd never commit to buying a car without having driven it.  What if you find the seats uncomfortable, or the headroom is too low, or the stereo sounds naff, or a thousand and one other reasons why the car is just not "you" ?  If it's a large reputable dealer, you ought to be able to be reasonably confident that there won't be any major mechanical faults.  But you'll be driving the car for (presumably) a good few years, so you want to make sure you're comfortable in it, and that it ticks all the boxes for whatever personal preferences are important to you.

missyc35

Did that with one last week and not got my reserve fee back yet.  They have put it through it's MOT and service so far.  I am adamant on seeing it tomorrow which so far I am but they want the money by end of business today it is a nightmare.  (it is a new model car to what we had before)

oh_really

Walk away. If they're behaving like this when you are trying to give them money guess what they'll be like in the event of problems.

NBLondon

missyc35 said:

Did that with one last week and not got my reserve fee back yet.  They have put it through it's MOT and service so far.  I am adamant on seeing it tomorrow which so far I am but they want the money by end of business today it is a nightmare.  (it is a new model car to what we had before)

Give them the choice of full payment on acceptance tomorrow OR return the deposit by end of business tomorrow?

sheslookinhot

missyc35 said:

Tried this they won't have it

Get your deposit back. There are other cars out there.