Buying a used Car with MOT advisories

prowla

I think it's normal for payment to be made before the car is handed over.

Why they need it days in advance is another question.

I guess they may be wary of things falling through or some sort of hold-up which might prevent them handing over the car on the day.

You wouldn't want to go there and then find there was a banking issue or something.

OTOH, if you pau up-front and go there only to find they haven't done what they said, then that would be an issue.

I guess the decider is whether you any reason to think they are not good to their word, as opposed to arguing the point pre-sale?

paul2louise

Tbh I don't even know how much she needs to pay as we have nothing showing the price. We had seen the online photo and paid a holding deposit. Surely I need to see an invoice first. Sales assistant hasnt sent me or mum anything. Don't you need to tax the car too. I don't know when we can pick up yet so will wait until she contacts me about that. 

facade

The sales assistant will raise an invoice when they arrange a day for you to collect.

The invoice will have their bank details on for a BACS payment. You usually put the registration of the car as the payment reference so they can match the payment to the right car out of the dozens that they are handling.

They usually want payment 24-48 hours before you collect as "Head Office*" do the accounts and they have to raise the paperwork for the sales team to release the car, which they will only do when the payment has cleared.  (Even though it is just one mouse click, the only person whose finger can click that mouse only works for a few seconds each day)

You can't just do a BACS payment after viewing the car and drive it away as that finger won't click the mouse right away.

Just have a drive past and check that there are still plenty of cars outside and the dealer is obviously open as normal before you pay. If the site is cleared and the doors locked- don't pay!

*It is always "Head Office", even if the dealer is a one man band operating out of a portacabin on a gravelled over bomb site.

paul2louise

facade said:

The sales assistant will raise an invoice when they arrange a day for you to collect.

The invoice will have their bank details on for a BACS payment. You usually put the registration of the car as the payment reference so they can match the payment to the right car out of the dozens that they are handling.

They usually want payment 24-48 hours before you collect as "Head Office*" do the accounts and they have to raise the paperwork for the sales team to release the car, which they will only do when the payment has cleared.  (Even though it is just one mouse click, the only person whose finger can click that mouse only works for a few seconds each day)

You can't just do a BACS payment after viewing the car and drive it away as that finger won't click the mouse right away.

Just have a drive past and check that there are still plenty of cars outside and the dealer is obviously open as normal before you pay. If the site is cleared and the doors locked- don't pay!

*It is always "Head Office", even if the dealer is a one man band operating out of a portacabin on a gravelled over bomb site.

It's the main Toyota dealer in the area. She wants us to pick up the car tomorrow but hasn't got back to me with a time. I told her I am working later so need to sort out this morning. I am.waiting to hear from her. He email said something like here are the bank details get your mum to pay the balance. And that's pretty much it. No invoice. She needs24hrs to clean and fit tyres as well. So Hopefully it will be sorted. If she doesn't get back to me soon it won't be sorted today. I am on holiday for a few days from Saturday so it's going to be next week if I can't get car tomorrow 

sheramber

Have never paid upfront for a car.

Have always been shown the car and then sat down to do paperwork and pay by card. 

On one occasion the bank did phone the garage  to speak to my husband , to confirm it was genuine. 

paul2louise

I need to sheramber said:

Have never paid upfront for a car.

Have always been shown the car and then sat down to do paperwork and pay by card. 

On one occasion the bank did phone the garage  to speak to my husband , to confirm it was genuine. 

check the car is ok too. It was dirty and obviously tyres need checking they have been done. It's actually getting too late to do anything today as I am off to work shortly. Mum has usually got plans on Fri so I told her carry on as normal. 

facade

I've bought 4 vehicles since 2019, all 4 I've had to pay for by BACS 24 hours before collection.

Makes for a stressful 24 hours, as if the dealer goes bust you will be lucky to see even a fraction of a penny in the pound back, as your money would go straight to pay any priority creditors, like HMRC, and any left over gets shared out amongst possibly hundreds of creditors including yourself.

Arunmor

sheramber said:

Have never paid upfront for a car.

Have always been shown the car and then sat down to do paperwork and pay by card. 

On one occasion the bank did phone the garage  to speak to my husband , to confirm it was genuine. 

I can't be bothered at all with car dealers and their nonsense.  Bought the missus car a pre-reg over the phone paid the money and they delivered it.  It's either that way or Copart for my cars.

Frozen_up_north

sheramber said:

Have never paid upfront for a car.

Have always been shown the car and then sat down to do paperwork and pay by card. 

On one occasion the bank did phone the garage  to speak to my husband , to confirm it was genuine. 

I have paid by card in the past, but last November the dealer I have used many times wouldn’t accept card and insisted on bank transfer the day before collection. Like facade, I am not comfortable doing that as you have little protection if they go bust. If the motor industry isn’t happy with card payments then they need to have a trusted intermediary that holds money in a bond until delivery.

Odd how they are happy with payment by card for services and repairs 😡

sheramber

facade said:

I've bought 4 vehicles since 2019, all 4 I've had to pay for by BACS 24 hours before collection.

Makes for a stressful 24 hours, as if the dealer goes bust you will be lucky to see even a fraction of a penny in the pound back, as your money would go straight to pay any priority creditors, like HMRC, and any left over gets shared out amongst possibly hundreds of creditors including yourself.

You have the option to walk away and go somewhere else.