Paying for Car Privately?

li'l_p

I am just wondering what happens when/if you decide to buy a car privately.

Say for example you agree to a price of £2000 with the seller, what is the usual process for payment. Obviosuly these amounts of cash can't be withdrawn from a bank, so what do you do.

Plus, how do you go about securing the vehicle, do you leave a deposit to secure the car, while you sort out the payment?

Thanks in advance.

deltic_2

The seller will not normally release the car until they have a cleared payment.

If it's a private sale, leave a £50 deposit and order the cash from the bank. Then you pay by cash and collect the car there and then. The advantage of this method is that there is minimal risk i.e. you pay and collect at the same time. Make sure you get a receipt from the seller.

All other methods have an element of financial or personal risk.

deltic_2

Some other tips for buying second hand cars...

1) Inspect the vehicle in daylight and bring someone who knows what they are looking at (if you don't know).
2) Test drive the car in mixed conditions, including a dual carriageway. Make sure there are no obvious vibrations while driving or braking. Check the car steers in a straight line on a flat road. Check that it brakes in a straight line. Listen out for any unusual noises, particularly under acceleration or braking. Make sure everything you can touch works.
3) Check the seats for excess wear, a good sign or it having been a taxi.
4) Ask to see copies of repair invoices. Don't worry if they have a few, it will tell you that they look after the car well and maintain it properly. Look out for mileages on the invoices and check they correlate with the vehicle mileage.
5) Ask if the car has any known faults. If they say no and the brakes fail shortly after, you might be able sue the seller (although difficult).
6) Ask to see a valid MOT certificate, ideally for 10 to 12 months duration.
7) Ask to see the log-book and check to see it is registered to the person you are dealing with and registered at the address you are viewing it at. If it is not, I would ask the seller why as it could be stolen or they may be a trader selling a vehicle of spurious origin or repair history.
8) Haggle the price and expect to pay less for cash.
9) Trust your gut feel about the car and the seller.

vaio

li'l_p wrote: »

…….Say for example you agree to a price of £2000 with the seller, what is the usual process for payment. Obviously these amounts of cash can't be withdrawn from a bank, so what do you do……...

When I got my last car I got 7.5k cash out of a high street bank on Saturday afternoon without giving any notice and would have thought it would be the same with all the traditional banks, might be a delay if you wanted 200k but I would have thought that 20k let alone 2k would be easily available on demand.

Building societies might be different but I suspect that is a hang over from the days when most operated as agencies.

exel1966

A number of smaller banks/branches have cash withdrawl limits of £500 over the counter, unless pre-notification has been made to the bank. Abbey and A&L are two with these limits.

cyclonebri1

deltic wrote: »

Some other tips for buying second hand cars...

1) Inspect the vehicle in daylight and bring someone who knows what they are looking at (if you don't know).
2) Test drive the car in mixed conditions, including a dual carriageway. Make sure there are no obvious vibrations while driving or braking. Check the car steers in a straight line on a flat road. Check that it brakes in a straight line. Listen out for any unusual noises, particularly under acceleration or braking. Make sure everything you can touch works.
3) Check the seats for excess wear, a good sign or it having been a taxi.
4) Ask to see copies of repair invoices. Don't worry if they have a few, it will tell you that they look after the car well and maintain it properly. Look out for mileages on the invoices and check they correlate with the vehicle mileage.
5) Ask if the car has any known faults. If they say no and the brakes fail shortly after, you might be able sue the seller (although difficult).
6) Ask to see a valid MOT certificate, ideally for 10 to 12 months duration.
7) Ask to see the log-book and check to see it is registered to the person you are dealing with and registered at the address you are viewing it at. If it is not, I would ask the seller why as it could be stolen or they may be a trader selling a vehicle of spurious origin or repair history.
8) Haggle the price and expect to pay less for cash.
9) Trust your gut feel about the car and the seller.

And never buy a wet car, rain masks all the body faults,

And always make sure you view it in daylight not under artificial light.

Although it has risks turning up with a posket full of notes usually clinches a private deal.;)

deltic_2

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

And always make sure you view it in daylight not under artificial light.

Unless it is a red car. In which case, put it under a street lamp and you can see any panels that have been repainted.

cyclonebri1

deltic wrote: »

Unless it is a red car. In which case, put it under a street lamp and you can see any panels that have been repainted.

Yep you're right but it has to be sodium lamps

You know I actually know thats true. Past experience, don't ask. But why is it only red?

photome

You could add..never buy a red car, as it fades in time. Is red the only colour to do this?

h901

photome wrote: »

You could add..never buy a red car, as it fades in time. Is red the only colour to do this?

except if its a ferrari

deltic_2

Why is it red....it's complicated but it's a combination of the fact that red has the longest wavelength of the rainbow of colours that form light, and the fact that these wavelengths change under different light sources (metamerism).