Am i right to feel reluctant?

[AndyKH]

I currently have my car up for sale here. I have had a number of calls all saying they will come and collect as they need a car quick and are willing to pay cash.
The thing is it's always on a sunday, late evening or a bank holiday. Each time i've said i'm busy but you're more than welcome to come during the day through the week. Each potential buyer has said they were from the midlands but were willing to travel. Everytime i have said i'm busy on the sunday or evening they have said they'll ring back to arrange a viewing the next day. They never do.
Am i just paranoid or are these guys trying to get me into a cash sale, then when i try to pay the cash into the bank it all turns out to be fake?
Has anybody else had this when advertising cars?

[Westy Pre-Lit]

Quinny said:

Most people are at work in the week, so weekends are the best time to be looking

Maybe it's just me but that's the obvious reason.

[King Herald]

AndyKH said:

Am i just paranoid or are these guys trying to get me into a cash sale, then when i try to pay the cash into the bank it all turns out to be fake?
Has anybody else had this when advertising cars?

So, if they turned up on a Wednesday evening, how would that affect things when you took the money to the bank next day?

[AndyKH]

I see what your saying but i'm in Hull and each caller has said they were from either Birminham or Devon. All of them said the car was for either their young brother or was needed urgently and all of them said if i come up now i'll give you cash and take it away the same evening. Always when banks are shut. This is why i'm wondering if it's likely to be say £500 of real cash and the rest in fakes?

[AndyKH]

King Herald said:

AndyKH said:

Am i just paranoid or are these guys trying to get me into a cash sale, then when i try to pay the cash into the bank it all turns out to be fake?
Has anybody else had this when advertising cars?

So, if they turned up on a Wednesday evening, how would that affect things when you took the money to the bank next day?

I'd feel just as nervous if it was an evening during the week. I just feel a tad nervous taking £6000 cash and not being able to pay the cash into a bank until the buyer is a couple of hundred miles away.

[King Herald]

AndyKH said:

King Herald said:

AndyKH said:

Am i just paranoid or are these guys trying to get me into a cash sale, then when i try to pay the cash into the bank it all turns out to be fake?
Has anybody else had this when advertising cars?

So, if they turned up on a Wednesday evening, how would that affect things when you took the money to the bank next day?

I'd feel just as nervous if it was an evening during the week. I just feel a tad nervous taking £6000 cash and not being able to pay the cash into a bank until the buyer is a couple of hundred miles away.

So you'd actually make them go to the bank with you to prove their cabbage was genuine?

[Pints]

Get yourself one of these

[AndyKH]

King Herald said:

AndyKH said:

King Herald said:

AndyKH said:

Am i just paranoid or are these guys trying to get me into a cash sale, then when i try to pay the cash into the bank it all turns out to be fake?
Has anybody else had this when advertising cars?

So, if they turned up on a Wednesday evening, how would that affect things when you took the money to the bank next day?

I'd feel just as nervous if it was an evening during the week. I just feel a tad nervous taking £6000 cash and not being able to pay the cash into a bank until the buyer is a couple of hundred miles away.

So you'd actually make them go to the bank with you to prove their cabbage was genuine?

Is that not normal? I've never actually sold a car privately before and thought that was the sensible thing to do?

[Silver993tt]

Why don't you just take a deposit for the car of, say £500 with a written receipt, copy of the buyers passport (and he'll probably want a copy of your passport). Then, the rest of the deal and the handing over of the car can be done on a Saturday morning when the bank is open. Both of you can go to the bank and pay the money in and hand the keys over. Quite simple really.

[becksW]

When we sold our car..and for that matter our bike we took cash off them there and then, never considered the potential for fake money..still wouldn't.

We live in Bristol, we had one guy travel up from Torquay to buy the bike, he left his van keys (and his wife ) took it for a spin, liked it, paid the cash. Never looked back! That was on a Sunday.

Other one was mid week but was in the evening, came and saw it left deposit, came back next day paid the rest and took the car.

We are not experienced but I do think you are being a little too cautious and difficult to potential buyers.

[H_Kan]

Go with instinct for each individual buyer but in general, if a seller was like you then I wouldn't bother unless the car was very rare or cheap.

I like many others work, from 9 - 5.30 or 6ish. Won't be home till 7, so I can only really look at and buy cars in the evening or weekend. For a regular motor there is no way I'm going to waste one of my 20days off in a year for a car I may not even buy.

[B19GRR]

Fake cash is a bit of a concern (I'm also selling a car at the mo'). When I bought my 5er I had to get £2k from the bank for the balance. Came straight out of the tellers draw as two wrapped bundles. Handed over to dealer and a couple of hours later got a call from him to say that one of the notes was a fake. Two possibilities, the fake was in the bundle I got from the bank or the dealer slipped it in before trying to pay in to his bank. Not nice either way and I'd like to think it was the former as the guy seemed pretty decent however that leaves me with little faith in my bank. Just a good job it was only one £20 note out of the £2k otherwise things could've been a lot tricker.

I'm hoping that if I get a cash sale then I can complete on a Saturday morning to I can bank the cash there and then.

Cheers,
Rob

[Dogsey]

Pints said:

Get yourself one of these

Exactly what I did when a bloke called to buy a car and said that he'd be over from Ireland to collect it. £2.5k cash was a big enough risk for me to spend a tenner on one of those.

[Chilli]

Great...I've just taken 5.5k in £20's.

[MitchT]

Pints said:

Get yourself one of these

They aren't strictly reliable. I had a £20 note refused after it was checked with one of those so I took it to the bank who's cash machine it had just come out of and they said if was perfectly genuine, but swapped it for me anyway.

[Blib]

You've noticed a pattern in these 'buyers' way of dealing with you. That would suggest to me that there's something afoot.

[AndyKH]

Each phone call from these 'buyers' has been from a private number and each caller has spoken to me in sort of street lingo. Ah i'll just have to be carefull i think, thanks for the advice guys.

[Mojooo]

last time i bought a car for £1600 the people wouldnt accept cash - this was after i had travelled about 80 miles to view and it was quite late

they expected me to ocme back - in the end we agreed to go down to ASDA and have them verify it was real, ffs. and all they did was just give it a look over.

[toxgobbler]

Bloke stabbed the other day answering a car ad, It's normal to be nervous, if they sound dodgy then go with your instinct it's often right.

[Y32]

I was selling a car recently and got very similiar calls-from the midlands, coming right now to buy the car, cash in hand and give the exact amount,i.e not going to barter on the price-strange because you always expect to be knocked down a little on the price. I went with my gut feeling that it sounded too dodgy, and never bothered with them.

Edited by Y32 on Monday 7th September 00:25