Selling my car - too good to be true?

[ReaperCushions]

So my car has been on the market for only about 3 hours and I get a phone call from a chap based in Ireland.

We have a good chat on the phone about the car, and he wants to fly over, with cash, for the full asking price.

He is then going to drive it back that night to Ireland.

So... this all sounds too good to be true. What am I missing? What should I make sure happens?

My only thought is he is going to pay with dodgy bank notes or something...

Tell me to man up or help me spot the scam!

[Davy J]

Tell him its first come first served and if hes genuine he will make sure hes at your door with the folding stuff pretty sharpish.

[speed_monkey]

Is it a particularly special car and/ or spec?

[ReaperCushions]

speed_monkey said:

Is it a particularly special car and/ or spec?

Not really, it is well spec'd but its a £10k passat CC. I'm sure they have those over there...

[The Curn]

Make sure he views the car when the banks are open and pay the money in before he leaves with your car. If he is genuine this will be no issue.

I always do this with large amounts of cash as it ensures the notes are genuine and stops someone (possibly the buyer or his mates) breaking into your house that night to relieve you of the cash.

[Devil2575]

As long as you don't let him take the car till the cash is checked and counted then you're ok.

I've missed out on cars before now because of similar Irish buyers flying over and driving the car away before i get a chance to view.

[Gareth79]

The Curn said:

I always do this with large amounts of cash as it ensures the notes are genuine and stops someone (possibly the buyer or his mates) breaking into your house that night to relieve you of the cash.

In a few cases I heard about they don't even wait until the night - you just get two guys in balaclavas waving a knife/hammer at you half an hour later.

[ReaperCushions]

Gareth79 said:

The Curn said:

I always do this with large amounts of cash as it ensures the notes are genuine and stops someone (possibly the buyer or his mates) breaking into your house that night to relieve you of the cash.

In a few cases I heard about they don't even wait until the night - you just get two guys in balaclavas waving a knife/hammer at you half an hour later.

I've text him saying I will be expecting to go with him to the bank prior to him leaving to drop the cash off. Good shout.

[ReaperCushions]

I've just had a look, and the same model / mileage is around £5k more over there.... might explain things.

[deltashad]

I'd ask for his flight details, meet him at the airport. If the banks are closed then ask him politely to arrange a hotel and meet in the morning when the banks are open.

Go to the bank with him and do the deal.

I've done this before. No problem.

[_Batty_]

Same happened with my GTV V6.
Chap brought cash, and drove it home. Was surprised to find all the paperwork with the car as in Ireland they don't tend to keep it.
Easy sell

my old car in Ireland.

[Unlight]

I wouldn't worry too much. Where is he from? Cars are a lot more expensive in Ireland, especially in the Republic, but it also applies to a lesser degree in the North.

For the sake of a cheap flight/ferry back, it makes financial sense for people to come over. Get him to pay the cash into your bank, or use a faster payment bank transfer so the funds are in your account immediately.

[connell757]

Cars are much more expensive over there, had plently of chaps come and buy cars and drive them away the same day or even get them shipped without viewing. as a private seller I would go to the bank and get him to pay directly into your bank though as mentioned.

[anonymous-user]

I sold a £900 Fiesta to an old chap from Ireland a few years back. Met him at the airport in Glasgow, got the cash and he drove off to get the ferry back. I was quite surprised anyone would go to that bother for such a cheap car.

[buzzer]

My mate has just sold a Golf to a couple of guys from Ireland... he was very cautious, they wanted to meet him on a motorway services...

He agreed and the following day drove to a services on the M6 with a couple of mates in a following car. Two Irish guys were there in a ratty old astra. They got out, looked around the Golf, didn't even drive it! He said "you drove it here, it must be OK!) they agreed to have the car, no negotiation! One of them fished a Jiffy bag out of the back of the car and handed it to the other guy, who took a bundle of cash out. The guy then said this is the wrong bag... So he put that one back in the car and got another out, and counted out £4000! My mate checked the cash carefully, all OK.

All 5 of them then went into the services for a cup of tea, (they left the jiffy bag with the remainder of the cash in, and the other jiffy bag in the car!!) which the Irish guys paid for, they had a chat for half an hour, and off they went! easiest deal my mate has ever had!

[Finlandia]

I saw a car Y in UK for £X, emailed the dealer asking for more details, received email back with details asked for, arranged a deposit, flew over a few days later and paid the rest of the balance and drove the car back to Sweden.

Why? Because the price for the same Y car in Sweden is 5X.

In Ireland he won't even have to sit on the wrong side of the car.

Edited by Finlandia on Wednesday 4th December 15:19

[Superhoop]

ReaperCushions said:

I've just had a look, and the same model / mileage is around £5k more over there.... might explain things.

That's not the whole story though - Check out how much it costs to obtain an Irish registration for an imported car. I'm pretty sure it'll swallow up a fair chunk of that 5k - They have to pay VRT (vehicle registration tax) if the car is less than 5 years old, they pay VAT on a sliding scale and RFL, and if you think our RFL is expensive, check out the Irish prices.

[ikarl]

Sold two cars in the past to guys from Ireland.

Both memorable because they were both effortless and to very decent chaps!

[Pixelpeep]

My cousin who lives in ireland asked me to go view an S-Max for him which was for sale over here in the UK - it was the fully loaded model, family worked for ford, usual story, new car every 3 years.

Cousin said that there was nothing even near it over in ireland, they were all easily £3-6000k more with less spec.

I inspected, he flew over, paid via bank transfer, drove it back. Job Jobbed.

just be on the look out for

can i pay you by paypal
here's a bankers draft, ill be off now
here's a cheque, ill be off now
can i go for a test drive on my own before i decide
I am the sole beneficiary of the late Prince Owwdaaopu Bagiouoouh who had a vast wealth that is locked in the Bank of Nigeria and i would like to give you this as payment for the car.

Also, top tip - if he is paying in cash, DO NOT take the cash from him, escort him to your bank and let him pay it over the counter. that way if you get robbed (either coincidence or staged) on the way it will be down to him, not you.

[BMRuss]

Had the same thing when I sold my M3.

Chap from Ireland called within an hour of the advert going live, he turned up the following day with a Shogun + trailer, went down the bank, paid the readies in and off he went to Ireland with the M3 in tow, lovely bloke and the easiest sale I have ever had!

But obviously take all the necessary precautions...