Alternative to cash - selling
Discussion
Selling a car - Had two offers (messages) both £3k less than Motorway bid, both saying they will pay cash ? I assume they don’t mean paper notes (talking tens of thousands).
Neither has chosen to reply back when I asked what the alternative to cash is ?
Is it bad form to engage with these people ? (For fun)
Neither has chosen to reply back when I asked what the alternative to cash is ?
Is it bad form to engage with these people ? (For fun)
Edited by Wilmslowboy on Sunday 25th December 12:24
Any genuine buyer would be happy to do a bank transfer, only the dodgy would want no audit trail. 
I accepted £3k ish cash for a motorcycle in 2021 (I wouldn't want any more that way) and even one of those £20 notes turned out to be fake. I couldn't tell myself, get a UV light if you accept cash. 
Buyer pleaded ignorance when I told him and despite saying he'd replace it, he didn't. The most embarrassing thing is the amount of questions and the treasury paperwork the bank give you when they seize it...)
It's safe to do BACs transfers and if you do a small amount as a deposit first to establish the payment route, a large amount would transfer OK. Some banks have a limit £10k, other £20k, but you just break it down into lumps below the threshold. That's what I did to buy a TVR Griffith.
I accepted £3k ish cash for a motorcycle in 2021 (I wouldn't want any more that way) and even one of those £20 notes turned out to be fake. I couldn't tell myself, get a UV light if you accept cash. Buyer pleaded ignorance when I told him and despite saying he'd replace it, he didn't. The most embarrassing thing is the amount of questions and the treasury paperwork the bank give you when they seize it...)It's safe to do BACs transfers and if you do a small amount as a deposit first to establish the payment route, a large amount would transfer OK. Some banks have a limit £10k, other £20k, but you just break it down into lumps below the threshold. That's what I did to buy a TVR Griffith.
Draxindustries1 said:
We have it all the while. Emails and texts. Just ignore, theyre time wasters.
If someone is genuinely interested in a car or anything in fact you may have for sale they would make direct contact ie phone call..
That's not true at all.If someone is genuinely interested in a car or anything in fact you may have for sale they would make direct contact ie phone call..
I've bought lots of things and almost never call and certainly never ever as a first contact.
Atleast not since the mid 90's.
Wilmslowboy said:
Selling a car - Had two offers (messages) both £3k less than Motorway bid, both saying they will pay cash ? I assume they don’t mean paper notes (talking tens of thousands).
Neither has chosen to reply back when I asked what the alternative to cash is ?
Is it bad form to engage with these people ? (For fun)
Wonder how long ago that it was actually relevant, minimum 20 years since paying with a cheque or bankers draft was remotely common.Neither has chosen to reply back when I asked what the alternative to cash is ?
Is it bad form to engage with these people ? (For fun)
Edited by Wilmslowboy on Sunday 25th December 12:24
Probably long before the people saying cash today were even born.
Because the type of knuckle draggers you'd be dealing with are used to swopz (sic) and dealing in all sorts of easily moved on (a.k.a nicked) goods.
To them big disgusting gold chains and rings, Surrons, games consoles, dags, are common partial payments in their circles where the next bit of cash is a whole universal credit payment away, so a high value 100% cash deal will be rare and they really think they are offering you something special.
To them big disgusting gold chains and rings, Surrons, games consoles, dags, are common partial payments in their circles where the next bit of cash is a whole universal credit payment away, so a high value 100% cash deal will be rare and they really think they are offering you something special.
paintman said:
Will probably try & knock you down even more & then pay with counterfeit notes.
Or money laundering & you might find questions being asked when you try & bank it.
Questions being asked and can easily be answered with “I’ve just sold a car” coupled with an AA sales contract signed by both parties.Or money laundering & you might find questions being asked when you try & bank it.
I sold a car 3 or 4 years ago. Reasonably specialist in that it was a 2009 bmw estate with a big petrol engine so not run of the mill 4 pot diesel. After about 4 or 5 weeks of radio silence I got a message off someone asking a few questions. At first I thought messer and ignored. But after 24 hours I decided to reply. It took me over an hour to draft my reply as it was detailed and confirmed what I believed - that it was a good car. We moved over to WhatsApp and I sent a few pics and then a video. The 'buyer' was over 200 miles away but he agreed to send his Dad. His Dad arrived and liked the car. He told his son this and the son then arranged a bank transfer there and then. I was assuming the Dad would bring the cash. There were some actual phone calls once the Dad arrived or was on his way but prior to that all messages only.
So I sold the car without speaking to anyone until the day of the sale.
Then the best bit. The Dad couldn't take the car that day even though he arrived with his GF / Partner / random female in one car - it was definitely not the Mum. So I agreed to keep the car for 2 more days until he could return via train. Obviously I kept it wrapped up in cotton wool during this time. He came back with the same woman so 2 of them on the train. Surprised me people could be some trusting to leave me with the car and all the money. Does that make me dodgy?
So I sold the car without speaking to anyone until the day of the sale.
Then the best bit. The Dad couldn't take the car that day even though he arrived with his GF / Partner / random female in one car - it was definitely not the Mum. So I agreed to keep the car for 2 more days until he could return via train. Obviously I kept it wrapped up in cotton wool during this time. He came back with the same woman so 2 of them on the train. Surprised me people could be some trusting to leave me with the car and all the money. Does that make me dodgy?
Edited by ATM on Sunday 25th December 15:19
ChocolateFrog said:
Draxindustries1 said:
We have it all the while. Emails and texts. Just ignore, theyre time wasters.
If someone is genuinely interested in a car or anything in fact you may have for sale they would make direct contact ie phone call..
That's not true at all.If someone is genuinely interested in a car or anything in fact you may have for sale they would make direct contact ie phone call..
I've bought lots of things and almost never call and certainly never ever as a first contact.
Atleast not since the mid 90's.
A car dealer, I'll often email first, then follow up by phone.
Dealers are generally pretty poor at electronic communications, private sellers much more " on the ball".
clockworks said:
A car dealer, I'll often email first, then follow up by phone.
Dealers are generally pretty poor at electronic communications, private sellers much more " on the ball".
Yes, many are.Dealers are generally pretty poor at electronic communications, private sellers much more " on the ball".
But there's two sides to this
When I'm hunting for a particular car im straight on the phone buying it the second I see the ad that's been notified to me by autotrader.
Anyone emailing in opening hours would likely be beaten to it.
Emailing out of hours is good, I've bought a few by email when the dealership has been closed.
Smaller dealers like what I used to be dont have time to keep checking emails every five minutes, we're often at an auction, driving, cleaning, on the phone to someone.
If you see a car you want, I'd recommend picking the phone up quick.
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