Conference terri::cars_uk

>        Lastly, should you accept a building society cheque or bankers draft
>        and let the purchaser take the car and the documents ?

        For a BS cheques, no. There's been a number of cases of stolen or
        forged BS cheques being used to buy second hand cars. The advice
        I've seen has been not to accept them until they have cleared, even
        if you phone the branch and check that the cheque is valid.

	Jay

    A banker's draft is like cash, with the exception that only the named
    person can cash it, and the payer cannot cancel it.
    
    Jay's comment about BS cheques is on the nail. There have been some
    spectacular frauds recently.
    
    Laurie.

	I have just bought a car privately, I offered the vendor a building 
society cheque but they felt they would still rather not part with the car until
the cheque had cleared. The building society said the vendor could ring up and 
verify the cheque and I could guarantee the cheque was valid buy showing the
vendor my bank book and the debit of the cheque.

	 I resorted to cash in the end, far more reliable !

Andy

P.S. I had left a deposit of 50 quid, for which I had a receipt and the MOT.

    
    	Cash is not always as safe as you think.
    	My brother-in-law sold his old banger for �400. His wife took the
    	cash and the buyer took the car and details. On paying this money
    	into the bank they would not take it as it was counterfeit!
    
    	Be very careful.
    
    		Tony

    Presumably you need to verify the banker's draft is genuine too?  A
    phone call to the bank should do it.

    More on BS cheques - I remember seeing a program about this. This is a
    well organised scam that targets privately advertised cars and boats in
    particular. Usual m.o. is to be very friendly and open, often with an
    initial visit just to look over the goods. Follow up is to phone or
    visit and agree to buy (always outside BS hours) and say words to the
    effect of "pity it's Friday evening as I won't be able to get the money
    until next week - oh of course I could do a BS cheque because that
    guarantees the money doesn't it?". 

Last time I sold a car,  I arranged to go to the bank with the buyer.  He 
withdrew money from account - gave it to me; I gave him keys and documents.

re .2

>        forged BS cheques being used to buy second hand cars. The advice
>        I've seen has been not to accept them until they have cleared, even
>        if you phone the branch and check that the cheque is valid.

Surely if you phone the branch and they say it is valid, it must be ok.

Worried owner of a BS cheque, and no car as of yesterday!

    I think if you've phoned the branch and checked then you should feel
    safe (even though it's not 100% watertight). The people doing the real
    scam make sure that they hand over the cheque at a time of day when
    you couldn't phone, but they also help you to believe that the call is
    unncessary anyway. The blank cheques were stolen in bulk.

    Both BS cheques and Banker Drafts can (obviously) be forged. Banks and
    BS's will not honour these so beware, alway ring the Bank / BS to check
    that the cheque is not stolen.
    
    If you accept a cheque on the weekend go to the purchasers home and _go
    inside_. Get their phone number from a old phone bill of theirs and
    check that their phone works (you'll need to go to neighbours house for
    this this).
    
    	This may sound a bit elaborate but it's the advice given by the
    police to my brother after he lost �7000 odd pounds to a forged Bankers
    draft.
    
    	Rik
    ring directory enquiries. They can confirm the info for you

	Then, you could always go ex-directory and change numbers, leaver the
	old phnoe no on thephone, and show an old bill.


	Heather

    But if you do this, when yu attempt to phone their number it won't work
    any you'll know somethings up.
    
    	Rik

  I'm new to Noting, so if there is already a topic where this could go - 
  please move it!
  
  What do the panel think is the best way to sell a car in these hard times?
  
  I'm currently trying to sell my Golf GTI 16v (see note 4.707 in this 
  conference - price now reduced to �4500!!) but so far the response has been 
  underwhelmingly non-existent.
  
  The following avenues have been tried (based in Reading)...
  
  
  * Auto Trader - Received responses only from other motoring publications
  
  * VTX - Nil
  
  * This Notes Conference - see above
  
  * Due to go in Exchange & Mart this Thursday
  
  * Due to go in the Bristol Evening Post Friday
  
  
  I know 'times is 'ard' and it's a sporty car and insurance can be high, but 
  someone, somewhere must have some good tips for selling a good quality car 
  like this.
  
  - Any specialist publications recommended?
  - Any garages?
  - Any other ideas??
  
  
  Katherine
  (desperately seeking a sale)
  

Thought of putting it in an auction - there's quite a big one at Blackbushe

    Katherine,
    
    Can I suggest you put another reply to note 4 stating the mileage and
    the year (we know its F reg) and how many owners. Have you checked 
    how much other people are asking for this type of car ?
    
    Royston

    Katherine,
    
    	try reducing the price - my G-reg Golf GTi ( admittedly an 8v )
    seems to be only worth around �3000 at the moment. 
    
    	Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's the way it is.
    
    	Terry

Can I suggest that you do NOT accept the services of any companies who
will 'phone you up constantly soon after you advertise your car offering
to sell it for you for a nominal fee (usually claiming that they have an
extensive database of buyers, that there are several potential buyers in
your area, etc) no matter how reputable they claim to be.  After they
cash your cheque you probably won't hear any more from them.

I don't know whether they just do nothing at all, or whether the claims
about their success rate are just wildly exaggerated, but the service that
they offer isn't the best you can get for your money.

Chris.

 Royston
 
 That's a good point - I will reenter the reply with the additional info.
 
 It shouldn't stop anybody ringing up and enquiring, surely?
 
 K

Try reducing the price.  I bought an F reg Golf GTI for #3500 3 months ago.
Most of the ones I saw were advertised at #3800 to #4000.

I've always found the Thames Valley trader a good way to buy/sell, and it
also gives you a reasonable idea of what price equivalent cars are being
advertised for.

Carol

RE: -.1

True, however 16V should be worth a little more (or maybe a little less if the
value is inversely proportional to the premium!).

-Steve