How do I safely pay for a car in lockdown?
I'm in Manchester and there's a rare car in Kent that's available privately. I've spoken with owner extensively and we have agreed on a deal. But how do I get there and pay for the car? Under current lockdown rules, neither of us can travel that sort of distance. So the only option is to pay for the car to be transported. How do we agree on a payment mechanism that minimises the risk of being scammed for both of us? He understandably won't accept payment when the car arrives at my house, but by the same token, I don't want to give him all the money before the car is loaded onto the transporter. Can you suggest a solution that 'shares the risk' fairly? Thanks in advance.
Asked on 8 February 2021 by Adam Crowe
Answered by
Andrew Brady
You could use a money transfer service like Paypal or Escrow but the fees will be expensive and the seller will (understandably) still be reluctant to release the car before the funds are in their bank account. Would they be willing to take a deposit and hold the car until after lockdown? That'd be the safest way of doing the deal. Otherwise, it's a case of using your judgement and taking a risk based on your discussions so far. Don't be pressured into transferring money, though – even a very rare car isn't worth the risk if it doesn't feel right.
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