v5c form - 'is it safe ?'

[jpaul]

Had a legit buyer (judging by their fbmarketplace history & location) turn up at pre-arranged evening viewing, with a couple of mates, travelled 40miles.

my last communication yesterday prior to visit
OK - if you come along tomorrow pm and say you want to buy - it's yours, I will hold it, and can do the v5 transfer/take-away at w/e say ? <my address>
see you tomorrow.

They looked over car, asked questions, and started it, but didn't want a test-drive (I had previously expressed surprise they didn't want to see it in daylight too)
and then wanted to complete the purchase using v5c form + bank transfer - would you have sold ?

If they the wanted car I had expected them to come back at w/e (per msg) when I would have used the dvla website (before 7pm) to notify the change,
I thought this was inherently more secure as you have an exact timestamp on the transaction;
I would have also pre-prepared some receipt templates too, and asked them to bring along/show an ID like a driving license (even if I can see money in my account)

They subsequently rather guilt tripped me - he had already taken out temp insurance - would you do that w/o seeing car?
.. maybe I'm paranoid

 

[jpaul]

I've sold/bought few cars past 7PM and did the V5C transfer the next day.

I'd thought the buyer needed to see you complete the transaction online (but have never used or seen a simulation of how it works .. first car i've ever sold in uk)
will system allow you to backdate transfer, or you are, legally, just doing it asap ?

ps DVLA website? I must be a dinosaur as I just did the tear off slip on the v5 when I bought and sold my cars.

I thought site was date&hour timestamping the transfer (protecting you if their were subsequent speeding) , and you have take vagaries of the postal system out of the loop;
just a couple of K and I would have not handed over keys until I could see online deposit.
v5c fraud I'd read about too, perhaps avoided, too - where someone takes the numeric code on the v5 and could transfer ownership, but I guess you need to protect entry of that code with online system too.


... The practicalities of primitively printing receipts to exchange - I knew getting ink jet to work might take time too, but maybe people scrawl something on a piece of paper ? don't bother ?

 

[jpaul]

time and dated receipt signed by you both

yes that's a good idea - not seemingly mentioned on AA template receipt

 

[jpaul]

I'm somewhat amazed that he took out temp insurance, drove 40 miles and then didn't want to take it for a test drive.

yes me too - I can understand he may not have had cover for driving another car on his policy (just 3p)
less so that both his mates didn't - forgot to say they were 3 (a bit intimidating) and that mate would drive car, like another test drive I had
even though they thoroughly inspected it and were knowledgeable about car - not wanting me to drive them either.
having pre-bought insurance versus just having it ready to buy online if they needed it was surprising .. perhaps it is not too expensive <£10? quote I had for 14days temp cover 'only' £50.

 

[jpaul]

a piece of bmw M52/6 memorabilia

..... Not yet sold 30+ replies, maybe 5 who lived within a feasible distance to genuinely buy it, and looked legit;
I subsequently thought - if the buyer had genuinely bought temporary insurance why didn't he want to test drive ? maybe he, also, didn't think of that.

 

[jpaul]

Once you have cash what are you worried about?

what ID have you ever had to request from buyer, or, did they naturally volunteer that ?
yes, as I said, maybe I'm being paranoid but cash could be reversed if it was from a taken-over bank account, and if you had given the car to someone providing a false name/address,
doubt you'd have a wheel to stand on.

 

[jpaul]

Yes - OK , it was easy we filled out log book, and I subsequently entered detail into online system that gave additional timestamp in email confirmation
[lloyds app went oos on mobile so had to logon from laptop to confirm money -
I thought all my mobile comms, for bank app, were via wi-fi calling ... but apparently not]

buyer was born after car was manufactured