OK to use cheque from France to pay for car

[Andy]

I am going to buy a second-hand car for abut £4,000. I'll borrow the
money from a friend who runs a company in France and can provide a
French cheque for the full amount.

I don't want the money to be paid into my current account and then
paid to the car dealer because it would probably spark off unnecessary
hassle from my better half.

(1) Is it likely a UK second hand car dealer would accept a French
cheque as payment? Of course he could let it clear.

Generally speaking is this likely to be acceptable ~ as far as one can
guess?

(2) Am I exposed while the cheque clears as I guess I would have no
security from the car dealer for the money?

(3) Would there be any problem in the car dealer assigning ownership
to me and not to the name of the cheque?

------

One alternative avoiding the better half would be to get the money
from the French guy in cash.

Would a cash payment cause problems for the dealer?

Would a receipt be far less good proof than a cheque in case there was
any dispute about having paid?

 

[Adrian]

(1) Is it likely a UK second hand car dealer would accept a French
cheque as payment?

Very, very unlikely to accept it. I'm presuming the cheque is in Euros on
a French bank? It'll cost the dealer time, effort and money to get it
cashed. If he can be arsed.

I s'pose it depends on how badly he wants to sell you that car for that
price...

One alternative avoiding the better half would be to get the money from
the French guy in cash.

Would a cash payment cause problems for the dealer?

It may, depending on the dealer. European money laundering regs require
"large cash handlers" to be registered and to register any transactions.
£4k doesn't come close to the trigger amount, but I'd expect some to be a
bit wobbly. A back-street one-man-band is FAR more likely to accept the
cash...

Would a receipt be far less good proof than a cheque in case there was
any dispute about having paid?

If you're paying cash, take the car away there and then if you're in ANY
doubt about the ethics of the dealer...

 

[Steve Firth]

I am going to buy a second-hand car for abut £4,000. I'll borrow the
money from a friend who runs a company in France and can provide a
French cheque for the full amount.

Hmm, money laundering, eh?

 

[Conor]

I am going to buy a second-hand car for abut £4,000. I'll borrow the
money from a friend who runs a company in France and can provide a
French cheque for the full amount.

I don't want the money to be paid into my current account and then
paid to the car dealer because it would probably spark off unnecessary
hassle from my better half.

(1) Is it likely a UK second hand car dealer would accept a French
cheque as payment? Of course he could let it clear.

Generally speaking is this likely to be acceptable ~ as far as one can
guess?

(2) Am I exposed while the cheque clears as I guess I would have no
security from the car dealer for the money?

(3) Would there be any problem in the car dealer assigning ownership
to me and not to the name of the cheque?

1) I wouldn't for £4k.
2) Yes.
3) No.

 

[Conor]

Very, very unlikely to accept it. I'm presuming the cheque is in Euros on
a French bank? It'll cost the dealer time, effort and money to get it
cashed. If he can be arsed.

Could be a Stirling cheque. I sold a Capri MK2 grille to someone in
Eire and they managed to get their bank to issue a cheque in sterling.

But, for £4k? Not a sodding chance.

 

[Chris Blunt]

I am going to buy a second-hand car for abut £4,000. I'll borrow the
money from a friend who runs a company in France and can provide a
French cheque for the full amount.

I don't want the money to be paid into my current account and then
paid to the car dealer because it would probably spark off unnecessary
hassle from my better half.

(1) Is it likely a UK second hand car dealer would accept a French
cheque as payment? Of course he could let it clear.

Generally speaking is this likely to be acceptable ~ as far as one can
guess?

(2) Am I exposed while the cheque clears as I guess I would have no
security from the car dealer for the money?

(3) Would there be any problem in the car dealer assigning ownership
to me and not to the name of the cheque?

It would be better if your friend requested his company's bank in
France to issue a bank draft in Sterling drawn on a UK bank.

The car dealer would probably be happier to accept that as there would
be fewer complications involving currency conversion and cheque
clearance.

Chris

 

[GB]

I can't think of any car dealers that I would trust at the moment. The
simplest way to pay for this is with cash. Alternatively, use Switch. Either
way, apart possibly from a small holding deposit, you pay the money and he
hands over the car. If possible pay the holding deposit (for a sum over
£100) with a credit card.

 

[Matt Robertson]

I am going to buy a second-hand car for abut £4,000. I'll borrow the
money from a friend who runs a company in France and can provide a
French cheque for the full amount.

I don't want the money to be paid into my current account and then
paid to the car dealer because it would probably spark off unnecessary
hassle from my better half.

(1) Is it likely a UK second hand car dealer would accept a French
cheque as payment? Of course he could let it clear.

Generally speaking is this likely to be acceptable ~ as far as one can
guess?

(2) Am I exposed while the cheque clears as I guess I would have no
security from the car dealer for the money?

(3) Would there be any problem in the car dealer assigning ownership
to me and not to the name of the cheque?

------

One alternative avoiding the better half would be to get the money
from the French guy in cash.

Would a cash payment cause problems for the dealer?

Would a receipt be far less good proof than a cheque in case there was
any dispute about having paid?

Divorce the suspicious bint.

 

[Steve Pearce]

(1) Is it likely a UK second hand car dealer would accept a French
cheque as payment? Of course he could let it clear.

The dealer I bought a car from yesterday wasn't even interested in a
UK cheque as payment, so you are probably SOL with a French one.

 

[SteveH]

One alternative avoiding the better half would be to get the money
from the French guy in cash.

Grow some balls, ffs.

 

[Andy]

It would be better if your friend requested his company's bank in
France to issue a bank draft in Sterling drawn on a UK bank.

The car dealer would probably be happier to accept that as there
would be fewer complications involving currency conversion and
cheque clearance.

Chris

I haven't heard of having a foreign bank in France issuing a bank
draft in Sterling drawn on a UK bank. I found this explanation:

http://www.bba.org.uk/bba/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=263&a=654&artpage=all

It seems the draft would be made out to the car dealer.

That means that I would have to have chosen the car before the draft
is arranged because I would not be able to take the draft and present
it to whichever dealer I chose.

Is this correct?

 

[Chris Blunt]

I haven't heard of having a foreign bank in France issuing a bank
draft in Sterling drawn on a UK bank. I found this explanation:

http://www.bba.org.uk/bba/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=263&a=654&artpage=all

It seems the draft would be made out to the car dealer.

That means that I would have to have chosen the car before the draft
is arranged because I would not be able to take the draft and present
it to whichever dealer I chose.

Is this correct?

Correct, it will be made payable to whoever you specify when you
request the draft to be issued.

I was assuming you had already decided a particular car/dealer.

Chris