When people say they "pay cash" for a car...

[Anonymous]

Bought our last car in 2019. Put the max the dealer would allow ($3k) on a credit card. Paid for the rest with personal check.

This was in NoVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear people say they are paying cash for cars, but it sounds so strange. Does that mean they are walking into the car dealership ship and a box full of money?

It troubles me, OP, that you are allowed out in public without a minder. And that you can vote.

Not to get political, but this is why we are in the mess we are now - because a lot of people don't have the critical thinking skills God gave a turnip.

No need to be so rude. Don’t answer if you don’t want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you lay mote than$10k in cash bills they have to fill out extra paperwork for money laundering laws. Annoying for the dealer but not a big deal.

To address your question, no people do not bring boxes of cash into a car dealership. They write a check, send a wire, or put it on a credit card.

Most don’t allow full payment with credit card.

Yeah, this was our experience. I forget the max but it was somewhere around $10k when we bought our most recent car in October of last year.

[Anonymous]

We write checks. However I would love to walk in with a box of cash. That would be amusing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get a loan because it has incentives, and then pay it off in a few months. I bought in the zero interest rate era though.

We’ve done this too. Six months interest free or whatever but then we pay it off immediately. Just double check that there’s no penalty for paying off early.

[Anonymous]

Ever heard of a check book or wire money transfer or even the classic cashier's check?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some dealers won’t take a personal check. I have never had a problem, but my DS, who lived in CT, needed a cashier’s check issued by his bank.

My DS had the same issue. I think it had something to do with his age (24 years old) and not having a lengthy credit history. He was still living at home and he'd only had one credit card for about 2 years. He put a sizable downpayment on his car purchase. They would not take his personal check and he had to get a cashier's check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We write checks. However I would love to walk in with a box of cash. That would be amusing.

A wheelbarrow full of rolled coins!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We write checks. However I would love to walk in with a box of cash. That would be amusing.

Kramer and the pennies for calzones.

[Anonymous]

This thread has made me laugh! Thanks, OP.

We have always paid by certified cashier check. Our routine has been to go to the bank to pick up the check and then carry that hot potato directly into the hands of the salesperson at the car dealership. But we are old, nearly 60. Maybe we will pay by bank wire transfer next time to save ourselves from standing in line at the bank.

[Anonymous]

We sent a wire for the full amount.

[Anonymous]

Tell me you are ripe for financial plucking without....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hear people say they are paying cash for cars, but it sounds so strange. Does that mean they are walking into the car dealership ship and a box full of money?

It troubles me, OP, that you are allowed out in public without a minder. And that you can vote.

Not to get political, but this is why we are in the mess we are now - because a lot of people don't have the critical thinking skills God gave a turnip.

No need to be so rude. Don’t answer if you don’t want to.

I disagree. We have become far too accommodating of abject stupidity and lack of common sense in modern society. It needs to be called out wherever possible. If that hurts someone's feelings, well, there's an easy way to avoid it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:you write a check

We did this for the first time a couple years ago - I was surprised the dealership let me write a personal check and just drive away. I figured I'd have to wire money or something where they got the money first.

[Anonymous]

And before you ask, OP, when people "pay cash" for a house, they aren't bringing a briefcase filled with currency to the closing