Guide to buying and selling
Whilst we cannot prepare you for every eventuality, there are some guidelines we have put together to assist you buying and selling on Motorsport Showroom. There are also some helpful resources that offer comprehensive guidance for online vehicle sales.
Vstag.co.uk
The Vehicle Safe Trading Advisory Group is an industry forum created to help protect buyers and sellers of pre-owned vehicles from fraud during the online buying and selling process.
Getsafeonline.org/vehicles
The UK's leading awareness resource helping protect people, finances, devices and businesses from fraud, abuse and other issues encountered online.
Buyers Checklist
- Avoid solely communicating by email
Pick up the phone and have a chat with your seller. This helps answer any questions you might have along with giving you a feel for who you are dealing with. - Inspect what you are buying
Thoroughly look over the vehicle/parts and ask to check any corresponding documentation. If in doubt, seek expert advice. - Price check
Is the price too good to be true? Check if the value sits in line with the rest of the market. If the price is out of line this could ring alarm bells. Do your research to satisfy yourself the sale is genuine. - Is there urgency?
If you feel you are being pressurised to complete the sale quickly, follow your gut instincts. A genuine seller will not mind waiting (within reason) for you to make your decision. - Deposits
do not pay more than you are willing to lose and confirm in advance that the seller will refund you if the sale does not proceed.
Sellers Checklist
- Be prepared
Have all the relevant documentation and information available to show your buyer. This will help give confidence in both you and the vehicle you are selling. - Payment
Never release your vehicle until you have confirmation that payment has cleared in your bank account. Allow sufficient time for a cheque or bankers draft to clear before handing over the vehicle. - Location
Try to stick to your home ground or to a familiar location when allowing potential buyers to view your vehicle. - Bank transfer is one of the safest methods of accepting payment. It should clear on the same day with most transfers showing immediately in your account.
Reassurances
Buyers on Motorsport Showroom are restricted from accessing your contact details until they have registered with us. In taking these steps we aim to provide an added layer of protection to our sellers from timewasters and scams. That said, you should always be mindful of who you are dealing with and if it does not feel right, it most likely is not. Follow your gut and be sure to do your own research to establish who you are dealing with.
Suspect it > Report it!
If you have received a suspicious looking email communication, we recommend you do not respond to it or click any of the links within it. Simply forward the email on to us at report@motorsportshowroom.com so we can investigate. This can help us in suspending accounts and preventing similar incidents happening to others.
If you have lost money because of a phishing email or via any other fraudulent activity, report it to Action Fraud (UK National fraud reporting centre) by calling 0300 123 20 40 or by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk. If you are in Scotland contact Police Scotland on 101.
