Most car dealerships are happy to take a personal check when you purchase a new vehicle. They may go through several steps to make sure the check is not fake and there is money in the account, but your check is a welcome form of payment that you can use, one that requires fewer steps for the car buying process because you do not need to apply for a loan. At Hartland Automotive Sales, we are happy to accept your personal checks when purchasing a new vehicle.
How Long Does It Take a Check to Clear at a Car Dealership?
For the most part, a check will take two business days to clear. If you use a personal check over a weekend or a holiday, the amount of time will take longer. The amount of the check can also slow down the process, so the purchase price of the vehicle could add a few days to this clearing. Some banks will speed the process up if you or the dealership have a good relationship with the bank.
The best bet is to expect the check to clear within two to five business days. This allows for holidays and weekends and can work well if there is something else that will cause some issues to the check being ready. If you need the money to go through faster, you may need to discuss this with your bank ahead of time. They may be able to talk about some other options you can use to get things through faster.
How Do You Write a Check to a Car Dealership?
You can write a check to a car dealership the same way you would write a check to anyone else. Ask the car dealership the exact name you should write it out to when you work on the check to make sure it goes to the right place. Otherwise, you would fill the check out the same way you would when paying your bills and everything else.
Keep in mind that the check will take a little time to clear. See what the rules are with the dealership about you taking the vehicle home right away. Because of some of the safety precautions they take ahead of time, the dealership should allow you to take the vehicle home right away.
Should You Bring Cash to a Car Dealership?
If you decide to purchase a vehicle through a private seller, it is sometimes easier to get a lower price if you do bring some cash to the deal instead of writing a check. However, this is not the same thing that happens at a dealership. Cash is not king and it is often better to work with a check or other financing when you purchase from a car dealership.
At Hartland Automotive Sales, we are happy to help our customers drive off in a newer vehicle on their terms. No matter what type of vehicle you would like, contact us to help you find your dream vehicle.
