best way to pay for a car privately

The best way to pay privately is the boring one: a secure bank transfer at handover, with paperwork that would make a tax auditor weep.

Verify the seller’s ID and match it to the bank account name, confirm details via a trusted number, and use PayID/Osko for near‑instant settlement. Do a PPSR check, agree on a written contract/receipt, and meet at a bank branch so you can transfer and have the bank confirm cleared funds. If transfers make you twitchy, ask your bank for a bank cheque (verify it at the branch together) or consider a reputable escrow service. Skip bricks of cash—risky, hard to insure, and you’ll look like an extra in a dodgy heist film. Hand over keys and rego only after the money has landed and you’ve copied receipts and IDs.