Which Payment Method Is Best for High-Dollar Vehicle Transactions?

Buying and selling a vehicle on the private-party market can be stressful and inconvenient. Traditional payment methods introduce a lot of friction, especially with high-dollar deals.

Whether you’re selling an RV or buying an SUV, DealNow makes high-dollar vehicle transactions easy. 

Before we get into how awesome DealNow is, let’s compare the pros and cons of other payment methods.

Payment Method Pros Cons
  • Immediate payment
  • No fees
  • Risk of theft or loss
  • Inconvenient to withdraw large sums from the bank
  • Counterfeit risk
  • Slow to count and verify
  • Secure for large amounts
  • Fairly fast
  • Slow processing time
  • High fees
  • Seller must share bank info
  • Non-instantaneous funds transfer
  • Convenient
  • Instant transfer
  • Low transaction limits
  • Some have high processing fees
  • Moderate scam risk
  • Bank-guaranteed funds
  • Safer than cash for large amounts
  • Can be forged
  • Verify authenticity at the issuing bank (inconvenient)
  • Limited to bank hours
  • Buyer protection
  • Rewards points
  • High fees for sellers
  • Not usually accepted
  • Seller risks chargebacks and disputes
  • Moderate scam risk
Cryptocurrency
  • Fast transfer
  • No transaction limits
  • Volatile
  • Complex transaction process
  • Potential for lost money through entry errors
  • Non-user-friendly

DealNow

  • Instant funds transfer
  • No transaction limits
  • Bank-level security
  • Convenient
  • Workflow built around the vehicle transaction process
  • Works 24/7/365
  • Low, flat fee
  • Order additional services (vehicle transport, insurance, financing, photography, warranty, etc) from within the app without needing to coordinate with a third party
  • None

DealNow gives you all the combined benefits of every payment method without any of the drawbacks. But DealNow’s advantages go beyond convenient payments. 

To understand DealNow’s true value, we need to examine a fundamental issue in private-party transactions: the catch-22 trust problem.

The Catch-22 of Trust in Private Vehicle Sales

In any high-value transaction between strangers, a catch-22 occurs. The buyer wants some assurance that they’ll get the vehicle before handing over the money, and the seller wants the money before they release the vehicle. Both parties want the transaction to happen, but neither wants to be taken advantage of by an unscrupulous counterparty.

Traditionally, buyers and sellers would resort to escrow services or a bill of sale. Escrow is expensive and time-consuming, which is why most people opt for bills of sale. There are two edge-case vulnerabilities with paper bills of sale: 

  1. Many scammers use an alias. A bill of sale signed with an alias offers no legal recourse.
  2. A truly malevolent criminal could confiscate both copies of the signed bill of sale, along with the money and vehicle, leaving their counterparty with nothing.

DealNow elegantly solves the trust issue and protects both parties from bad actors through:

  • Identity verification for both parties.
  • Instant, cloud-stored digital bills of sale.
  • Secure, instant fund transfers.
  • A step-by-step guided transaction process.

DealNow: Much More Than a Payment App

DealNow isn’t just about payments—it’s a complete ecosystem designed to make private-party vehicle transactions smooth, secure, and convenient. Here’s a look at some of the powerful features that set DealNow apart:

  1. Seamless test drive scheduling: Coordinate viewings effortlessly with our in-app scheduling tool. No more back-and-forth texts or calls.
  2. Title check: Verify the vehicle’s title status instantly, ensuring you’re not buying a car with hidden legal issues.
  3. Vehicle history reports: Access comprehensive vehicle history reports right from the app, powered by our integration with AutoCheck.
  4. Professional inspections: Schedule a thorough mechanical inspection with just a few taps, giving buyers peace of mind before purchase.
  5. Financing options: Explore competitive financing choices without leaving the app, making it easy to fund your purchase.
  6. Shipping services: Buying long-distance? Arrange reliable vehicle transport directly through DealNow.
  7. Insurance quotes: Get instant insurance quotes and set up coverage for your new ride, all within the platform.

From first contact to final paperwork, DealNow provides all the tools you need for a successful vehicle transaction. It’s more than a payment app—it’s your personal dealmaking tool.

Vehicle Types You Can Buy or Sell with DealNow

DealNow handles vehicles of all types, including the following:

  • Cars
  • Boats
  • RVs
  • Motorcycles
  • ATVs and OHVs
  • Commercial vehicles
  • Heavy equipment

Whether you’re a buyer or a seller, create your own private dealroom, invite your counterparty via a custom link, and get the deal done with unmatched convenience, speed, and security.

Cars

  • Sedans
  • SUVs
  • Pickup trucks
  • Vans
  • Luxury vehicles
  • Sports cars
  • Classic cars
  • Vintage cars

Recreational Vehicles

  • Class A motorhomes
  • Class B motorhomes
  • Class C motorhomes
  • Travel trailers
  • Fifth-wheel trailers 
  • Pop-up campers
  • Toy haulers
  • Camper vans

Boats and Watercraft

  • Motorboats
  • Sailboats 
  • Yachts
  • Pontoon boats
  • Jet skis
  • Kayaks 
  • Canoes

Motorcycles and Powersports

  • Street-legal motorcycles
  • Off-road dirt bikes
  • Scooters
  • All-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
  • Off-highway vehicles (OHVs) 
  • Snowmobiles

Commercial Vehicles

  • Delivery vans
  • Box trucks
  • Semi-trucks
  • Buses
  • Flatbed trucks

Heavy Equipment

  • Bulldozers
  • Excavators
  • Backhoes
  • Forklifts
  • Cranes (mobile, tower, overhead)
  • Tractors
  • Front-end loaders
  • Wheel loaders
  • Skid steer loaders
  • Motor graders
  • Scrapers
  • Trenchers
  • Telehandlers
  • Conveyors
  • Stackers
  • Aerial work platforms (scissor lifts, boom lifts)
  • Rollers (smooth wheel, sheepsfoot)
  • Compactors
  • Vibratory plate compactors
  • Pavers
  • Asphalt mixers
  • Concrete mixers
  • Pile drivers
  • Horizontal directional drills
  • Combines
  • Harvesters
  • Balers
  • Feller bunchers
  • Skidders
  • Log loaders
  • Draglines
  • Haul trucks
  • Underground loaders
  • Street sweepers
  • Snow plows
  • Garbage trucks
  • Dump trucks
  • Concrete pump trucks
  • Drilling rigs
  • Dredgers

Payments FAQ

How can I avoid fraud when buying a vehicle?

Private vehicle sales can be risky. Here’s how to protect yourself:

  • Check the vehicle identification number against the title and vehicle history report.
  • Don’t rush into the purchase. Take your time inspecting the vehicle and take it for a test drive.
  • Walk away from sellers using high-pressure tactics. 
  • Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is. There are plenty of honest sellers out there.
  • Use a bill of sale and make sure you verify the seller’s identity.
  • Perform a title check on the vehicle.
  • Use DealNow to close the deal. Invite the seller to your private dealroom and enjoy identity verification, a digital bill of sale, a title check, and secure instant payments.

Personal checks are the least secure payment method, especially in high-value transactions such as car sales. Here’s why:

  • Fraud risk: Fake or altered checks can be difficult to spot immediately.
  • Bounced checks: There’s no guarantee of sufficient funds in the buyer’s account.
  • Delayed verification: It can take days for a check to clear, leaving you in limbo.

Choose DealNow for security and convenience.

PayPal caps out at $60,000 per transaction. If your chosen car is less than that, you’re fine—if you don’t mind the fees.

PayPal charges a 2.9% + $0.30 fee for goods and services. For a $60k vehicle, that’s almost $1,800. That’s coming out of someone’s pocket, and most sellers won’t want to take the entire hit. If you’re insisting on using PayPal, expect the seller to negotiate up the price an equivalent amount to hold you responsible for the fees.

Use DealNow to verify the seller’s identity, check the vehicle’s title, complete a digital bill of sale, and transfer funds securely. These features protect you throughout the online buying process.

Sellers of high-value vehicles use escrow services for added security, but they’re not necessary. DealNow offers escrow-like safeguards without the expense and hassle of an escrow service:

  • Instant fund transfers of any amount
  • No transaction fees
  • Built-in identity and funds verification
  • Digital bill of sale
  • Step-by-step guided transaction process
  • FDIC-insured accounts

Use DealNow’s self-serve safeguards to save time and money.

Bank transfers have limited protection for buyers. Once the money is sent, it’s gone, and you have little to no recourse if something goes wrong with the transaction. 

DealNow offers a safer alternative:

  • The seller completes identity verification
  • You perform a title check (optional) to cross reference the seller with DMV records
  • The seller signs the bill of sale
  • You send payment and the seller gets it instantly, 24/7/365
  • The seller signs over the title and gives you the keys

With DealNow, you control your vehicle purchase.

Join the waitlist!

Be the first to know when DealNow for dealers goes live.

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Join the waitlist!

Be the first to know when DealNow for dealers goes live.

Interested in*
Join the waitlist!

Be the first to know when DealNow for dealers goes live.

Interested in*