The old saying that cash is king certainly applies to car buying. Of course having the pile of money to buy a late-model vehicle in one lump sum pushes the transaction toward the best deal side of the equation rather than the ease of making payments which would ultimately cost more, but would be more towards the hassle-free side.
In auctions, you will typically have to pay a substantial deposit on the day of winning the bid, and provide full payment within a set number of days thereafter. You will not be able to take possession of the vehicle until it has been paid in full. Some auctions require payment in full at the conclusion of the auction, so always read the terms of auction carefully before bidding.
Private parties typically do not accept anything other than cash or a cashier’s check for the total amount of the agreed upon price.