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Safeguards For Private Purchasers
What are some of the precautions you can take to ensure that the vehicle you're buying privately (from someone you don't know) is free and clear of liens, has not been declared a write-off and can be licensed to operate on our roads.
In last week's column we said 'Ontario consumers who purchase a vehicle from a new car dealer are covered by the most comprehensive Consumer Protection Legislation that exists anywhere in North America. This protection is not afforded to a consumer who purchases a vehicle privately. For a private purchase there are no warranties, no guarantee that the vehicle is fit (to be operated on our roads) nor any recourse except perhaps through small claims court.'
We also stated that without doing their homework and knowing what to look for, an unsuspecting consumer could possibly end up with their worst nightmare in their driveway.
If you find the steal of the century or the car of your dreams privately, at least take some of the following steps: 1.) Ask the seller to provide you with a USED VEHICLE INFORMATION PACKAGE (UVIP). This package can be bought for $20 at any licensing office. If the seller refuses, then be very suspicious and even walk away, there's something wrong with the vehicle.
2.) However, if you're still interested, get a UVIP package yourself. Simply take down the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), present it to the licensing office and again, for $20, you'll be provided with the UVIP.
3.) What to look for in the UVIP Package: This package will show you the number of previous owners, so, if the seller said that he/she was the only owner and the UVIP lists several previous owners, you may be dealing with a 'curbsider.' Again, walk away and continue your search.
If the UVIP package indicates a number of ownership changes in a short period of time with a body shop being involved, it's safe to assume that the vehicle was in an accident or perhaps even written off by an insurance company. You need to do more investigating before purchasing.
If the UVIP package indicates that a lien has been registered against the vehicle, make sure that you get a letter of release from the lien holder.
4.) Determine with the seller if the vehicle is to be sold 'Certified' or 'As Is Uncertified.' Remember: a Mechanical Safety Certificate does not guarantee that the vehicle has NOT been in an accident or that all the necessary maintenance has been performed on it. It simply certifies that the vehicle has been inspected by a registered certified mechanic and that all the criteria outlined on the reverse of the safety certificate are met. In addition, these inspections also indicate any repairs that should be done in order to make the car road-worthy. The mechanical fitness certificate is valid for only 36 days. This means that the vehicle is to be registered within this period or you must go through the expense or re-certifying it.
5.) When registering a vehicle in Ontario, you also need a Drive Clean Pass Certificate (Emissions Test). This certificate is valid for 1 year and again indicates that the vehicle meets the government Standards. In addition to needing this certificate when registering a vehicle, a new certificate is required every two years in conjunction with your license plate renewal.
These are some of the safeguards that you can take when purchasing a pre-owned vehicle privately. However, we can't overstress that every day some unsuspecting individual who thinks that he's found the steal of the century, is stuck with a vehicle that has lost its value and ability to be traded in. Don't let this happen to you!
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