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Difference between revisions of "Problem with a Used Car"
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Problem with a Used Car (view source)
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, 18:33, 12 December 2014→What should you always check and do before you buy?
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==What should you always check and do before you buy?== | ==What should you always check and do before you buy?== | ||
#See if the car has been in an accident—that can reduce its value and safety. The Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) may have this information. See its website at [ | #See if the car has been in an accident—that can reduce its value and safety. The Insurance Corporation of BC (ICBC) may have this information. See its website at [http://www.icbc.com www.icbc.com] or call 604.661.2233 in Vancouver and 1.800.464.5050 elsewhere in BC. You'll need the vehicle identification number (VIN), the make, model, and year. Many vehicles are in the ICBC database, but not all of them. If a vehicle was ever insured and registered outside of BC, the ICBC report will not show the vehicle history outside of BC. Consider getting a comprehensive vehicle history report such as the Verified BC report from CarProof (see item 4 below). | ||
#Avoid “curbers”—people who sell vehicles for profit, but without a motor dealer licence. By law, anyone selling motor vehicles as a business in BC must have a dealer licence from the Vehicle Sales Authority. Curbers operate illegally. They can cheat people by doing things such as turning back the odometer to make it look like a vehicle has lower mileage than it really has. Curbers get vehicles from BC and elsewhere in Canada and the US. They may hide prior damage and lie about a vehicle’s history, including its mileage and where it came from. And they may charge extremely high and illegal interest rates and ask you to lie about the price for tax purposes. There are many types of curbers. Some are mechanics who have repair facilities and also sell vehicles. Some curbers have several cars parked on their front lawn with “for sale” signs. To learn how to spot a curber, watch the videos at [http://www.mvsabc.com www.mvsabc.com]. Click on “Consumer Resources” and then on “[http://www.mvsabc.com/consumers/buying-privately Buying Privately]”. You can also see a list of known curbers. In “Consumer Resources,” click on “[http://www.mvsabc.com/known-unlicensed-dealers/consumers/known-unlicensed-dealers Known Unlicensed Dealers]”. It’s risky to buy from a curber. You may lose your money and get an unsafe vehicle. You can sue, but that’s expensive and often futile. The VSA can investigate the curber, but it can’t help you get your money back. | #Avoid “curbers”—people who sell vehicles for profit, but without a motor dealer licence. By law, anyone selling motor vehicles as a business in BC must have a dealer licence from the Vehicle Sales Authority. Curbers operate illegally. They can cheat people by doing things such as turning back the odometer to make it look like a vehicle has lower mileage than it really has. Curbers get vehicles from BC and elsewhere in Canada and the US. They may hide prior damage and lie about a vehicle’s history, including its mileage and where it came from. And they may charge extremely high and illegal interest rates and ask you to lie about the price for tax purposes. There are many types of curbers. Some are mechanics who have repair facilities and also sell vehicles. Some curbers have several cars parked on their front lawn with “for sale” signs. To learn how to spot a curber, watch the videos at [http://www.mvsabc.com www.mvsabc.com]. Click on “Consumer Resources” and then on “[http://www.mvsabc.com/consumers/buying-privately Buying Privately]”. You can also see a list of known curbers. In “Consumer Resources,” click on “[http://www.mvsabc.com/known-unlicensed-dealers/consumers/known-unlicensed-dealers Known Unlicensed Dealers]”. It’s risky to buy from a curber. You may lose your money and get an unsafe vehicle. You can sue, but that’s expensive and often futile. The VSA can investigate the curber, but it can’t help you get your money back. | ||
#Check if there are any liens (claims for money owed) on the car. Check the car's serial number with the Personal Property Registry at [http://www.bcregistryservices.gov.bc.ca www.bcregistryservices.gov.bc.ca]. [http://www.carproof.com/ CarProof] can do a Canada-wide lien search for a fee. | #Check if there are any liens (claims for money owed) on the car. Check the car's serial number with the Personal Property Registry at [http://www.bcregistryservices.gov.bc.ca www.bcregistryservices.gov.bc.ca]. [http://www.carproof.com/ CarProof] can do a Canada-wide lien search for a fee. | ||
