Immigrating to Canada, many new immigrants hope to purchase a car. Used cars in Canada are affordable and of excellent quality, making them highly favored by consumers. The keys to purchasing a used car are: pay attention to market research; transfer documents; buyer identity; legal vehicle status; whether the vehicle has outstanding debts; accident and emission records; vehicle usage history; mechanical inspection; payment upon delivery; and fraud prevention.
Conduct thorough market and price research. In books such as a "Used Car Buying Guide," identify the car brands and models you are interested in, and read about the vehicle's performance, drawbacks, and reference prices. This ensures you are well-informed when inspecting the car.
Both parties in a used car transaction must sign formal transfer documents to change ownership. Naturally, these documents, whether they are formal official documents or any other form, carry legal weight once signed by both parties. Once signed and a deposit is handed over, it is difficult to cancel, so proceed with extreme caution.
If buying a used car from a private individual, remember to check the seller's driver's license to ensure you are buying a legal vehicle from a legal person. Note that the seller's driver's license should be a local one, and ask if the vehicle has been transferred before; if it has, it is best to request to see previous transfer documents.
Ensure the car you want to buy is legal. Every vehicle has an engine number, which acts as the "ID card" for the car. If this number is damaged or missing, it indicates that the vehicle has issues. The number is generally located under the front windshield and consists of 17 digits. Any record of the car can be traced through this number.
Be mindful of whether the installment or lease contract for the vehicle you are eyeing has ended. If a vehicle is still under a lease or an installment contract has not been completed, the creditor has the right to seize the vehicle.
Request that the previous owner provide records such as accident compensation and emission inspection reports from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). ICBC keeps detailed records of every claim over 2,000 CAD; you can obtain a report for a fee of ten dollars.
Ask clearly if the vehicle you intend to buy was previously a police car or a taxi. Generally, such vehicles have higher wear and tear, average quality, and the price should be relatively lower.
Take the car you have selected to a mechanic you trust for a detailed inspection. If you cannot find a suitable person, you can contact organizations such as the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA), which provides paid services for this purpose. If you have doubts about the vehicle's year or recorded mileage, you can also ask the BCAA to verify it.
Pay upon delivery. Be sure to personally test drive the car you intend to buy on various road surfaces, and only make payment after signing the transfer documents. In other words, you must wait until all legal transfer documents are processed and the license plate is insured before making payment.
If you clearly sense fraudulent or criminal behavior during the vehicle transaction, you can look up the Ministry of Housing, Recreation and Consumer Services, Investigations Branch in the blue pages of the phone book and call them; they will assist you.