The tells
- No VIN in the listing, which prevents you from checking history before you travel.
- Photos that avoid one side of the vehicle, or are taken in rain or at night.
- A price far below comparable listings with no explanation.
- Sold as is with no safety inspection in a province that requires one.
- A seller who is not the registered owner, or who wants to meet somewhere other than the registered address.
- A short ownership period, such as three months, on an older vehicle.
- Odometer numbers that do not match service records.
- Refusal to allow a pre-purchase inspection.
- A lien still registered on the vehicle with no plan to discharge it.
- Pressure to leave a deposit before you have seen the car.
Always do these two things
Buy a vehicle history report using the VIN, and have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle before money changes hands. Together they cost a fraction of a bad purchase.
If there is a loan on the car
Ask for a payout statement and confirm the lien discharge process in writing. Never accept a verbal promise that the loan will be cleared later.
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Frequently asked questions
Use a vehicle history report and confirm the payout statement with the lender directly. Provincial lien registries vary.
In most provinces a safety inspection is required to transfer ownership on a used vehicle. Ontario, for example, requires one.
Not always, but a large gap below comparable listings usually means an accident history, a lien, or a mechanical issue.