Quantcast
Buying a used car, seller doesn't have the car registered - Beyond.ca - Car Forums
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 26

Thread: Buying a used car, seller doesn't have the car registered

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Edmonton
    Posts
    510
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Buying a used car, seller doesn't have the car registered

    -p
    Last edited by e36bmw///; 03-05-2018 at 09:06 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    Calgary, AB
    Posts
    483
    Rep Power
    22

    Default

    I've been there before, on both sides. There's cars, motorcycles, and ATVs I've bought with a future intention in mind that never came to fruition, so they never got registered and I sold them instead.

    I've also bought from people in the same situation. I'm a sucker for other peoples project cars or just buying nostalgia stuff I always wanted, things like that. In that case I do the same as you, Car Proof and Lien check, and do up a bill of sale from one of the registries. Never an issue.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Calgary AB
    Posts
    296
    Rep Power
    13

    Default

    Bought one vehicle that supposedly traded hands 6 times without registration before i registered it . Hadn't been registered in over 15 years. Just get all the paperwork checked and you're good

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Calgary, AB
    My Ride
    MR2
    Posts
    197
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    I don't know the technical term for it here, but in the US it's referred to as "title jumping" (and is illegal down south) when seller A sells the car to buyer B, who doesn't register it, and sells it to buyer C. So on paper, it's recorded as being sold directly from seller A to buyer C.

    The reason for buyer B to do this could be to avoid buying an insurance policy and paying registration fees if the plan is to sell the car anyway

    If the seller didn't register the car, then I don't see how he can provide a bill of sale for something he doesn't technically own. The bill of sale would have to be signed by the first owner (as far as I know)

    Is this an expensive car? Can you find out who the car is registered by? Maybe ask for proof of him purchasing the car
    Last edited by MR2-3SGTE; 01-18-2016 at 08:53 AM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Edmonton, AB
    Posts
    269
    Rep Power
    19

    Default

    In Alberta, you do not need to register a car to sell it. Any bill of sale with the required information, name / signature of buyer and seller, along with VIN, make, model and colour and you're good to go.
    "I think 90% of motorcycle racing is between the ears." -Kevin Schwantz

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Calgary, AB
    My Ride
    A vehicle or two
    Posts
    4,436
    Rep Power
    32

    Default

    It's perfectly legal - you just need to ensure the seller is really the owner. Does he have the paperwork to support his purchase?

    Last summer, I came to terms to buy a BMW but the guy selling it wanted to sign me over the registration that had someone else's name on it. Claimed he was selling it for them while they were out of the country. Seemed fishy so I nixed the deal.
    Last edited by Kloubek; 01-18-2016 at 09:13 AM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Ioniq 5
    Posts
    1,792
    Rep Power
    46

    Default

    So long as the car was A) Last registered in Alberta, B) The title is as he says (i.e. not salvaged), and C) Not stolen, then it's perfectly fine & legal to do so.

    I would pull a stolen vehicle report on the vehicle as well as maybe go to AMA and do history report (carfax or whatever you want) to check that the title is clean as well and it wasn't salvaged and patched up

    Originally posted by MR2-3SGTE
    I don't know the technical term for it here, but in the US it's referred to as "title jumping" (and is illegal down south) when seller A sells the car to buyer B, who doesn't register it, and sells it to buyer C. So on paper, it's recorded as being sold directly from seller A to buyer C.

    The reason for buyer B to do this could be to avoid buying an insurance policy and paying registration fees if the plan is to sell the car anyway

    If the seller didn't register the car, then I don't see how he can provide a bill of sale for something he doesn't technically own. The bill of sale would have to be signed by the first owner (as far as I know)

    Is this an expensive car? Can you find out who the car is registered by? Maybe ask for proof of him purchasing the car
    Not in Alberta. We don't have formal titles here and a bill of sale does not need to match the previous registrant. Here you can literally scribble the buyers & sellers info & vehicle VIN/info onto a napkin, sign it, and register a vehicle with that.
    Last edited by pheoxs; 01-18-2016 at 09:24 AM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    South of Calgary
    My Ride
    is broken
    Posts
    794
    Rep Power
    18

    Default

    Originally posted by pheoxs
    So long as the car was A) Last registered in Alberta, B) The title is as he says (i.e. not salvaged), and C) Not stolen, then it's perfectly fine & legal to do so.
    on A) I dont know if my registry is just lazy but my 1973 Datsun was a title jump from out of province. So I still needed OOP inspection but my bill of sale was from a dude in Alberta who got it from a dude in BC. No hassle other than a physical VIN check. (And the $600 inspection :/ )

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    1917 Model T, VW Baja, '18 Ram 2500 CTD/6spd
    Posts
    655
    Rep Power
    20

    Default

    Originally posted by MR2-3SGTE
    I don't know the technical term for it here, but in the US it's referred to as "title jumping" (and is illegal down south) when seller A sells the car to buyer B, who doesn't register it, and sells it to buyer C. So on paper, it's recorded as being sold directly from seller A to buyer C.
    The title system is pretty different than our registry system. The idea behind titles is to keep a constant, accurate record of who owns a vehicle. Our registration system is just to get license plates, so it is no big deal if a vehicle is unregistered for a while, or even a few owners.


    Originally posted by MR2-3SGTE
    If the seller didn't register the car, then I don't see how he can provide a bill of sale for something he doesn't technically own. The bill of sale would have to be signed by the first owner (as far as I know)
    The seller does legally own it, so long as they bought and paid for it. Registering it or not has absolutely no impact on legal ownership of the vehicle.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    335i
    Posts
    8,929
    Rep Power
    30

    Default

    Sounds like a curber to me.
    Original Post NAZI Moderated


    Originally posted by r3cc0s
    Felon or Mistermeiner

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Filthy south
    My Ride
    bus
    Posts
    709
    Rep Power
    20

    Default

    Curber car for sure. Looking to make a quick buck

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    The YYC
    My Ride
    Parked in the Bike Lane
    Posts
    192
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Is he a chill guy?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Lariat 2.7 & StreetTriple R
    Posts
    524
    Rep Power
    12

    Default

    Was he driving the vehicle around while it was unregistered?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    .
    Posts
    2,653
    Rep Power
    24

    Default Re: Buying a used car, seller doesn't have the car registered

    .
    Last edited by 01RedDX; 09-24-2020 at 10:54 AM.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Calgarian Living in Edmonton
    My Ride
    93 240sx SE, 17 Infiniti Q50S, 2008 Highlander
    Posts
    6,681
    Rep Power
    35

    Default

    The real question here, is if its FULLY LOADED or not?
    Originally posted by GTS Jeff
    You know those bored stay at home moms who's entire lives revolve around driving their kids to soccer, various cleaning accessories, and worrying about neighbourhood rapists? The kind of people that watch the View and go "uh huh..." Those unfulfilled people who try to fill the void in their empty lives by writing whiny letters to the editor complaining about shit that no one really cares about?

    Well imagine if instead of writing that letter to the editor, she just posts on a car forum for car enthusiasts. That's Kritafo.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Calgary, AB
    My Ride
    MR2
    Posts
    197
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    That still leaves a bit of confusion though, if I buy a car from seller B who hasn't registered it and we fill out a bill of sale, I take it to the registry, won't they see in the system that it's registered under Seller A's name? But signed by Seller B

    I guess the bigger question is, what's stopping someone from stealing a car and then selling it if the third person can register it (unless it's reported stolen I suppose).

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    N/A
    Posts
    2,977
    Rep Power
    22

    Default Re: Buying a used car, seller doesn't have the car registered

    Originally posted by e36bmw///


    He provided me with Carproof and I personally ran a Vehicle Identification Report from a registry. The car comes out clean with an active status and no leans.
    No leans is good but what about liens?

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    1917 Model T, VW Baja, '18 Ram 2500 CTD/6spd
    Posts
    655
    Rep Power
    20

    Default

    Originally posted by MR2-3SGTE
    That still leaves a bit of confusion though, if I buy a car from seller B who hasn't registered it and we fill out a bill of sale, I take it to the registry, won't they see in the system that it's registered under Seller A's name? But signed by Seller B
    I've never had a problem, they see it all the time. Of all the cars I've had, they've mentioned it once, and I said it was parked for a while and likely resold. No problem.

    Originally posted by MR2-3SGTE
    I guess the bigger question is, what's stopping someone from stealing a car and then selling it if the third person can register it (unless it's reported stolen I suppose).
    Nothing. Unless the VIN is flagged in the system, you can fake a bill of sale from "John Smith" and it will get you plates.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Calgary
    My Ride
    Ioniq 5
    Posts
    1,792
    Rep Power
    46

    Default

    Originally posted by MR2-3SGTE
    That still leaves a bit of confusion though, if I buy a car from seller B who hasn't registered it and we fill out a bill of sale, I take it to the registry, won't they see in the system that it's registered under Seller A's name? But signed by Seller B

    I guess the bigger question is, what's stopping someone from stealing a car and then selling it if the third person can register it (unless it's reported stolen I suppose).
    Again, in Alberta registration =/= ownership unlike the US where whoever has the title owns the vehicle.

    Anyone can register a vehicle with a made up bill of sale here. I can walk up to your car, copy the VIN# down, write a bill of sale from John Smith to Me for 1000$, walk in the registries and register your car and get a plate. Of course it's illegal/fraudulent and when you find out and report it to the police and they track me down I'll probably be arrested for theft. But the registries don't care, they are just there to register vehicle plates to owners for a vehicle. They do not track actual ownership of a vehicle.

    The back of the registration is just a convenient way to sign over a car, it's not a title.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    49
    Rep Power
    0

    Default

    Originally posted by pheoxs


    Again, in Alberta registration =/= ownership unlike the US where whoever has the title owns the vehicle.

    Anyone can register a vehicle with a made up bill of sale here. I can walk up to your car, copy the VIN# down, write a bill of sale from John Smith to Me for 1000$, walk in the registries and register your car and get a plate. Of course it's illegal/fraudulent and when you find out and report it to the police and they track me down I'll probably be arrested for theft. But the registries don't care, they are just there to register vehicle plates to owners for a vehicle. They do not track actual ownership of a vehicle.

    The back of the registration is just a convenient way to sign over a car, it's not a title.
    If registration doesn't equal ownership - how does one get ownership?

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 41
    Latest Threads: 03-22-2019, 11:47 PM
  2. buying a car from Montreal, private seller

    By rach in forum General Car/Bike Talk
    Replies: 12
    Latest Threads: 05-24-2014, 04:14 PM
  3. Replies: 39
    Latest Threads: 10-19-2012, 09:02 AM
  4. Buying a car from a private seller...

    By Super_Geo in forum General
    Replies: 13
    Latest Threads: 11-26-2007, 09:17 PM
  5. Registered vs non registered investments

    By Daxin in forum Real Estate / Finance
    Replies: 15
    Latest Threads: 03-08-2007, 11:58 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •