A man looks at a car with a salesman as he asks questions to avoid buying a stolen car

Shopping for a new car — even if it’s only new to you — is an exciting experience. You get to find a vehicle that suits your lifestyle, while planning fun road trip adventures with your new ride. If you choose to buy from a private seller, you’ll benefit by avoiding freight delivery fees or emissions testing charges, but there’s also the risk the private seller won’t disclose the vehicle’s history. As rates of car theft and re-VINning (stolen vehicles with an altered Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)) continue to rise across Canada, here’s how to avoid purchasing a stolen car:

  1. Ask the seller for the vehicle’s service records. If the seller can provide a history of regular maintenance receipts from their dealership or local repair shop, the car is less likely to be a stolen vehicle. This also suggests that the seller is a responsible car owner, and the vehicle is in good condition.
  2. Ask to see the previous bill of sale or receipt. The more records you can get, the better! Always ask for the bill of sale or receipt from when the seller bought the car. If the car came from a private seller, ask for the previous owner’s contact information so you can reach out and ask more questions about the vehicle’s history.
  3. Take note of the VIN. The VIN is a 17-digit code on the car’s dashboard, driver’s side door jamb, and engine block. The code acts as a fingerprint since every car's unique VIN describes the make, model, manufacture year, and country of origin. An honest private seller won’t mind if you note the VIN so you can conduct your own research.

    Before buying a used car from a private seller, always write down the VIN so you can run a VIN report and double-check the vehicle isn’t stolen property or hasn’t been re-VINned.

  4. Complete a VIN check. Now that you have the VIN, you can use one of multiple organizations that provide a detailed breakdown of any police and collision reports associated with the car. Certain services, like VinAudit Canada, provide a free, high-level report outlining the make, model, and year associated with the VIN, but charge a fee for a complete vehicle history report. Other providers, like Carfax, require a fee for all reports to help you make an informed purchase.

    You can use these reports to check if the vehicle history and details are consistent with the VIN provided to you by the seller. If the vehicle is re-VINned, a VIN check will catch if the provided VIN is either completely made-up or belongs to an entirely different vehicle.

  5. Contact the Government of Canada’s Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC). Visit CPIC’s website for a free, high-level VIN check or call CPIC at 1-800-731-4000. This public search tool provides access to the national police database to see if the vehicle is listed as stolen property in any province or territory or is noted in any other law enforcement databases.
  6. Obtain a Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP). In certain provinces and territories, like Ontario, private sellers are legally required to provide a UVIP, which includes:
    • Vehicle details (including the year, make, model, colour, body type, and engine type)
    • Vehicle registration history
    • Vehicle lien information
    • Retail Sales Tax (RST) information
    • Bill of sale information
  7. Purchase your used car from a dealership. Consider buying a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle to avoid the risk of purchasing a stolen and re-VINned vehicle. While this may be a more expensive option, you’ll save yourself the potential financial and legal struggles that can come your way if you buy a stolen car.

What happens if I buy a stolen or re-VINned car?

If you purchase a stolen or re-VINned vehicle that has a police report, you’ll likely become aware it’s stolen once you go to register the car with your province’s government office. The vehicle will return to its original owner, and unfortunately, you’ll lose what you paid for it. That’s why it’s important to protect yourself and take the necessary steps to fact-check all private sellers.

Once you’ve gathered all the necessary background information and you’re sure you’re not purchasing a stolen vehicle, you can confidently purchase your new set of wheels. Now, all that’s left to do is check out this guide to insuring your used car so you can safely head out on the road.

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