Making Sure That The Car You Buy Isn't Stolen/financed

[Phatboy]

One of the Victorian GTR owners I spoke with last week told me his mate bought a Merc convertible (around $250k) from a private seller recently. He ran the Vicroads pre-purchase vehicle check (is this the same as the Register of Encumbered Vehicles?) check on the car. The check was clear and within 36 hours bought the same car, from the same owner at the same address. Is there some 24-hour rule?

A few weeks later, the cops pulled him over for something and took his car away as it was apparently stolen, with no compensation. The guy is currently taking Vicroads to court for wasting his cool quarter mil, but no doubt will lose his case, as Vicroads expressly states on the pre-purchase check disclaimer

"Information in this package is provided without liability and without responsibility for its accuracy. VicRoads accepts no liability for any loss incurred by anyone relying on information in this package."

Now, my question is, instead of relying on the pre-purchase check, how do we make sure that the car we are buying isn't dodgy? Apart from checking the registration, VIN/chassis, engine number and the seller's driver's licence, I have heard of things like making sure the blue plate in the engine bay is printed, not engraved, etc

Also noting down the model number and calling up a Nissan Spare Parts centre and asking them about the vehicle.

Anything I have missed?

Also, is it true that all car dealers in Melbourne by law need to guarantee that any car you buy from them does not have finance on it or is stolen, and if it turns out that in fact they are stolen/financed, then the dealer is liable, not you?

Thanks so much.

Cheers

[sh@un]

all car dealers in Australia have to guarantee vehicle titles are clear- if it later turns out the car is stolen, that's their problem and not yours

[Phatboy]

Even if you have already bought the car and it's months down the track?

If so, that's great to hear, sh@un.

Any idea where I can see this on a website? Tried to search for it.

[sh@un]

yes

it would probably be on the Dept of Fair Trading website somewhere- but you could always ring next week to find out where you can see it in writing

[(B1) MR_fanny]

you could always take the engine vin numbers and so forth and do your own search via some place i cant remember for $40bucks?? or so if your not completely satisifed. they give you written documentation that its not stolen or financed.

[ABuSD]

you could always take the engine vin numbers and so forth and do your own search via some place i cant remember for $40bucks?? or so if your not completely satisifed. they give you written documentation that its not stolen or financed.

I thought thats what VicRoads did?!?!

[Phatboy]

I found this good site

http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/CA256EB5000...rivate+sellers~

B1, Maybe what you're talking about is the Vehicle Securities Register. Yeah, I plan on getting all the documentation from Vicroads/VSR before I buy.

Thanks.