Vehicle history reports prove to be good resource

Eric Lai

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Q: Are vehicle history reports really as good as they're touted as being? I've heard media reports that these often have gaps in the information they provide.

A: Private companies providing vehicle history reports say that they receive reporting information from a multitude of sources, including government motor vehicle departments, police, the insurance industry, and financial institutions (regarding liens).

Depending on the reporting agency, there may be a considerable time lag between when the initial vehicle report is made and when the agency makes the information available to vehicle history report companies. That is, many agencies make periodic "batch dumps" of information, which may occur semi-annually, annually, or less often, so any incident may not appear on a current history even though it has been officially reported.

If an incident isn't reported at all, such as a collision that both drivers agree not to report, then this obviously won't appear either.

That said, I've personally found vehicle history reports to be an invaluable resource when used vehicle shopping. This past year, Carfax searches I've made have revealed odometer discrepancies, undisclosed past owners, and curbsiders posing as private sellers (i.e. vehicle purchased just days/weeks ago rather than being "owned for a long time and gently driven" as the seller claimed). Also, a vehicle that changes hands repeatedly every few months leads me to suspect it's a "lemon."

Before buying a used auto, get the vehicle identification number (VIN) and run a free emissions test history at www.driveclean.com. This precaution has saved me many times. In the last incident, the searched auto failed three out of five e-tests over the past three years.

Always have the auto inspected by your mechanic before finalizing the deal. Trying to save a few dollars by skipping this step is a gamble that could cost you dearly.

Q: Is the Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) offered by the provincial transportation ministry required on all used vehicle sales?

If the seller doesn't provide it, would the buyer have to pay for one before they can register the auto?

A: Bob Nichols, senior media liaison for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, replies:

Private sellers of cars, light trucks and vans with an empty weight of 2,000 kg or less, as well as motorcycles and motorized mobile homes are legally required under S. 11(5) HTA to buy a Used Vehicle Information Package before offering it for sale.

A UVIP is mandatory in order to process a transfer of ownership on a used vehicle. If the seller doesn't provide it, as they're supposed to, then the licence office would require that the buyer purchase one before they can register the auto. The current fee for a UVIP is $20.

Eric Lai adds:

A UVIP provides potential buyers of a used auto with background information on the current and previous owners, last reported mileage, and if any liens are registered against the vehicle.

Basically, the UVIP is intended to protect the buyer from possible misrepresentation of the vehicle by the seller. If a seller doesn't provide a UVIP, the buyer is proceeding at their own risk.

At the very least, the buyer should request a rebate of the UVIP fee off the purchase price as the law requires the seller to provide it.

Email your non-mechanical questions

to Eric Lai at wheels@thestar.ca.

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