# Buying a Used Car



## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

Can someone please detail the process for buying a new car (a) from a reseller and (b) from a private party? What should I get from the seller in terms of paperwork etc? What do I do with it? In another cart/horse process I presume that you have to own a car to insure it and to have the car insured to drive it; how does this work? What is a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) called here? I don't see that any used car advertisements publish one. In the USA there are services which can check to see if a VIN has sustained damage. Are there equivalent services here? Again in the USA it is common to take a car to a mechanic to be evaluated; same here? Despite what appear to be good deals advertised by private parties I'm leaning toward just working with commercial resellers as they probably know the paperwork process better; good idea?
:flypig:


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

With a dealer you hand them money they do everything.

With a private at some point you'll need to go to the local ACI (Often your local driving school ) and register the transaction. Including paying all the fees. After that you put it in the glove box in case you get stopped by the police.

Paperwork is the ownership. I don't think there is anything else.

A dealer will give you a guarantee. 12 months I think is normal. You can still ask to take it to a mechanic but it's under warranty.

Private you can do anything the two of you agree to.

It'll need insurance before you drive it off the lot. All it'll take is the plate number and more money. The dealer won't let you drive off the lot without insurance. The dealer will also want proof of your residence. Unless you can sweet talk the receptionist. Don't ask how I know.

It's the same basic choice you'd make in the US. A dealer is reselling a car they bought from somebody else. They've tacked on a profit. A margin to cover any work they did and other costs. If you buy from a private you can save some money but it's up to you to make sure it's not a lemon


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Servizi ACI - Passaggio di proprietà

Read that and the related links


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

NickZ said:


> It'll need insurance before you drive it off the lot. All it'll take is the plate number and more money. The dealer won't let you drive off the lot without insurance.


I'm sure that this is the same in the Stati Uniti and at some point in the distant past I must have been in this position. Now, I'm covered for 30 days for anything I buy under my existing policy. So:
* find an insurance agent
* find a car and buy it
* return to insurance agent and insure car
* return to retrieve car

Again in the SU I could just call my agent with the VIN (remember the VIN part of the question?) and that would be that. Must I physically go to the agent here? There appear to be a lot of nice cars only 2 hours drive in any direction. How many zigs and zags is this going to take?

:flypig:


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

You can do it online. I guess over the phone. The plate number is what matters.

If you're suggesting doing it all in one day I think that's not going to happen.


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

NickZ said:


> If you're suggesting doing it all in one day I think that's not going to happen.


Oh. Yet another delightful cultural difference. In the SU of course it's about as difficult as buying toilet paper which is probably what gets a lot of people into trouble.

Speaking of trouble, the trouble with buying a car when you don't have a car to get to the car you want to buy is that it's a lot of trouble.

Thanks for the link to ACI; I missed it earler.

:flypig:


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