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wHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FERIUARY 28,199O, PAGE 23 Be -car.eful of What lies-ahe'ad when buying used cars Buying a used car from a private seller is, being Itouted as one of the riskiest ventures a consumer can tackle. Miorepresentation, e ra- ted dlaims and outright fraud are common in that marketplace says the Ontario M instyo Consumer and Commer-cilRla- tions ( MCCR). Sellers may lie about everything from total mile- age. and accident histor, te engine size and maintenance records. "And youre out there in a mechanical wilderness almost entirely on your own,» says Steve Moody, registrar of moter vehicle dealers for MCCR. "The ministrY can't get involved in private, consumer-to-consumer transac- tions. So, the courts are yur only resource, unless theft or fraud is suspected, in which case the police may help.» Custemers of registered car dealers are less susceptible, as' they are covered by consumer poetion legislation. In addi- tion, dealers could'be fined and lose their licences for- treating buyers unfairly, Moody points out. «They've got a lot more at stake than private sellers do." According te Moody, the num- ber of used cars sold privately is almost trip le that marketed by registered' dealers. Ministry figures show 960,000 cars were sold privately in Ontario during 1988, hesays. But industiy groupe estimate one out of four 'private' sales involves an unregistered dealer p.erating illegally. Called 'curb- siders' because they usually sel the cars on the streets in front of thefr homes these people often use uieýthic;i, unfair and. devious methods says Moody. "They lie from the start by not revealing they sel cars or a living. .How can you trust any- thing they say? Most people shop privately t&~ cut out' the middle man and buy fromn someone who knows the car's history. Curbsi-. ders undermine that purpose.n These people are tough tost without a vehicle-ownership search, Moody says. Given the Vehicle Identification. Number (VIN) and, $5, the Ministry of Transportation can provide a list of owners.- "A seller may dlaim to have owned the car for years and spin a story about tnàer-loving care and low mileage,"Moody explains. "If the VIN s=ac shows the guy bought the car last week, you're probably deal- ing with a curbsider. That $5 -w', E,, AA 4,1 'THE AMIL SIZE626 LLI~ ~ THE HOT SILLING MPV A T-~% 22- UT S PRIOD RIGHI search could save y ou from buy- ing a high-mileage headache." Record the- VIN directly off the driver's side of the dashboard. Searches are done at 1201 Wil- son Ave. in Downsview and at many driver-examination centres acrosa the province. «But avoiding curbaiders isn't enough, since anZone could take you for a ride, says Moody, offeing the followixig tips. * Read a recently published guide on buying used cars. An MCCR brochure covers the basics and many books and arti- cles - are available at pub lic libraries. * Inspect cars on dry deys. Paint and body-work defects are hard te sSe if the car is wet, neyer mind covered in snow. Cars tend te rattle less in damp weather, so annoy g s ueaks may be masked. And bad weather makes test -drives diffi- cult. * Show up unexpectedly for a test drive, seâ you - can see how well the enginç starts when, it' cold. * Get a mechanic -- not one recommended by the seller -- to check the car. The average cost is about $50. The Canadian bu u l You want a great deal on a new 1990 Isuzu lImpul< *\ And now, you 've got it. For a short time only, Passport dealers are offering spe- cial financing rates from alow as 10.9%, over___ 136 months* on GMAC approved credit. So hurry into Passport. And get everything you really want in a racy Japanese sports car. Without having to race ail over town for more money. Automobile Ascain(CAA) also offers this service. * Run a lien check on the car to ensure it has not been pledged as collateral on any outstanding SEE PAGE 33 se. We Uiknow what*you really want.. *For example, MSRP of new 1990 Isuzu Impulse XS including freight is $15,995. Downpayment is $I,995..Amount to be financed ' over 36 months is $14,000. Monthly payment is $457.67 Cost of borrowingat 10.9% is $2,47ô.12. See dealer for details. ~~ riBACKED BY THE WORLDW1DE RESOURCES 0F GENERAL MOTORS. lui buwanil THE ALL -NEW 3£j