Selling a Car Ontario: Curbsiding/Curbsiders

Sell a Car Ontario: Curbsiding/Curbsiders.

What is Curbsiding/Curbsiders

Curbsiding is buying and selling of used cars by unlicensed individuals trying to make unlawful profits.  Curbsiders have no place of business or address, whole idea of Curbisiding revolves around anonymity.

How Curbsiders affect you when you sell a car in Ontario and how to avoid

Let’s take proper way of selling a car in Ontario: You sold a car to someone, completed necessary paperwork (UVIP and Ontario Vehicle Ownership), got paid and went together to a Ministry of Transportation location to transfer car registration under buyer’s ownership.

As soon as ownership transfer is done you are free of all obligations regarding that vehicle, now it belongs to somebody else. Completing sale of your car in this manner will avoid curbsiding and curbsiders.

Curbsiding

Curbsiding will come in somewhere between the lines. Curbsiders do not want to sell a car registered under their own name. There is a limit per year on how many cars individuals can sell in Ontario. Curbsiders need to sell cars while still registered under previous owners to an unsuspecting buyer.

What they will do? Well, they will pay you and will ask for ownership registration document of your vehicle under pretense they will do ownership transfer latter on (of course, they will never do ownership transfer). Curbsiders will avoid ownership transfer and sell a car under previous registration.

Sell a Car Ontario: Curbsiders. How it might affect you?

If you sell a car to a Curbsider and car is involved in accidents or used for illegal purposes you might be liable in the future as vehicle is still under your ownership, technically is is your car even though you sold it.

Vehicle ownership need to be transferred to buyers name when you sell a car. Unless vehicle ownership is transferred, no one knows you sold a car. As far as Ministry of Transportation is concerned car is still yours. Curbsiders will keep driving a car under previous owner registration and if something bad happens previous owner might be called upon.

More on Ownership transfer and Ontario Vehicle Ownership Registration.

However, risks are just as high when you are buying a car from a Curbsiders just as selling a car to them. Since they are anonymous they will do everything for a profit. Curbsiders might roll back odometers, sell cars with rebuilt title, hidden accidents or mechanical problems, even liens.

Curbsiding as defined by OMVIC (Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council).

Sell a Car Ontario: Curbsiders. What can you do?

It depends, if you are selling or buying a used car. If you sell a car in Ontario, make sure vehicle ownership is transferred to buyer’s name prior to giving them the car. This will avoid curbsiders. Leave an appointment with buyer at a Ministry of Transportation location, complete ownership transfer and payment at the same time.

If you are purchasing a vehicle, ask for seller’s drives license and compare it to ownership registration. Name and driver’s license number on drivers license has to match car ownership document, this will insure seller is rightful owner. If there are two names on ownership then both owners have to be present to complete and sign vehicle registration.

There are also other types of Scammers , preying on people trying to sell a car privately.

(If you are looking for a fast and safe solution to sell your car, more here on “How to Sell Your Car Fast” in Ontario)

Comments: If you have any questions or suggestions related to this post or Used Car Toronto in general, don’t hesitate to use comment section below.