Get your motor runnin'
head out on the highway
lookin’ for adventure
and  whatever comes your way

Steppenwolf was definitely not talking about packing up the station wagon, programming the GPS, adjusting the climate control and arriving at a destination looking fresh and relaxed. ‘Born to be Wild’ is about feeling the exhilaration and adrenalin that only riding a motorcycle on the open road can give you.

“I saw a 2003 Chevrolet advertised on Kijiji for $1,500 ‘as is’ or $1,800 certified, so I arranged to meet the seller. The car looked good. It was comfortable - leather seats and power everything, including a sunroof.”

– Anonymous Toronto car buyer

At first glance this car buyer, let’s call her Amanda, found what appeared to be a pretty good deal--at least for an older, used vehicle. However, that ‘pretty good deal’ was in fact ‘too good to be true’. The private seller was actually a ‘curbsider’, an illegal, unlicensed dealer. And the car? Well, it had major mechanical problems.

If checking out all those cars, trucks and SUVs at the Ottawa Gatineau International Auto Show has you thinking about buying or leasing, make sure you also stop by OMVIC’s booth (Level 2) and bring your car-buying questions!

And, if meeting the friendly OMVIC team isn’t enough of an incentive, we will also be handing out branded keychains, to remind you that OMVIC is here to help with your car-buying experience. Not only is this keychain attractive and stylish, it’s also multi-purpose, serving as a handy tire tread depth gauge. Don’t miss out on your chance to get one! The show runs from March 22 to March 25, at the Shaw Centre.

With today’s modern, tech savvy vehicles - are rolled-back odometers a thing of the past? Or, are roll-backs making a comeback?

Rolled-back odometers are rarely an issue with vehicles sold by OMVIC-Registered Dealers, partially because the consequences can be severe. They could be charged/prosecuted, disciplined and/or lose their licence. And, of course, they have to take back the vehicle and return all monies to the consumer (note: there are time limits for contract rescission). While roll-backs are not a major problem with vehicles sold by dealers, rolled-back odometers are a significant and growing problem amongst vehicles sold by curbsiders and dishonest private sellers.

 

Professional scammers love to troll popular websites like Kijiji, AutoTRADER and Craigslist, preying on unsuspecting consumers with their phony car ads. It’s how they make their money. And they’re really good at it!

Most of these phony online car ads closely resemble a typical car ad placed by a legitimate private seller, it’s not until the consumer calls that it all starts to go sideways. They’re told fake, made-up stories, i.e. the seller has divorced or relocated and the car is in storage (or someplace similar but inaccessible), or that the seller is actually a dealership located in the U.S.

Everyone loves a good deal, especially when it comes to a new set of wheels. So how do you find one… or rather, ‘when’ do you find one? The week before Christmas? The last week of any month? St. Patrick’s Day perhaps??

While the ‘Luck of the Irish’ has been legend since the North American gold and silver rushes of the 19th century, capturing a leprechaun or perilously hanging nearly inverted to press lips against a non-descript stone atop Blarney Castle, is not a prerequisite to getting the ‘best deal’.

It’s your last chance to see the latest in automotive innovation and style all under one roof! With over 600,000 square feet of dazzling displays and engaging exhibits, the Canadian International AutoShow wraps up 6pm, Sunday, February 26 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

The 2018 Canadian International AutoShow kicks off at noon this Friday, February 16 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Planning to attend the show? Be sure to stop by OMVIC’s booth (800 level, South building next to the escalators and food court) - our team will be onsite and ready to answer all your car buying questions! The AutoShow runs until 6 pm Sunday, Friday 25.

 

Forrest Gump’s mama was right – “life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Who doesn’t love the taste of a delicately handcrafted, square shaped, chocolate covered caramel - with a little sprinkle of sea salt on top? It’s divine! But when you bite into a similarly square shaped chocolate and are met with a pungent, medicinal orange flavour or a thick, white mystery filling… you can’t help but feel deceived.

Buying a car privately can sometimes leave you with a similar feeling of disappointment. Albeit, on a far greater scale, not to mention you can’t get the bad taste out of your mouth by simply disposing of the disappointment discreetly into a tissue.