Leaning back against the hood of your car, one foot lifted behind resting on the bumper, silhouetted by a setting sun—a potentially awesome picture for a car lover. But despite the photographic and artistic appeal, it’s not a picture many car owners would risk today, because we’ve learned a sometimes painful and costly lesson: those little metal rivets on our jeans love chipping and scratching away at a vehicle’s paint, and that road grit we didn’t even notice, will grind into a beloved car’s clear coat like a small piece of sandpaper. Yes, leaning on your car can be a bad idea, and leaning on someone else’s car—well that’s a whole other level of social faux pas—but even that is not as serious as a lien on a car.

Pre-Delivery Inspection: Important Steps to Take

Bought a new car and waiting to take delivery? Make sure the excitement you feel lasts for days and isn’t snuffed out by any unexpected disappointments. Keep calm and take your time; ensure all your questions/concerns are answered to YOUR satisfaction. To help with this process, OMVIC recommends making a ‘vehicle delivery’ checklist: 

Recently a consumer wrote to OMVIC:

We recently purchased a used vehicle from an OMVIC Registered Dealer

We were charged an administrative fee of $199. We questioned this and were given a vague answer; the salesman insinuated this was a normal charge. I thought dealers couldn’t add fees.”

There can be some confusion when it comes to All-in Price Advertising. So let's clarify.

You’ve known for a while that this day would come.  And when your kids argued with you about the unfairness of curfews or doing chores, you might have even longed for it, but now that it's time for your darling daughter or son to head off to university or college, you realize you’re not prepared for them to leave home. Don’t worry about them…they’re more than ready. In an effort to stave off empty nest syndrome, you decide to get your offspring a car—nothing too fancy, just a cheap yet decent set of wheels, so they can drive home to visit at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Reading Week, or when they need to get four loads of laundry done.  

Electric Vehicle (EV) buyers who are expecting to receive a rebate from Ontario soon-to- be-cancelled Electric and Hydrogen Vehicle Incentive Program (EHVIP)should take steps to protect themselves from possible increased costs when signing a purchase contract. According to the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), in order for an EV buyer to qualify for the incentive (most rebates are between $7,000 -$14,000 depending on the EV purchased):

1. the vehicle purchased must be on MTO’s list of eligible vehicles
2. the dealership had to confirm the vehicle as part of its eligible inventory (in stock or ordered) with the MTO by July 16th
3. the customer has to take delivery of the vehicle before the program ends in September.

The new car you’ve seen at the dealership makes your heart pound; your pulse race and the thought of driving it makes you a little giddy. It must be love. You know what they say, first comes love, then comes…car ownership. However, before the dealer can pronounce you ‘car owner and car’, you need to take a step back and ask some serious questions.

Because, let’s face it, buying a new car is a lot like getting married: if you don’t do proper research and ask the right questions you can end up making an expensive mistake you’ll regret for years.

So, think of OMVIC as your marriage coach—here to help you start that discussion that will ensure the relationship between you and new your car is a happy and long lasting one.

Thinking about buying a used car? There is so much information out there, paring down what is essential can seem like a daunting task.

Once you have narrowed down your options on budget, brand of vehicle and are ready to start visiting dealerships, knowing about disclosures is essential.

The mandatory disclosure requirement is one of the key pillars of protection offered to Ontario consumers who purchase from an OMVIC-Registered Dealer. Ontario’s Motor Vehicle Dealers Act (MVDA) requires dealers to disclose in writing a vehicle’s past use, history and condition. For example, if a vehicle has been in a collision and the damage exceeded $3,000, the dealer must disclose that.

When it comes to buying a vehicle in Ontario, it is important consumers do their homework before purchasing. But what exactly does that entail? We've come up with a h-o-m-e-w-o-r-k mnemonic will help consumers make an informed purchase whether buying from a private seller or an OMVIC-Registered Dealer. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to do some H-O-M-E-W-O-R-K!

Warning. This story requires the reader to hum and sing along. Readers may become better educated car-buyers, but, may have a song stuck in their head for a minimum of 12 hours.

Hmm hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm hmm
Some…times in our lives, we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But, if we are wise
We know that there's, always tomorrow

Go ahead—sing it out loud. No one on the train is watching ;)

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on….

“Lean on Me”—the immortal classic by Bill Withers. Ranked 208 on Rolling Stones list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time; it still feels as good today as when it was released 45 years ago. But there are times when you most definitely don’t want to be leaned on; or technically, ‘liened’ on. Like when you trade in a car for a new(er) one.

You’ve found the used car of your dreams at a dealership at a price you can afford.  In fact, you’ve been circling the dealership for a few days to check that “The Cruisin' Canary” (the perfect name for your car) hasn’t left the lot with the wrong owner.

Today is the day you’ve decided to take the plunge and move towards committing to your four-wheeled partner.

Well, all right then.

You can do this. You’ve got a plan.

You’ll saunter in, talk to the dealer, see how The Cruisin' Canary handles on a test drive and take things a step further.

You’re a smart consumer, you’ve done your research, you know your rights and have the OMVIC consumer inquiries phone number (1-800-943-6002 ext. 3942) on speed dial. You’ve got your wallet, phone, those pesky prescription glasses and mostly importantly, your power socks on, there’s just one more thing you need to take with you: the right questions!

Buying a car, especially buying a car privately, takes more than money. It takes moxie - you know, pluck, spunk, nerve, tenacity, guts, grit…yeah, moxie! Not only do you have to know the right questions, you need to be bold enough to ask them.
If you’re buying from a private seller, as hundreds of thousands of Ontarians do each year, you need to take the necessary steps to protect your interests and to ensure you are not dealing with a curbsider.

Organized and staffed by students in the Automotive Business School of Canada, Georgian’s Auto Show is the largest of its kind in North America attracting up to 15,000 visitors from across Ontario.