Buying a truck with a lien

[JBUR87]

Nowadays I wouldn't trust anyone if they say there's no liens on a vehicle. Anytime you buy a used vehicle it is essential to do an Alberta lien search. If imported, do a lien search in that province as well. It's just not worth the risk to buy anything without first doing a lien search. All you need is the VIN number and go to http://www.speedysearch.ca/alberta/p...ch-vin-serial/ and have it done online in like 20 minutes.

[rwm1273]

Originally Posted by dumoulin

That's not point. You got to try. The guys a thief. Thrives are chicken sh!t. He might cough up some dough for him once he's been served.

You don't need to haul in a 1000$/hour layer for this. If I were were him, I'd get legal advice and do it on my own. Worth a swing anyway....

See schmelap's post.

If it is a writ from Maintenance Enforcement for child support, the guy is most likely not aware they did it to him. That organization is criminal. They put writs on just about everyone, regardless if you are in good standing or not.

[Duramaximos]

Originally Posted by JBUR87

Nowadays I wouldn't trust anyone if they say there's no liens on a vehicle. Anytime you buy a used vehicle it is essential to do an Alberta lien search. If imported, do a lien search in that province as well. It's just not worth the risk to buy anything without first doing a lien search. All you need is the VIN number and go to http://www.speedysearch.ca/alberta/p...ch-vin-serial/ and have it done online in like 20 minutes.

I'm in the process of buying a used truck. The truck was originally registered in Florida. Then imported and registered in Alberta by the dealer (all makes used dealership).

Is it adequate that I complete a liens search at AMA? The AMA search turned up clear, but now this thread has me a little concerned that I should do more....??

Should I run a lien search in Florida?
Should I check out the dealer?

This is a significant purchase so want to do what ever it takes to ensure nothing will come back to bite me.
Thanks.

[Duramaximos]

Originally Posted by schmedlap

...The "moral", however, is do not ever buy a vehicle, from anyone other than a licensed new car dealer (who is insured for such events) (I have seen cases of pure used car dealers who negligently or fraudulently sold liened vehicles), without first searching by both seller name and serial number!! EVER!!

Thanks for the very informative post.
What do you mean by searching by the seller's name?

When I attempt to do a lien search at AMA they will only accept a VIN.
If the VIN turns up clear, should I still be concerned about searching the seller's name?
Does this apply when purchasing from an all makes used dealership?

Thanks again.

[schmedlap]

Originally Posted by Duramaximos

I'm in the process of buying a used truck. The truck was originally registered in Florida. Then imported and registered in Alberta by the dealer (all makes used dealership).

Is it adequate that I complete a liens search at AMA? The AMA search turned up clear, but now this thread has me a little concerned that I should do more....??

Should I run a lien search in Florida?
Should I check out the dealer?

This is a significant purchase so want to do what ever it takes to ensure nothing will come back to bite me.
Thanks.

If the dealer imported it and is the current owner, then you are safe with just the Alberta lien search. If, however, you were buying it from the Florida owner, and know of its prior registry there, then it would be wise to do a search in Florida.

[schmedlap]

Originally Posted by Duramaximos

Thanks for the very informative post.
What do you mean by searching by the seller's name?

When I attempt to do a lien search at AMA they will only accept a VIN.
If the VIN turns up clear, should I still be concerned about searching the seller's name?
Does this apply when purchasing from an all makes used dealership?

Thanks again.

Very technically, if the VIN search was done under the exact correct serial number, year, make, model, etc. you are generally OK. But the serial number search "algorithm" is such that if there is a search as to or a registration against the vehicle with one incorrect number in any of the last five digits/letters (say an s instead of a 5), that registration will not turn up even as an "inexact match". Now, a purchaser for good value who does not find the prior registration due to such an error by the registrant is usually going to be OK, but when the bank goes looking for the vehicle because their borrower "forgot" to pay, there will be some hassle involved. If your search inadvertently had such an error, and the bank's registration had the correct number, then you are hooped. If you had also searched the seller's name (any registry agent can and does do this frequently - they can't refuse) you would have found this and recognized that it purported to affect the same vehicle, and ensured it was paid out from the purchase money.