Along with increasing car sales, the pre-owned car market is also on the rise. Prospective buyers from Kerala often look at cars from other states due to their lesser price tag. For e.g., one could drive home a pre-owned car from Delhi or some other states for just half the price they would have to shell out if they are buying a similar one in Kerala. Though the low prices are for real, if you don't consider these things you could repent later:
RC book
When buying a used car, the most important document one needs to check is the vehicle's RC (registration certificate) book. Examine if the chassis and engine numbers are correct. See in which state the vehicle has been registered. Some people do not bother to register a used car from other state since the process is very cumbersome. But if the registration is not done, any claim made by you could be rejected.
If the car has changed several hands, pay Rs 70 and get a registration certificate from the original registering authority. This will have the details of the car when it was registered for the first time. Check the existing RC book to see what all changes have been made to the car. Moreover, if the car is old or had met with an accident, the engine could have been changed. Check if this is mentioned in the RC book. The motor vehicles departments only accept changes made at the authorised dealerships of car manufacturers.
Insurance
Third party insurance is mandatory while buying the car. Change the insurance and other details to your name. Otherwise you may not get accident claim. While changing policy, check if the premium has been paid. It is also better to check if the previous owner has claimed insurance. If the previous owner has not paid the insurance premium, the registration of the vehicle is not possible.
Other issues
Check if the previous owner had taken a loan using the vehicle's documents or made any other financial dealings. If yes, ask the person to provide a no objection certificate (NOC) from the establishment concerned. Otherwise, if there is any outstanding financial liability, the finance company could recover the amount from the new owner.
* Check the service booklet of the vehicle. This will help you understand if the vehicle has been serviced at an authorised dealership or not.
* Check if the road tax has been paid. If not, you could end up paying a huge amount. Different states have different road taxes, which could vary between two per cent and 18%. You should ask for the receipt of road tax payment.
* If buying a used vehicle from a dealer, demand a printed bill. If you are buying from an individual, you should ask the sales receipt.
Dual fuel
Bi-fuel retro fitment certificate is must if the car is CNG/LPG fitted. The certificate is available to only those cars that are fitted with an ARIA-recognised conversion kit. The documents needed for this should be obtained from the service centre. The LPG fuel tank's life is five years. After five years, it needs to be tested and approved by the explosives department.
The motor vehicles department will recognise vehicles that comply with the guidelines of government authorised bodies such as Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), URDE and IIP.
Documents needed
* Passport size photo - 3
* Receipts of fees, tax and cess payment
* Documents to prove address, age, and nationality (government approved)
* RC book
* Insurance certificate
* PUC certificate
* Form 27
* Form 33 (address change only)
* Form 29 (2)
* Form 30 (change of ownership)
* Form 28 (NOC)
* An affidavit on a Rs 100 stamp paper attested by a notary
* The invoice copy received while buying the car (to know the car's price)
* Financier's NOC (In case of auto loan)
* Self-addressed envelope (23x15cm/9x6') with Rs 40 postage stamp