Automotive

Anyone here used AutoTrader to sell?

  • Last Updated:
  • May 6th, 2022 8:54 am
Deal Addict
Sep 3, 2020
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Anyone here used AutoTrader to sell?

If so, did you give them your VIN upfront?

Thanks
18 replies
Newbie
Dec 25, 2012
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Markham
I've sold twice in the past two years, let them know I had the UVIP package and when they came to see the car all the information was available for them to review including VIN. I did not give it ahead of time. Also had a separate contract typed up and had two copies signed by both of us and gave one copy to them with the UVIP and car ownership portion, recieved cash, took a picture of their driver license and that was it. They thru on their plates and off they went. Hope this helps. Oh I did have a friend with me when they came to see the vehicle both times just in case and it was all during the day.
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Apr 22, 2013
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berrytree wrote: Thanks @alvshum
May I ask what UVIP is?
Used vehicle information package. This is an Ontario specific thing, if you go to a Service Ontario you can ask for it pertaining to your VIN or even the VIN of the car you're looking at. It provides ownership history, liens history, market pricing(for taxing purposes and only for recent enough vehicles) and a bill of sale, so its well worth paying the $20. If its not Ontario, then I don't know if other provinces have an equivalent.
- Jegan V
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Oct 12, 2007
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When I sold a used car back in 2020, I did it via AutoTrader. I advertised it safetied/certified, posted a link to the Carfax report, and ordered the Ontario UVIP. It sold the day after I posted it and I got about $2k more than had I traded it in.
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Nov 16, 2008
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JeganV wrote: Used vehicle information package. This is an Ontario specific thing, if you go to a Service Ontario you can ask for it pertaining to your VIN or even the VIN of the car you're looking at. It provides ownership history, liens history, market pricing(for taxing purposes and only for recent enough vehicles) and a bill of sale, so its well worth paying the $20. If its not Ontario, then I don't know if other provinces have an equivalent.
I may add that a UVIP is mandatory in order to sell a used car privately in Ontario. I suppose a curbsider or scammer could sell to a unsuspecting soul without one, but they are mandatory
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Sep 11, 2008
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CaptSmethwick wrote: When I sold a used car back in 2020, I did it via AutoTrader. I advertised it safetied/certified, posted a link to the Carfax report, and ordered the Ontario UVIP. It sold the day after I posted it and I got about $2k more than had I traded it in.
Did the same thing in 2021. But listed on AutoTrader and Kijiji. Kijiji had more messages.

Upsized again in 2022 but sold to a dealer instead, way too many tire kickers on AutoTrader and Kijiji. Got the same as if I were to sell on privately without the headaches. Try going to the brand dealership and do their virtual tool (takes a few minutes and better than meeting up and having people test drive the car) they need cars you can also negotiate up. Worked for me.
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redsfan wrote: I may add that a UVIP is mandatory in order to sell a used car privately in Ontario. I suppose a curbsider or scammer could sell to a unsuspecting soul without one, but they are mandatory
They are but there are tons of exceptions and the fine for a first offence (if convicted) is $500. In the early days of that regulation, I sold a car without the UVIP because the buyer agreed to pay for it. He got a lecture when he went to register the car but he was chill about it. At the time, I was under the impression that a UVIP was required to register the car (which it is) but what I learned through that experience was that it mattered who paid for it. I do things differently now (not that I sell a lot of used cars).
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greenkiwee wrote: Did the same thing in 2021. But listed on AutoTrader and Kijiji. Kijiji had more messages.

Upsized again in 2022 but sold to a dealer instead, way too many tire kickers on AutoTrader and Kijiji. Got the same as if I were to sell on privately without the headaches. Try going to the brand dealership and do their virtual tool (takes a few minutes and better than meeting up and having people test drive the car) they need cars you can also negotiate up. Worked for me.
A lot of dealerships won't look at most vehicles that are over 200k kms and 10 years old so any trade value is what they expect it would get at an auction - which is way less than a private deal. But, yes, you do have to weigh all your options.
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Dec 23, 2003
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Keep in mind that when you sell the car, I would STRONGLY recommend you go with them to the MTO Office to register the vehicle and give in your plates and have the seller put the plates on. Many times people don't do this and if anything happens to the sold vehicle, your plates are still registered and you will be held responsible.

https://www.thestar.com/business/person ... seman.html

https://www.thestar.com/business/person ... seman.html
Newbie
Mar 26, 2021
67 posts
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Sold my old 2006 Mazda 6 on AutoTrader in 2018 to a young guy accompanied by his dad. Easy transaction

But before getting to that point, I was contacted by a few scammers. I don't know if these tactics are still used but they usually reach out within minutes of the ad being posted, very little hassle on price. They pretend to be genuinely interested by asking for maintenance history etc but eventually go towards something shady like having the car picked up and making payment through PayPal. You gotta ask yourself a lot of questions when dealing with people online, especially Kijiji. Questions such as the one I asked myself when selling my own car online, what kind of half-wit sends for a 12 year old Mazda with 120k km?

I don't know if this is common knowledge or not but just thought I'd put it out there.
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Feb 26, 2019
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I've had hits and misses, lots of scammers using generic comments with phone numbers across the country, but sold my dad's car to a dealer above ask through them last year which was quite painless.
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Oct 6, 2010
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Yes. Buyer can get a carfax with the vin.
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hightech wrote: Keep in mind that when you sell the car, I would STRONGLY recommend you go with them to the MTO Office to register the vehicle and give in your plates and have the seller put the plates on. Many times people don't do this and if anything happens to the sold vehicle, your plates are still registered and you will be held responsible.

https://www.thestar.com/business/person ... seman.html

https://www.thestar.com/business/person ... seman.html
Decent advice. Plus return your old plates to MTO at the same time. We had a pair off the car we sold and we didn't "get around" to physically returning them to Service Ontario. Somehow they made their way into a box with metal for recycling. A year later, I got a parking ticket in the mail. Yup, somebody saw value in my expired plates and was likely driving without a license or insurance.

Unfortunately, there are lot of people out there who either cannot or will not abide by the rules/laws.
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Jun 24, 2006
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redsfan wrote: I may add that a UVIP is mandatory in order to sell a used car privately in Ontario. I suppose a curbsider or scammer could sell to a unsuspecting soul without one, but they are mandatory
Do you need the physical copy of the ownership to buy the UVIP or just the VIN? I have someone offering $13k for my Armada and want to pick up the UVIP today so I have it, but I don't have the ownership on Me.

Also, I haven't sold a car privately in many years. What's the best/safest way to take payment these days? I assume this is too much for cash, at the risk of it being fake?
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Gutty96 wrote: Do you need the physical copy of the ownership to buy the UVIP or just the VIN? I have someone offering $13k for my Armada and want to pick up the UVIP today so I have it, but I don't have the ownership on Me.

Also, I haven't sold a car privately in many years. What's the best/safest way to take payment these days? I assume this is too much for cash, at the risk of it being fake?
Just a VIN is required to buy a UVIP.

Payment in cash is pretty safe. E-transfers are limited and even certified cheques / bank drafts can be fake. But if the buyer is prepared to wait for a certified cheque to clear, that can be pretty secure. If you queue it up with your bank branch, you and the seller can bring the draft to the bank and your bank can call the buyer's bank on the spot and confirm its authenticity.
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Nov 16, 2008
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Gutty96 wrote: Do you need the physical copy of the ownership to buy the UVIP or just the VIN? I have someone offering $13k for my Armada and want to pick up the UVIP today so I have it, but I don't have the ownership on Me.

Also, I haven't sold a car privately in many years. What's the best/safest way to take payment these days? I assume this is too much for cash, at the risk of it being fake?
I believe you need to have the ownership (at least that is what I was told), this is a 4 page or so doc or that will have all your information printed on it to pass on to the buyer. Since I just sold a car also note that on page 1 there will be an estimaged value placed on your car that will almost for sure be significantly less than what you are selling your car for. I don't think that will be the issue, but there is a page where you state the price you are selling the car to the buyer for, which is used for them to pay tax on the purchase once they purchase. You may have a guy that wants to fudge this number to be inline with what the suggest price is.....I sold my Jeep for 8K, and took half cash/half etransfer with no issues
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Jun 24, 2006
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CaptSmethwick wrote: Just a VIN is required to buy a UVIP.

Payment in cash is pretty safe. E-transfers are limited and even certified cheques / bank drafts can be fake. But if the buyer is prepared to wait for a certified cheque to clear, that can be pretty secure. If you queue it up with your bank branch, you and the seller can bring the draft to the bank and your bank can call the buyer's bank on the spot and confirm its authenticity.
redsfan wrote: I believe you need to have the ownership (at least that is what I was told), this is a 4 page or so doc or that will have all your information printed on it to pass on to the buyer. Since I just sold a car also note that on page 1 there will be an estimaged value placed on your car that will almost for sure be significantly less than what you are selling your car for. I don't think that will be the issue, but there is a page where you state the price you are selling the car to the buyer for, which is used for them to pay tax on the purchase once they purchase. You may have a guy that wants to fudge this number to be inline with what the suggest price is.....I sold my Jeep for 8K, and took half cash/half etransfer with no issues
Thanks Guys, I will pop into Service Ontario after work and see if they will do it with the vin. I have a picture of it on my phone.

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