You are planning to buy a second hand car for your wife, your kids or for yourself but, have you given a thought how are you going to do this? Before you go ahead with the purchase you’d do well to know that India does have a huge market when it comes to second hand cars. In fact, a report by Frost and Sullivan’s also said that in 2017 the number of second hand cars sold was equal to that of the newer ones if not higher. It might be a used car but it could very well be the first car you’re buying. This is the reason why you need to do a lot to make sure that you’re making the correct decision and picking the car that’s just the right one for you.
Normally, the real work starts once you’re done deciding the car that you wish to buy. There’s so much paperwork to deal with that at times you could be forgiven that it is not going end, like forever. You also have to deal with processes such as registrations, transfers, etc. Last, but not the least, is the small matter of insurance. Don’t even get me started on that one. It can be worse than a bad marriage gone horribly wrong. To quote, or rather sound like, Kurt Angle, the struggle is true, oh it’s true! This is why you need all the help you can get.
Getting’ the Car and its Papers
The first thing that you need to do is get the car, as well as its papers, inspected in the best possible way. As far as getting the car and its parts checked is concerned you should go to a mechanic that you trust completely. This way the present owner of the car would be able to fix the car properly before you buy it. At the very least, it’d help you get a price that would be good enough for you.
Getting’ the RC (registration certificate) Transferred to Your Name
In order to do this you need to first fill out forms 29 and 30 and then submit them to the competent authority. These are normally issued by the RTO (regional transport office) that has jurisdiction over your area. For this you need to find the RTO that is closest to your home. Both the previous owner of the car and you need to sign the forms. In case, the car’s been registered in a jurisdiction that’s different to yours then you can get an NOC (no objection certification) from the RTO of that particular area.
Getting’ the Car’s Insurance Transferred to Your Name
There are a few ways in which you can go about this process. First of all you can just change the name of the policy owner in policy document. In case, the previous owner does not have an insurance policy then you need to apply for one as soon as you get the RC. In fact, it is always better to buy a new policy in these cases. In India it is very important that you have proper and valid insurance in your name when you own a car.
Transferring’ the No Claim Bonus (NCB)
The NCB’s normally provided to the insured and not the vehicle that has been insured. This is the reason why when the vehicle changes hands the insurance policy does as well. However, this does not mean that the NCB’s changed hands as well. As long as the balance policy period is effective it is you who will have to pay the difference of the NCB. On the other hand, the old owner will be able to use the NCB for any new car that she or he buys.
Clearing’ and Fixing the Car Before You Drive It the First Time
In this case there would be a few things that you’d have to attend to. You need to get the car cleaned up in a thorough manner. You’d have to change the fluids as well and there could also be some quick fixes that you may have to do. As far as cleaning up the car is concerned you’d need to clean it from the inside as well as the outside. If you wish to flaunt this new car you need to it to look spanking clean.
