Buying used car - sequence of events?

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Hi all - am in the process of buying a used car privately. Just want to get my head clear on the sequence of events if that's ok? Have been doing quite a bit of reading up, but cant find any direct answers

1) I should take ownership of the car tonight. I have insurance in place.

2) The seller has already been to the Strassenverkehrsamt and handed in their plates, got their book stamped etc

3) The car is < 10 years old and has a valid MFK and emissions

4) But I won't make the Strassenverkehrsamt before it closes tonight

What I'm wondering is ....

a) am I free to take the car this evening once i have paid the cash etc

b) OR does my ownership & therefore insurance only kick in from the time I get it counter-stamped and change the registration in the Strass?

I think the later, but just wanted to be sure.

Thanks

G

2
You only get the plates once you go to the DMV and get a new registration, at which point the insurance also becomes valid.

You cannot drive without plates, as it is neither insured nor registered.

Tom

P.S. You have to arrange the insurance BEFORE you go to DMV to register the vehicle.

3
Thanks Tom - that's what I thought, just wanted to be sure. So ...

1) pay for car, have insurance ready

2) go to Strass and do paperwork

3) then car is mine and I'm ready to drive

Cheers

Graham

4
Yes.

To get the insurance you will need all the details from the previous registration (model, chassis number, etc.)

Also, you personally don't have to go register the vehicle, anyone (including the current owner) can do it for you.

Tom

5
Perfect, thanks.

Happy to consider this thread closed. Question answered.

Much appreciated!

G

6
1a) pay for the car, get keys and old papers, then it is yours

1b) get insurance quote, will be send to StVA in less then 10 minutes

2) go to StVA, do paper work and get plates

3) You are ready to drive

4a) Pay StVA bills

4b) Pay insurance bills

Order of 1a) and 1b) is not important. 1a), 1b), 2), and 3) can be done in less than 4 hours, depending where you new car is. Ownership does not depend on registration. Once you paid for the car, have the old papers and keys in your hand it is legally yours.

7
Hi aSwissintheUS, just to understand a bit more in detail:

Are you saying that to register a car plate only need an insurance quote (do not need to have the insurance bills already paid and valid period started)?

Thanks.

8
The insurance company contacts the STVA & they know the car is covered. I contacted saint7uk at nearly midnight on Sunday night as I had bought a new bike, he did the business & I collected my plates on Monday lunchtime.

9
I've agreed to buy a one year old car (from a stranger).

The seller has agreed to bring the car to my place and then take the plates to the STVA.

Should I only then pay for the car AFTER he has returned with the cancelled Fahrzeugausweis?

Thanks for any advise.

10
Why not go with him to the STVA and do everything there? It is the easiest thing to do IMHO

11
I've not got the insurance yet and don't have a copy of the Fahrzeugausweis either.

But a good idea. I'll see if he can email me the FZA details for me to insure it today. The exchange is planned for tomorrow.

12
It takes 10 minutes to sort out the insurance over the phone - Allianz24/Basler24/Zurich24 all offer low prices.

Ask him to give you the chassis number - and the insurance company should be able to get the rest.

13
Yes and no.

When we bought a used car a couple months ago, my insurance guy still had some problems about the 'type', as there were several variations, but as the car had been insured by the previous owner at the same company, he just looked up the details under the previous owner's name, simple!

Tom

14
You need more than a quote, you need to accept the quote and tell the insurance to begin .. But indeed, you do not have to actually pay the insurance at that point.

The insurance bill will arrive at some point, then you pay.

15
Indeed, it can all be done over the phone, and at some point in the future you sign the papers.

I do it several times a year.

Tom

16
Just looked at an offer from AXA and they ask for the Stamm-Nummer (serial number ??), not the chassis number (Fahrgestell-Nr.).

17
Stammnummer/Matricle No. is the vehicles unique Swiss idenification number.

An other number they may ask is the Typengenehmigung/Type approval.

Both can be found on the gray card. No. 18 and No. 24 respecively.

18
Thanks for all the help and hints. Got my one year old Ford KA registered, taxed and even managed my first drive without automatic gears in more than 10 years through the outskirts of Basel. It was getting a bit wobbly at times but it's in the Einstellhalle now and I'm resting.