I bought a cheap second hand car a couple of weeks ago through ricardo.ch. I made sure it had a recent MFK test as I'm tight for funds and wanted a good few months incident free motoring. The ad said "frisch ab MFK, Service and Abgastest" with the MFK supposedly having been done in the same month. So great I bought it.
I picked up the car from the garage and was a little surprised that the MFK had been stamped that day, but thought, fine he was waiting to make sure I was coming before putting it through.
All was good, then I received the bill from the Strassenverkehrsamt charging me for the MFK test despite the car being advertised as above, and with two charges on consecutive days, one for 56CHF one for 40CHF.
My questions are, is it normal in Switzerland, to be charged for the MFK despite it being advertised as "Ab", or have I been a little bit screwed over? And, why do I have two "Fahrzeugpruefungs" and two charges? It's not a huge amount but as I said things are a little tight at the minute and also the principle.
The wierd part is the stamp right on the day you bought it. If it was on ricardo advertised as "ab mfk" how come the stamp was on the day you bought it? Am I missing something?
That could be but still...you know how ricardo works...you choose a certain period of time...lets say two weeks...in order to say ab mfk you need to have it ab mfk the day you put it on ricardo not on the day "you think" you sell it? So the guy should have paid already at the moment he put it on ricardo. How come you advertise it ab mfk when you have the stamp on the day you sell it? Do I make sense?
Typically a garage will advertise either "ab platz" or "ab mfk".
The former means you buy as is - really not a good idea unless you own your own garage - are mechanically trained - and know how much everything will cost to repair.
The latter normally means they will have it tested and stamped a couple of days before you collect it - or even on the day. They will advertise as "ab MFK" meaning they won't do the test until they know the car is sold. This is done simply to ensure the car is sold with a full 2 year MFK - which can be very important when you change Kantons. It is perfectly normal behaviour - and also the first question you should ask - "Ist dass mit frisch service und mfk?"
What would appear to have happened is that the bills (at the STVA) got processed the wrong way round - the swapping to you of ownership - and then issuing the bill for the MFK.
Give the garage a call requesting they pay it - OR for you to pay it - and for them to repay you. A good one should do it without question.
Thanks for the replies folks. I'll guess I'll have to ask the garage to pay it. Just wondering though, how is it possible for a garage to take the car for an MFK test and then charge it to my bill, especially without informing me first? Seems a bit wierd.
The Same way they will charge you for the "log Book" and the plates if the garage didn't and will send you a bill for the car tax based on the engine cc also
Jesus, why so aggressive? I hope you don't work with children, or have any. I thought I was clear that, yes the Strassenverkehrsamt did send me the bill, for my plates, tax etc that I was made aware of before hand, but I was led to believe that the car had the MFK and was not informed I would be charged for the procedure - via the Strassenverkehrsamt.
Guess its my fault for going through Ricardo and the dodgy back street garage but please if my posts get you so angry, sit back, take a breath, put things into perspective then don't write anything. Thanks.
I think there are some costs for getting plates, MFK etc when you buy from a garage/dealer, when I bought it was something like 250-270 CHF that I payed to the dealer to get the MFK, plates etc for me, than I just received some bills from the SAN to pay road tax and something else, can't remember.
So maybe it's normal to pay the bill for the MFK test, as the work to prepare the car for the MFK (much much more expensive) was done by the garage?
His point was, and remains the same as has been mentioned by a number of posters, call the garage and tell them you have received the MFK invoice. Ask them to pay it.
If the car came with an MFK they should pay it.
I have bought plenty of cars in Switzerland, from main dealers to small back street places, and every single time, and MFK'ed car means they pay for it.
You got the bill because the garage paid by invoice - and the MFK bill was processed AFTER the address change on the ausweiss.