Pros and cons of buying a car which is not roadworthy

By Chad Lückhoff

A roadworthy certificate is the proof that the government, police, and traffic department needs, in order to confirm that your vehicle is in safe, working condition and is fit to be used on public roads. This certificate ensures that the vehicle doesn't pose a danger to other road users or the operator of the vehicle.

It is the buyer's responsibility to ensure that the vehicle is roadworthy and that the certificate is valid. Before you are able to receive your license disc, the issuing authority will want a valid roadworthy certificate. While the change of ownership and licensing can be done, you will not be issued a license disc until there is proof that the car is roadworthy.

A RWC ensures that the following is in good working order and within the laws of the country:

• identification and documentation
• electrical systems
• fittings and equipment (including mirrors, safety belts, etc.)
• braking system
• wheels (including tyre condition)
• suspension and undercarriage
• steering
• engine
• exhaust system
• transmission and driving instruments
• vehicle dimensions

If the car you are interested in buying doesn't have a roadworthy certificate, it doesn't necessarily mean that the vehicle is unroadworthy. The current owner should be able to produce a roadworthy certificate when he/she produces the registration papers, but this is not always the case. Papers do get misplaced and the omission of an RWC doesn't need to be a deal-breaker. Roadworthy certificates are only valid for 60 days but a previous certificate should give you some indication of the roadworthiness of the car.

It will require a modicum of mechanical knowledge to ascertain whether the car you are interested in is likely to pass a roadworthy test or not. In the attached images you will see the various aspects that will be examined in a roadworthy test.

Should there be a glaring issue (for instance worn tyres), these will need to be replaced before the car will pass a roadworthy inspection and a certificate is issued. Some other items will be harder to spot and this is where the mechanical knowledge comes into play.

Don't assume that a repair will not cost much. Sometimes parts can be hard to come by or is an 'agent only' affair. This will eat into your pocket and by the time the car is on the road and roadworthy, the amount that you will have parted with could be very high. Electrical systems can be notoriously expensive and difficult to rectify.

The counter-argument is that once your homework has been done and you have an idea of what the repairs or parts will cost, you can use this as a bargaining tool to further bring the price down. This is most applicable to private sales as most dealers will ensure that the car they are selling is roadworthy and fit for use on the road.

Contact you local roadworthy testing station and check the fees associated with a roadworthy inspection as it differs from province to province. The entire process shouldn't take more than a few hours, including waiting in the queue. Remember to take your ID / passport, vehicle registration papers as well as the amount required to pay for the test and certificate.