Buying a car (private sale)

Castro · #1 11.05.2009, 00:28

Hi All,

I've just purchased a Swiss car off a fellow Expat who also lives in Basel. I left him a small deposit and he gave me the grey booklet (Fahrzeugausweis) which was issued in Basel. We have arranged to meet at the Basel-Stadt Motorfahrzeugkontrolle on Tuesday to do the plate transfer.

My question is, since the car will be registered in the name of the main driver (my wife) does she need to be there in person or can I do the transfer for her?

In addition I can see that the last MFK (examination) was done in Zurich (June 2008) since he purchased the car from a Zurich dealer. Can I expect an imminent inviation for another test from the Basel motorfahrzeugkontrolle.

Both the seller and myself are pretty clueless

TIA

Goldtop · #2 11.05.2009, 09:03

	Quote:	Castro
	Hi All, I've just purchased a Swiss car off a fellow Expat who also lives in Basel. I left him a small deposit and he gave me the grey booklet (Fahrzeugausweis) which was issued in Basel. We have arranged to meet at the Basel-Stadt Motorfahrzeugkontrolle on Tuesday to do the plate transfer. My question is, since the car will be registered in the name of the main driver (my wife) does she need to be there in person or can I do the transfer for her? In addition I can see that the last MFK (examination) was done in Zurich (June 2008) since he purchased the car from a Zurich dealer. Can I expect an imminent inviation for another test from the Basel motorfahrzeugkontrolle. Both the seller and myself are pretty clueless TIA

You can act on behalf of your wife. To be absolutely sure, you can take a letter with you in which your wife asks the office to register the car and hand you the documents. Assume you have proof of residence in BS, insurance certificate, etc.

Good practice is for the seller to have the MFK done within the previous 3 months. That is a guarantee for the buyer indicating lack of impending problems.

How soon BS calls you up for MFK, depends on how busy the test center in BS is. Maybe someone in BS can say more.

Castro · #3 14.05.2009, 17:30

Just to feedback, the process at the Basel MFK was remarkably straightforward and quick. It took the lady less than 2 mins to cancel the prev owners Fahrzeugausweis, hand me a new set of plates and print me an invoice (500CHF

). I've spent longer sending a parcel at the post office.

#4 14.05.2009, 17:38

	Quote:	Castro
	Just to feedback, the process at the Basel MFK was remarkably straightforward and quick. It took the lady less than 2 mins to cancel the prev owners Fahrzeugausweis, hand me a new set of plates and print me an invoice (500CHF ). I've spent longer sending a parcel at the post office.

Well I only paid CHF 400 in ZH. Maybe its different from canton to canton. One of my swiss friends told me that you have to pay for the plates every year...

I hope you have a new MFK from the previous owner, since this will be very expensive. Have fun with the car..

Castro · #5 14.05.2009, 18:02

	Quote:	Malinda
	Well I only paid CHF 400 in ZH. Maybe its different from canton to canton. One of my swiss friends told me that you have to pay for the plates every year...

The breakdown is:
CHF400 = road tax (until the end of year then 624 CHF/year

)
CHF40 = front/back plates
CHF60 = Fahrzeugausweis

#6 14.05.2009, 19:48

[quote=Malinda;457254]Well I only paid CHF 400 in ZH. Maybe its different from canton to canton. One of my swiss friends told me that you have to pay for the plates every year...

You do pay for plates each year, they vary in price according to canton, and they are the equivalent of UK road tax, so it's the same.