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Buying a car second day of landing

mfkoko321

Star Member
Jul 23, 2017
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Greetings all,

I am planning to land next week in Ottawa, I have found used car that I would like to buy and use the second day after landing, I have couple questions:

Can I buy a car with out PR card (will be under process) and without Canadian driving license?

I have international license and I heard it will allow me to drive for few months is that correct?

In my country car insurance and car plate number all included under the car not the driver, but the seller told my I have to buy insurance and it might be costly or even impossible as I don't have a Canadian license nor driving history, I appreciate any advice in this matter and what my options?

Thanks to everyone :)
 
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zardoz

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Feb 2, 2013
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Greetings all,

I am planning to land next week in Ottawa, I have found used car that I would like to buy and use the second day after landing, I have couple questions:

Can I buy a car with out PR card (will be under process) and without Canadian driving license?

I have international license and I heard it will allow me to drive for few months is that correct?

In my country car insurance and car plate number all included under the car not the driver, but the seller told my I have to buy insurance and it might be costly or even impossible as I don't have a Canadian license nor driving history, I appreciate any advice in this matter and what my options?

Thanks to everyone :)
Different system here. The insurance is linked to the driver. Same for the plates. You will need insurance to drive the vehicle away from the seller.
I suggest that you do more research....

Here's a starting point for you. https://www.ontario.ca/page/buy-or-sell-used-vehicle-ontario & https://www.ontario.ca/page/register-and-insure-vehicle-ontario
 
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sistemc

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Feb 2, 2014
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My advice is not to insure and register a car without an Ontario G license. Insurance premiums for newcomers with a G license are crazy here, but for those with only a G1 are exorbitant. Get online quotes, fill them with your data, and you will see.

I strongly advise you to visit insurance brokers in your area in person. You will probably get better quote as online, and someone might even honor your previous out of country insurance history. You can use your colleagues or relatives as references that you’re a trustworthy person if they are with the same broker.

You can get G1 license almost instantly at a local test centre, without an appointment, but waiting list for G test is long. Immediately after landing go to your embassy asking them to issue you a letter confirming your driving experiences, so you can apply for G test.

When I landed it was cheaper for me to rent a car for a month to wait for a G test, then to get insurance with a G1 license.

I bought a car without a PR card, and with G1 license only, but I didn’t register it for a month. That’s not quite according to the regulations, as you need to register the vehicle within six days, but the official at Service Ontario didn’t complicate.
 
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mfkoko321

Star Member
Jul 23, 2017
91
6
Thanks guys, the links were helpful @zardoz and the advice for the letter @sistemc is accurate and I already got it from here :).
according to Ontario website, if I show the Driving license certificate I will claim experience then I can do a written test and eye test (I guess this is consider G1) and I can apply for G2 right away (as I have more than 10 years of driving experience). Thanks guys that was very helpful.

The only thing remaining is to shop around for insurance and its kinda tuff as insurance companies will charge a lot as Its my first time, unfortunately, I don't have insurance record as for the last 5 years I was driving a car under my father name and as I mentioned the insurance go under the car.

I hope I got it right :)
 

sistemc

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Feb 2, 2014
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Yes, you got it right, except that because of your driving history you can skip G2 license and go directly to the G without any waiting period.
 
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russ6970

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I got my full licence here in Newfoundland and the insurance rates are crazy as you are considered a first time driver.....for 6 years! I don't know what the first time driver rule is in Ontario though.
 

Hurlabrick

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I got my full licence here in Newfoundland and the insurance rates are crazy as you are considered a first time driver.....for 6 years! I don't know what the first time driver rule is in Ontario though.
Virtually impossible in ON to get any company to give you a discount based on many years of overseas driving (I had 30 years of no claims at all in the UK and was treated like a newly qualified driver). After shopping around, I managed to find car insurance for $2200 pa first year, which then reduced to $1800 second year as my Canadian no-claims builds.

I also had to re-take my motorbike test (no exchange for UK motorbike licence) and my first year insurance on an M2 licence costs $2600 pa.

It is what it is I am afraid. No point in moaning about how much less you used to pay where you came from!
 
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mahi2020

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I got my full licence here in Newfoundland and the insurance rates are crazy as you are considered a first time driver.....for 6 years! I don't know what the first time driver rule is in Ontario though.
300$ - 350$ for people staying in Brampton
 

Hurlabrick

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BC4life

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Paying about $5,200/year for two cars in Mississauga. This is with TD Insurance and with my CPA Ontario discount. Started at $390/month for one car my first year with Belair Direct, and they actually wanted to increase it to $450/month for the second year despite having 0 claim! Came with 10 years overseas driving experience which was not recognized for insurance purposes.
 
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sistemc

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Feb 2, 2014
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Virtually impossible in ON to get any company to give you a discount based on many years of overseas driving (I had 30 years of no claims at all in the UK and was treated like a newly qualified driver). After shopping around, I managed to find car insurance for $2200 pa first year, which then reduced to $1800 second year as my Canadian no-claims builds.

I also had to re-take my motorbike test (no exchange for UK motorbike licence) and my first year insurance on an M2 licence costs $2600 pa.

It is what it is I am afraid. No point in moaning about how much less you used to pay where you came from!
This is exactly my car insurance experience.
 

ashifashraf5

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Feb 18, 2023
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I don't have a car registered to my name in India (my home country), but I have a car registered to my name in UAE (where I am currently residing). Where should I go to apply for the confirmation letter for driving experience ? Because I don't think it will be possible for me to get a confirmation letter from UAE embassy after reaching Canada..
 

steaky

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I don't have a car registered to my name in India (my home country), but I have a car registered to my name in UAE (where I am currently residing). Where should I go to apply for the confirmation letter for driving experience ? Because I don't think it will be possible for me to get a confirmation letter from UAE embassy after reaching Canada..
Get a letter from your car insurance company in UAE!