Why Doesn't the Vehicle Certificate Follow the Car?
2 Answers
The vehicle certificate may not follow the car because the dealership is unable to provide it to the consumer. This is often because the certificate is used as collateral for the dealership's loan and is mortgaged to the bank. The dealership may delay giving it to the consumer, meaning they simply do not have these documents in hand. Here are some important considerations when buying a car: 1. Confirm Purchasing Power: Determine your purchasing ability to ensure that buying a car does not affect your family's overall quality of life. Generally, this is based on your family's average income over the past three years. A common guideline is to allocate up to 20% of your family's income over three years, but not exceeding 10% of your family's fixed asset value. 2. Key Focus: For a family car, safety is the most important factor, followed by affordability. Since the safety of the car carries the lives of your entire family, it should be the top priority. 3. On-Site Confirmation: Based on the above two steps, narrow down your choices to a few car models. Visit the 4S dealership in person to confirm details, including test drives, price inquiries, loan options, and maintenance services.
Last time I bought a car, I ran into this issue—the vehicle certificate wasn't handed over with the car. I was really anxious at the time, but after asking the salesperson, I finally understood what was going on. It turns out most 4S stores or dealers mortgage the new car's certificate to banks for financing loans, which helps them circulate funds and quickly restock new vehicles. After the customer purchases the car and completes payment, the dealer then uses the customer's money to redeem the certificate before handing it over for license plate registration. This process takes time, so you can't get the certificate immediately when buying the car. I find this quite annoying because it delays license plate registration by about a week, affecting car usage. If there are issues in the financing chain—like bank delays or dealer cash flow problems—it could drag on even longer. I recommend signing a written agreement with the salesperson when purchasing a car, clearly specifying the certificate delivery date, and prioritizing reputable large dealerships to minimize risks. In short, this is an industry norm—understanding it helps reduce frustration.
