Buying a Car in Vancouver

Yeah, this is a confusing one. Avoid it if you can. The skytrain is pretty damn good!

But if you can't, here are some bits of info:

Vehicle inspections
Just like you can get an RACV, RACQ or NRMA check in Oz, you can use BCAA to get a vehicle check here. Pretty much the same gig: make an appointment between BCAA and the seller and pay BCAA. You can get the report emailed to you.

Roadworthy
No such thing! But you need an "air care" accreditation to prove you're not registering a polluting piece of crap. Ask the seller if it has air care and for how long. An air care lasts 2 years in most cases and after that you need to get a new one. Just like roadworthy back home, it's not the cost of the "inspection" that costs money (about $70), it's the potential cost to get the car fixed if it doesn't pass the test!!!

Taxes
You don't pay stamp duty on a car, but you pay a 5% tax if you buy it from a private seller and an extra 7% if you buy it from a yard/dealer. You pay this at the time you transfer the car ownership to your name.

Registration & Insurance
Don't get me started, it's a disgrace in BC. You're not buying insurance, you're paying a tax. The BC government are the only insurer here and you have to go with them! Even if you buy 3rd party, with $1m personal liabilty, you could be up for $180 per month! Want fully comprehensive? Could be $3k a year! You can bring down your premiums with letters from your australian insurer showing x years of no-claim history (10 years might get you 40% off).

This covers the insurance part (like the AAMI bit), plus the liabilty insurance you'd pay with your rego back home (like TAC for Vicroads or to the RTA in NSW).

Transfer of ownership
Go with the seller to an Autoplan office to sign over the vehicle and also sign up for your insurance, registration, pay your tax and get new plates. These are everywhere:
http://www.canpages.ca/business/BC/vancouver/insurance-agents-and-brokers/961-434600.html

Roadside care
If you want to sign up for the auto-assist type services. Talk to BCAA for that.