View and test drive the vehicle in person. Never view a vehicle at night. Always see how it looks in the daylight before making an offer. Always make your offer conditional to a pre-purchase inspection. Complete a lien seacrh, CarProof report or an Alberta Registry Vehicle Information report prior to paying for the vehicle. Always pay the seller with a bank draft. If the seller has a lien on the vehicle, ensure the draft is made payable directly to the lendor on the lien search, not the seller. Request a current Alberta vehicle registration. Check the vehicle status to determine if there is a rebuilt or salvage title. The status on the registration should be listed as active.