Buying a Used Vehicle

Every person and family can have different requirements or expectations. It is supremely easy to get carried away with the desire for the slightly older or newer more equipped model for only $2,000 more. The catch is that, after all, it will only cost an extra $50 a month. The key, as in buying or leasing a new vehicle, is looking at the total cost.

Strongly consider reliability, safety and ownership costs for example. You can find this precious information in magazines such as Protégez-Vous' Annual car guide, Consumer Reports or on reputable websites such as auto123.com.

It is always tough to say where you will locate the perfect car or if it even exists. It is always possible to find the best car at the worst place or the worst car at the best place based on the retailer's reputation. It is important to be patient; a rushed purchase can quickly turn into huge headaches. Sometimes it seems easier to settle only to find out after the fact that your hastened purchase was not the right one.

You can look in all newspaper classified ads. You can also surf the Internet and look for websites such as our own auto123.com. Here, the information is free and best of all; you will have access to thousands upon thousands of ads. You will be able to browse this large inventory to get an idea of what the average selling price may be for the vehicle that interests you. Also, if you are not certain of your choice, you will be able to compare models side by side, read reviews by owners and professionals. After you have increased your level of knowledge on the vehicles and have found one that fits your criteria, make an appointment to go see the vehicle.

Be well aware of the phenomenon known as the curb-sider or fake private-seller. As a tip, when you are calling an individual, simply ask about the car for sale. Should the person reply "Which one?" chances are you are dealing with an unlicensed re-seller.

Remember that by buying from a private individual will allow you to save on taxes but will not permit you to purchase an extended warranty. By purchasing a car from a dealer, you will have the option of purchasing an extended warranty (not always the best idea though because some warranty-issuing companies are difficult to deal with. We would suggest that you contact the APA for further information) however, you may find that you will spend more money and will have to pay both taxes.

Beware of fraudulent ads that require a deposit before you can see the vehicle that is for sale. In fact, never ever send out any sum of money without first finding out more about the seller or coming into direct contact with him or her.

The first and cheapest thing is to do is to take the car for a test drive. Most people have a general idea of how a car should behave. If something feels or sounds wrong to you, this is usually a good indication that you should walk away. If the vehicle seems fine, take down the VIN (vehicle identification number) that you will find at the bottom of the windshield or in the door jam.

With this number in hand, you can get the vehicle history by visiting our section VIN check . This will potentially tell you the number of owners that car has had and how long it has been registered. If you are lucky, it may even indicate the mileage that it had at the time of the last transaction. You can also call a dealer of the make or the manufacturer to find out about maintenance (if any records exist) and repairs done under warranty. If none of the above-mentioned avenues work out, a VIN history search can be done at Carfax or on any other website that offers the same service.

At this point, you should have an excellent idea of what the car you are interested in is worth. You can therefore negotiate yourself a price with the seller. As best as you can, try and have basic arguments as to why the price might be too high: visual damage on the car, higher than average mileage (based on your research), condition of tires or interior. If your are required to sign a document, regardless of its nature, concerning your potential purchase of the vehicle, make sure that you indicate that this price will be subject to the result of the inspection.

There is one final absolutely crucial step that must be taken: the vehicle MUST be inspected by an independent party of your choice. If, for any reason, the dealer has any reserves about the fact that you want to have the car inspected or that they say that they have done their own inspection, do not buy the car.

If you do not know of a good garage or that they do not do body inspections (they are often overlooked), you can contact the Automobile Protection Association (APA) or the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). A word-of-mouth recommendation is also an excellent way to find a reliable repair shop for an inspection.