The process of acquiring a used car can be tedious. Once you are armed with the necessary steps to finding a good car, the entire experience will be much more rewarding. The following are some pointers for those purchasing a used car in the Toronto area.
There can be some risks that come with buying a used car so apart from checking the price tag, do your due diligence on other things as well. Here’s how.
- Decide on the Make and the Budget Limit
You need to be certain of your cost range before you set out to meet the dealer. The dealer is in business and can affect your finances if you are undecided. Once you’re set with the price, zone down to a few models that interest you, take time to find out their price range, maintenance & insurance costs, and common hiccups. Once you have that info, go to step 2.
- Meet the Dealer for a Conversation, Assessment, and Test
This is not the time to close the deal but it’s an extremely important step. It’s the one step you need to have your mechanic accompany you. It’s time to check the car you want, know its history, ask questions and thoroughly inspect it and then if all looks good, take it for a test drive. Make sure you get a copy of the Carfax report as well which the dealer should already have.
The test drive will help you see if the brakes, heating and air conditioning, lights, power windows, and wipers area all functioning properly. Now you are ready for the final step.
- Close the Deal; Do the Paperwork
This is when you negotiate. You know the mileage, you have the history and you have already compared prices. If you agree, read and sign the documents. If you happen to disagree, you can opt out. If you need financing, you can take this chance to find the options the dealer has. You can also choose to have your bank finance you.
Finally, you don’t have to settle for the first dealer you meet. You can check out different dealers and it’s best to do an online Google search. Just search for something like used car dealerships Toronto and you’ll get a bunch of results to choose from.
Like in every other business, there are genuine businessmen and then there are illegitimate ones. When searching for a car in Toronto, you need to be cautious of unlicensed dealers commonly referred as to as Curbsiders. Curbsiders mostly use small repair shops or operate from rental companies. They do not have licenses. In case you purchase from them, you are not under any protection.
But How Do You Know If Your Dealer Is Genuine?
A licensed dealer will have a permanent physical location to deal from and will openly display registration certificates and licenses while a fake dealer will want to deal in a public place while limiting your knowledge of his permanent physical location.
Most offer extremely impressive deals. They will not be willing to provide a receipt or any other document that proves purchase.
Most likely the vehicle will not be registered in the seller’s name. They will also decline any inspection by the client’s mechanic and won’t have the vehicle’s history.
In conclusion, following these steps for purchasing a used cars in sacramento and most major cities in Canada should properly prepare you for your purchase from beginning to end. Use your instincts and get all the information you can. Don’t buy and regret later.
