I am in the process of purchasing my 4th used car and I've learned a lot from my past experiences both good and bad.

Most importantly, I disagree with the having the driver take you for a ride, you absolutely need to test drive the vehicle yourself. You can feel a lot that you can not hear or see while riding through the peddles and steering wheel.

Always have it checked out by an independent mechanic, preferably before negotiating a price. Don't assume because something likely needs x dollars in repairs you can just ask the seller to knock off the same amount of the price, they will likely know some/most the issues and have tried to factor that into their original asking price. Doesn't hurt to try but don't screw yourself out of a good deal by expecting them to cover all repairs on a vehicle they don't want.

Be very hesitant with great deals, there is almost always something major wrong and the seller is trying to get rid of it before it is too late.

How long someone has owned a vehicle is good indication, if they have only had it 6 months there is probably a better reason for wanting it gone then what they are telling you.

Ask to have the vehicle cold when you come to check it out, pop the hood and check things out underneath before turning it on, pay attention if the compartment feels warmer then it should. A lot of problems only show up on a cold start and it is a good indication of how healthy the starter actually is. In the middle of summer this doesn't matter as much since it will be warm anyway.

Some important tips when test driving/checking out a vehicle:

-At different speeds lightly hold the wheel to see if the vehicle pulls one way or another. If it is very noticeable where you have to adjust the direction frequently on a straight stretch absolutely tell the owner you would like them to have the issue corrected. It could be a wheel alignment fix (cheap, relatively) or some major front end work, if they are hesitant or do not want to, forget the vehicle.

-Making sure nobody is behind you, hit your brakes at various speeds for a second or so and see if it pulls one way or another, if it does it likely means it will need some work. When bringing it to a mechanic for your final check, get them to quote a price and use that in your negotiation.

-At slow speeds, lightly hold the brake, about 40-50% down, you shouldn't feel a pulsing in the peddle, if you do it is further sign of brake trouble.

-When first turning the vehicle on, hold the brake down for 30+ seconds, the peddle should come to a rest and not slowly drop further under consistent pressure, again if it does you may have some brake issues.

-Do a few slow circles, in a parking lot, with the wheels fully turned, in both directions, if you hear moaning or other sounds you may have a power steering issue. It could be a system flush or a new pump, another thing to make sure the mechanic checks out and quotes an estimate if it is a problem.

-Test acceleration aggressively, if it is automatic pay attention to how quickly it shifts gears, a noticeably long delay can be a sign of dollar signs. If standard, of course pay attention to how well the clutch engages and overall smoothness of shifting. If you notice any vibrations while accelerating hard that disappear when you let off, the engine mounts could be damaged.

-Get it up to highway speeds (a little over the limit if you feel comfortable) and pay attention for vibrations in the steering wheel/vehicle. Could be wheel alignment/wheel balance or something more expensive if it is overly noticeable, a very slight vibration will of course be present regardless.

-Push down on all four corners, release. The vehicle should bounce up slightly once and then come to a rest in the original position. If it is moving more or a corner doesn't feel very close to the opposite side, you could have some suspension problems which again should be checked/quoted.

-Check all lights, hazards included, to make sure they work, physically get out of the vehicle and verify they are working properly, dash indicators can sometimes show they are working when outside the vehicle that isn't the case (rare but happens).

-Check for rust everywhere (underneath, lift trunk padding, wheel wells, door frames ect), anyone who has had a vehicle rust knows that once it starts to go, it goes very fast. If it is minor you can repair it yourself or have someone else do it but it should be done if you want your car to last, factor that into your negotiations.

-Spare tire/jack, physically verify they are there. Check the condition of the spare, if it looks like it has been used heavily ask why and know you may need to have it replaced.

+ tons more, realistically you can only test so many things in a reasonable amount of time but try to at least do "the basics".

A serious seller with a proper vehicle will have absolutely 0 problem with you being thorough. They don't have to be telling you everything wrong with the vehicle but they should be fine answering all your questions.

Go with your gut, if you feel like you are missing something or are being lied to, you probably are. I made this mistake once since I couldn't pinpoint exactly what I thought was wrong, turns out the vehicle was a major headache and I should have walked away. You should be exited when writing the cheque to get your car, not hesitant.

Avoid road side sellers ..... Sellers who would show the car in parking lots .

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Fido.

After conversion from gst to hst , the incentives have reduced greatly to buy directly from a owner.

Some owners take the car off insurance and also transfer off plates.. This forces the test drive in parking lots.. At low speeds it is hard to find problems with cars.

Odometer rollback is a big issue in low milage cars. Most of the cars with digital odometers can be rolled back with a simple 200$ electronic device and is impossible to detect.

Dealers get access to off lease cars from openlane auctions which can be in decent shape at a reasonable price.Dealers are also liable for selling cars without disclosing know issues. For UCDA dealers u can go to UCDA to mediate if u were sold a car without disclosing full facts.


My suggestion is dont get fixated about buying cars from dealer or privately. Buy the car for its merit.

I feel kijiji is good for used cars. I bought our first car Toyota corolla 2000 frm kijiji with 24 hours and used for 5 yrs without spending anything for maintenance. We bot almost new RAV4 almost a year back frm kijiji and we have no issues.

Now I wanna buy a car and I saw a good deal of Chevrolet and absolutely wonderfully maintained but everybody is cautioning me that, maintenance wil be high so, I just want to take forum opinion as to whether I should buy Chevrolet or Toyota Camry.??

Thanx in advance.

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Revenge can be bitter sweet, but if u sit back and watch, KARMA can be pure entertainment.

Toyota Camry is known to be one of the most successful cars.

I drove Chevrolets a couple of times and did not like their handling as opposed to Nissans or Toyotas.

Go for a Camry but ensure it is in good condition and preferably low kms even if you have shell out couple of thousands extra.

Tip : Try to buy from a senior who lives in a house in a slightly far off suburb ( like New Market or Whitby or Orangeville) ..Chances are the car would have been in a garage saving the body from elements and well taken care off..

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Fido.

Thnx Fido for invaluable input. Appreciated,

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Revenge can be bitter sweet, but if u sit back and watch, KARMA can be pure entertainment.