Monday 24 October 2011
I’m a huge proponent of buying used cars over buying new, and especially over leasing (unless you have a business and can write it off), so here are some not-so-obvious tips from my personal arsenal that I want to share to help you find that beautiful previously-enjoyed vehicle:
- Internet Check
If you are shopping for a vehicle of interest or want to go to a particular dealer for service, many dealers nowadays have profiles of their sales and service staff. Go to the dealer websites and browse the faces and names if the websites have links to staff profiles. It’s not always a sure bet when you’re judging appearances obviously (take a look at your Facebook photos!), but if you feel more comfortable speaking to say a female sales rep or service advisor, someone who’s the same race/nationality as you are, someone who can speak the same language you speak, someone who’s similar in age, or maybe you prefer a more docile-looking, baby-face salesman vs. a grizzled or greasy looking creeper, you can go into the dealer knowing who you may see and perhaps being familiar with some faces to start. Some people do judge books by their covers, and sometimes, they are right.
- Sunday Sleuthing
If you want to take your time browsing cars at a large dealer without being approached by a high-pressure salesperson, go browse on a Sunday. Most large dealers will be closed on Sundays, and as long as you behave and don’t touch the cars, visually checking out their condition up-close, peeking inside through the windows, and writing down the VIN to do some pre-emptive investigative work will put you in a better, more prepared position in case you want to return and test drive it.
- Be a Glove Box Fox
If you see a used car that was off-lease or a trade-in, look in the glove box and dig out the owner’s manual portfolio. In the portfolio, it may contain a business card of the original dealership and salesperson from where and whom the car was purchased from, as well as documentation such as the name of the previous owner, his/her address, age, and maybe even stamped service records in their maintenance guide if there is one, or printed service records. Looking into this portfolio could also give you a clue as to what region the car was owned and operated in (i.e. Southern Ontario or Northern Ontario, the latter of which is harsher on cars? Or owned by someone living in an upscale neighbourhood vs. a ghetto?) in order to help you evaluate if its had a previously good life or not.
By finding out which dealer the car was originally purchased from, you could write down the VIN of the car, pay that dealer a visit in person or call, be really nice to the service advisor, and ask him/her if he/she could run a scan on the VIN to see if it’s been serviced there regularly or not. They may not be allowed to give you printouts due to confidentiality rules, but they will be able to verbally tell you whether there are service records or not, and whether they were done within the manufacturer’s recommended intervals or not.
- Mind the Plates
Be aware of newly-issued license plates on a used car you are buying privately inOntario
Hope these help! Drive on.....
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