If you are interested in buying a used car in Ontario, Bad Credit Autos is here to help you and answer all of these questions and more. Since you’re not sure about the steps you should take, you’ll find this used car buying guide for Ontario useful.
How to buy a used car in Ontario? What are the steps to buying a used car in Ontario that you should know? How does negotiating work, and how to make sure that you’ll be getting a good deal and a good vehicle?
Steps to buying a used car in Ontario
1. Decide on the vehicle and come up with the budget
When buying a used car, the first thing you should do is to consider your needs and pick a vehicle that suits them best. Do you need a pick-up truck, a small hybrid, or a crossover SUV? You should think about this before doing anything else and it’s important that you have an idea about what kind of car would best suit your needs.
Once you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to figure out what is the maximum amount that you can set aside for this purchase. Purchasing a used car in Ontario doesn’t mean that you should think only about the price of the car – factor in license plates, licensing fees, and taxes as well. Think about the costs of owning this car as well, such as maintenance, repair, fuel, and insurance. The best piece of advice you can get is to consider all the additional costs, not just the price of a car.
Do some research before buying a used car in Ontario, and it will help you decide on the vehicle and come up with the budget. This will also come in handy when you need to negotiate with the seller.
2. Find the vehicle you want
After you’ve got the type of vehicle and the budget figured out, it’s time to find the car that you want. For this step, you will need to do some searching. Check out the websites where you can see the cars offered by dealerships and private sellers, look at ads and print listings such as the newspaper, and go to car dealerships to see what’s available. Now, the biggest question is whether buying a used car in Ontario from a dealer is a better idea than buying from a private seller? Let us explain these two choices you have.
Buying a used car in Ontario from a private seller:
Buying a used car in Ontario from a private seller:
The condition of the vehicle is “as is” meaning that all the existing issues become your responsibility when you buy it. That’s not the biggest problem when buying a used car from a private seller because you’re also more likely to encounter scams.
Purchasing a used car in Ontario from a private seller also means that you don’t get many choices, since private sellers most often offer only one car. You don’t get a certified history or manufacturer warranty. Basically, buying a used vehicle in Ontario from private sellers means that you don’t get proof about the car’s history or condition.
Buying a used car in Ontario from a dealer:
Vehicles that dealers sell are most often fixed up and cleaned before they sell them, so you don’t have to worry about the car’s condition when buying a used car in Ontario from a dealer. Dealers are also more reliable since they can’t be scammers because of the industry and legal regulations. Check out our affordable prices and vehicles! Bad Credit Autos also helps with bad credit car loans.
You will get to choose from a lot of cars, and they will have fully certified histories. There are also additional manufacturer warranties in some cases. You will also get to see an independent report and find out all about the accurate and thorough history of the vehicle.
You’ll get to find out about more differences between these two options in this used car buying guide.
3. Inspect the vehicle and the documents
This used car buying guide for Ontario gives you the best advice. Don’t skip this important step. When you have found the vehicle you wanted and contacted the seller to meet in person and talk about it, it’s time to make sure that everything is the way it’s supposed to be.
When buying a used car it’s important that you look carefully at the exterior of the car, its interior, and don’t forget to look at the engine as well. This will help you notice if there is any damage. Once you’ve made sure that there isn’t, ask the seller to take the car for a test drive, and check if it operates smoothly and feels comfortable. If the seller won’t allow you to do this, it’s a red flag, and they might not be honest with you.
Now it’s time to check the documents as well and see if it’s all legitimate. Look at the UVIP (Used Vehicle Information Package) and see if the lien information, registration history, and other important information about the car is all there. This is the most important document for ransferring legal ownership.
Check the Safety Standards Certificate to see if the car is safe to drive according to the legal standards of Ontario. Don’t forget to look at the Ontario Drive Clean Emissions Test as well, to see if the car also meets the emissions standards of Ontario. These two documents aren’t really necessary, but they help you be sure that you’re not risking it with this purchase. Insist that you see all of these documents before you make the purchase.
4. Purchasing a used car in Ontario
After you’ve inspected the car and the documentation, if you’re happy with what you saw, you can finally start the process of buying a used vehicle in Ontario. You have to understand that buying a used car in Ontario doesn’t involve only paying for it, but negotiating and checking the paperwork as well.
The first part is negotiating, and if you have followed our advice from the first step and done some research, you are on the right track. When you ask the seller to lower the price, be prepared to walk away if they refuse. However, be aware that you’re not negotiating only for the selling price, but for other aspects as well, such as trade-in value, down payment, and monthly payment. As for the selling price, don’t expect to manage to lower the price too much. Trade-In value is a good thing because you can offer the dealer to sell them your old car and use the value of that car to buy a car from them. Bad Credit Autos offers top-dollar for all vehicles that come in as a trade in!
The down payment is the amount of money you pay initially if you’re actually paying with a loan or lease. The monthly payment is the amount of money paid each month after the down payment, and it also applies when you’re actually paying with a loan or a lease. Getting a loan or a lease from a private seller is pretty much impossible, so that’s another reason why buying a used car in Ontario from a dealer is a better idea.
How to buy a used car in Ontario? When it comes to actually paying for the car, there are a few methods this can be done. Financing is one way, and it means getting a loan for the car dealership or a bank, and you can pay them back over time; however you need to keep in mind that this is a long-term commitment regarding finances.
Leasing is another way, and it’s hard to get it when it comes to used cars, especially for people who are new to Canada and have no credit history. Of course, there’s always an option of buying it outright, and it means you pay the full price right away, which is the best way, but most people can’t afford this. Buying a used car in Ontario from a private seller allows only for this option, but when you’re buying from a dealer, you get to choose the payment option.
After these steps to buying a used car in Ontario, it’s time for the final paperwork. You need to get the UVIP and sign the vehicle permit. Let’s not forget the bill of sale Ontario. The seller needs to fill out some information, which includes their full name and signature, the selling price, and the date when the purchase has been made.
When you sign the ownership, you will get the full legal ownership of your new car.
5. Registering the car and getting insurance
There are more steps to buying a used car in Ontario once you’ve made the purchase, and they involve registering your car and getting insurance for it. This is all easier when you’re buying a used car in Ontario from a dealer because they provide you with the forms you need, or at least most of them, and can even take over a part of the work, for a price. When you choose to buy from a private seller, however, you have to do all of it on your own. On the other hand, we go above and beyond and even offer a FREE vehicle delivery across Ontario!
6. Get behind the wheels of your car
You’ve done everything you need to do when buying a used car in Ontario, and all that’s left is to get behind the wheels and enjoy the ride. Take action now!