Buying a Used Car
Is it cheaper buying privately?
When consumers buy a vehicle from a registered dealer in Canada, they are protected by numerous pieces of legislation, such as the Sale of Goods Act, the Consumer Protection Act, and the Business Practices Act, to name a few. A reputable car dealer in Ontario should be registered with the Used Car Dealers Association. Recognizing this dealer is easy just look for the UCDA logo on advertising or in their place of business.
If you buy a vehicle privately all bets are off. If you have a problem with the vehicle or you find out the vehicle was not described to you properly their is very little you can do in a private sale. There is little or no protection for consumer to consumer transactions.
Buying a car it’s quite often the largest or second largest purchase you’ll ever make. When you buy a home you have a real-estate agent and a lawyer to help you with the transaction. When buying a car from a used car dealer the dealer has already purchased the car. Imagine if all real-estate agents were required to purchase the homes they are selling before they can sell them to you! Because the used car dealer is the owner of the car they are responsible to disclose all material facts of the vehicle. They are required to tell you everything they know about the vehicle like where the vehicle came from and if the vehicle as ever been in an accident.
So, the real question is...
Is it cheaper buying privately? In the final analysis, it might even be more expensive. A dealer's cost to replace tires and brakes or do more involved work will be well below what the average person will pay. This allows a dealer to refurbish a vehicle, make a profit and still be competitive with a private seller. In the end the dealer will also make sure the repairs are done right or the consumer may have recourse against them and now they are dealing with having not only to fix a problem with a vehicle but also a relationship with a customer.
Some things to consider when looking for a reputable used car dealer:
1.) Look to see how long they’ve been in business. Short lived companies may be trying to get into the business for a fast buck. These types of businesses can be dangerous to deal with.
2.) Who are you talking to at the dealership. Large size dealers have employees. Employees may have been at the dealership a short time or long time. Again you want to see if the person your talking to is in the car business or in the business of making a fast buck and moving on to something else. Many small dealerships like ours at Bowman's Auto Sales are family owned and operated. That means when you buy a car you’re doing so from the owner, when you bring your car back for service, you’re again dealing with the owner and if you have a problem you are still dealing with the owner. Sometimes people make mistakes or cars have problems. Dealing with someone who is willing and able to rectify the problem can make this process much easier and less stressful.
3.) Is the dealership a member of the Used Car Dealers Association? Members of the association protect consumers by guarantying that all vehicle sold are lien free and are not stolen. In the event of a dispute, consumers can seek help from industry associations, such as the UCDA, for impartial mediation... at no cost!
4.) Does the dealer offer financing? Financing at the dealership is not only more convenient but can save you money off the end purchase price of a vehicle. Dealers who also offer financing do so at normally lower rates that even your own bank. Why? A dealer may do millions of dollars in business with banks in a given year while you’re looking to take a loan of maybe thousands. In addition the dealers have trained staff who many like employees at the bank have expertise in filing paperwork and co-coordinating not only with one lender but multiple lenders to ensure the best rates and terms for you. This saves the banks money because they aren’t paying extra branch staff to do this work.
5.) Taking the car to an independent mechanic. Most dealers welcome you to take their vehicles for an outside inspection to a licensed garage. You should inform the dealer where you are taking the car and how long you anticipate it will take before doing so. Taking the car to your neighbor’s garage or jacking it up in your driveway are not smart things to do. You could cause damage to the vehicle you’re thinking of buying or miss something important that you could get the dealer to address as a condition of your purchase. Take your car to someone who absolutely knows what they’re looking for and you can eliminate a great deal of worry.
6.) Ask questions. Earlier we talked about disclosure and the fact that all dealers are required to tell consumers everything they know about the vehicle. The consumer’s responsibility in this transaction is to ask. Ask the dealer if the vehicle has been in an accident or if their are any problems with the current condition of the car. Ask them all the questions you have about the vehicle before negotiating the price. That way you can ensure that any outstanding issues are address before they know you’re serious about buying the car.
Finally I would like to encourage people to have fun looking for a car. Remember it’s still shopping and you're about to buy something that will have a big impact on your life, your work and your family. If the experience feels stressful or just not right then try going somewhere else.
Bowman's Auto Sales is a family owned and operated business. We’ve been selling cars, trucks, SUVs and mini vans to people in St. Catharines and the Niagara region for more that 40 years. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions:
http://www.bowmanauto.com/559 Ontario StreetSt. Catharines, ON L2N 4N4
Toll-free: 1.877.683.7287Phone: 905.687.9801Fax: 905.687.7498
sales@bowmanauto.com
When consumers buy a vehicle from a registered dealer in Canada, they are protected by numerous pieces of legislation, such as the Sale of Goods Act, the Consumer Protection Act, and the Business Practices Act, to name a few. A reputable car dealer in Ontario should be registered with the Used Car Dealers Association. Recognizing this dealer is easy just look for the UCDA logo on advertising or in their place of business.
If you buy a vehicle privately all bets are off. If you have a problem with the vehicle or you find out the vehicle was not described to you properly their is very little you can do in a private sale. There is little or no protection for consumer to consumer transactions.
Buying a car it’s quite often the largest or second largest purchase you’ll ever make. When you buy a home you have a real-estate agent and a lawyer to help you with the transaction. When buying a car from a used car dealer the dealer has already purchased the car. Imagine if all real-estate agents were required to purchase the homes they are selling before they can sell them to you! Because the used car dealer is the owner of the car they are responsible to disclose all material facts of the vehicle. They are required to tell you everything they know about the vehicle like where the vehicle came from and if the vehicle as ever been in an accident.
So, the real question is...
Is it cheaper buying privately? In the final analysis, it might even be more expensive. A dealer's cost to replace tires and brakes or do more involved work will be well below what the average person will pay. This allows a dealer to refurbish a vehicle, make a profit and still be competitive with a private seller. In the end the dealer will also make sure the repairs are done right or the consumer may have recourse against them and now they are dealing with having not only to fix a problem with a vehicle but also a relationship with a customer.
Some things to consider when looking for a reputable used car dealer:
1.) Look to see how long they’ve been in business. Short lived companies may be trying to get into the business for a fast buck. These types of businesses can be dangerous to deal with.
2.) Who are you talking to at the dealership. Large size dealers have employees. Employees may have been at the dealership a short time or long time. Again you want to see if the person your talking to is in the car business or in the business of making a fast buck and moving on to something else. Many small dealerships like ours at Bowman's Auto Sales are family owned and operated. That means when you buy a car you’re doing so from the owner, when you bring your car back for service, you’re again dealing with the owner and if you have a problem you are still dealing with the owner. Sometimes people make mistakes or cars have problems. Dealing with someone who is willing and able to rectify the problem can make this process much easier and less stressful.
3.) Is the dealership a member of the Used Car Dealers Association? Members of the association protect consumers by guarantying that all vehicle sold are lien free and are not stolen. In the event of a dispute, consumers can seek help from industry associations, such as the UCDA, for impartial mediation... at no cost!
4.) Does the dealer offer financing? Financing at the dealership is not only more convenient but can save you money off the end purchase price of a vehicle. Dealers who also offer financing do so at normally lower rates that even your own bank. Why? A dealer may do millions of dollars in business with banks in a given year while you’re looking to take a loan of maybe thousands. In addition the dealers have trained staff who many like employees at the bank have expertise in filing paperwork and co-coordinating not only with one lender but multiple lenders to ensure the best rates and terms for you. This saves the banks money because they aren’t paying extra branch staff to do this work.
5.) Taking the car to an independent mechanic. Most dealers welcome you to take their vehicles for an outside inspection to a licensed garage. You should inform the dealer where you are taking the car and how long you anticipate it will take before doing so. Taking the car to your neighbor’s garage or jacking it up in your driveway are not smart things to do. You could cause damage to the vehicle you’re thinking of buying or miss something important that you could get the dealer to address as a condition of your purchase. Take your car to someone who absolutely knows what they’re looking for and you can eliminate a great deal of worry.
6.) Ask questions. Earlier we talked about disclosure and the fact that all dealers are required to tell consumers everything they know about the vehicle. The consumer’s responsibility in this transaction is to ask. Ask the dealer if the vehicle has been in an accident or if their are any problems with the current condition of the car. Ask them all the questions you have about the vehicle before negotiating the price. That way you can ensure that any outstanding issues are address before they know you’re serious about buying the car.
Finally I would like to encourage people to have fun looking for a car. Remember it’s still shopping and you're about to buy something that will have a big impact on your life, your work and your family. If the experience feels stressful or just not right then try going somewhere else.
Bowman's Auto Sales is a family owned and operated business. We’ve been selling cars, trucks, SUVs and mini vans to people in St. Catharines and the Niagara region for more that 40 years. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions:
http://www.bowmanauto.com/559 Ontario StreetSt. Catharines, ON L2N 4N4
Toll-free: 1.877.683.7287Phone: 905.687.9801Fax: 905.687.7498
sales@bowmanauto.com
posted by BowmanAuto at 4:35 p.m.
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