What should you look for before purchasing a preowned vehicle?

When we’re looking for a new second-hand car, it can be difficult to know what to verify or who we can trust. However, checking a few boxes can dramatically decrease your exposure to bad “surprises”. AutoStudio 72, your second-hand car dealer from Mirabel, near Saint-Jérôme and Laval, will tell you all about the precautions you should take before going forward with your purchase. Read what follows to make sure you’re going to leave with a vehicle in good condition when you’ll be ready to buy!
 

Knowing how to spot a good ad
 

Let’s be honest, you should be wary of the too-good-to-be true kind of low prices. In this scenario, you should insist to conduct your own inspection of the vehicle. You should also enquire about the purchase date by the current owner, ask to see the original sale contract and details of this nature. If you feel that the seller is reluctant to answer your questions or to produce some document to support its claims, walk away.
 

The law is there for you
 

You should know that provincial laws oversee the sale of second-hand vehicles. For example, the advertisement must clearly present the mileage of the car. The price must obviously be included (taxes are not comprised) and no hidden fees are allowed. You have the right to road test and to inspect the vehicle before committing to anything. Plus, the seller must make sure that other keys informations (year model, price, number of owners, etc.) are readily available. Finally, you’re entitled to roughly 6 months of warranty if you’re purchasing a vehicle with less than 80,000 kilometers and less than 5 years-old.
 

Careful with the road test
 

The road test is a crucial part of the purchasing process, but don’t put too much faith in it since it’s incredibly hard to notice hidden defects in such a short time lapse. More often than not, it takes at least a couple of days to observe this kind of problems. The trick? Rent the exact same model and take your time to make sure this vehicle is right for you.

Inspection, inspection, inspection
 

It’s easily the main point to consider. You have to conduct a full check-up of the car even if you have to pay 125-150 $ to a car expert to know exactly what’s what.

Write everything on the contract
 

The seller guarantees you that the body of the car is original? Good, let’s put this piece of information down on the contract. If he’s suddenly reluctant, you can reasonably expect that something is fishy. CarPool and CarFax reports only offers partial data, so stay alert to catch details like that.

Beware of the hidden debts
 

Some second-hand vehicles can be used as collaterals for an outstanding debt. You should check that with the Registre des droits personnels réels et mobiliers. Be careful.

The interview is mandatory
 

The best way to form your own opinion is still to meet the seller face-to-face and to analyze his reactions and his answers to various questions regarding the vehicle. No need to be an expert to notice that one particular question makes the person in front of you uncomfortable, and to draw a conclusion accordingly.

If despite all these tips, you don’t want to deal with an individual to buy a second-hand car, the team of experts of AutoStudio 72 has 20 years of experience advising people just like you! Don’t hesitate to visit them at 14460 rue Joseph-Marc-Vermette, Mirabel, near Saint-Jérôme and Laval.