Advice Buying used from a dealership
 

Looking to pickup a pre-owned from a dealership, not the shady kingsway ones lol. Just wondering what experiences have u guys had in terms of negotiating pricing, what sort of hidden documentation fees, what can u haggle for extras, etc. What other pros and cons between buying private and dealership? TIA!

I know people where the dealership has given them $4k - $5k for their trade in, only to turn around and post that car up for sale at $9k - 10k. So for a car in that price range, you know how much mark up the dealership has. A lot of times, new car dealerships can make more money on a per vehicle basis out of their used department than their new cars department.

Bear in mind though, generally speaking, a legit dealership would want at least $1.5k's worth of profit from their used sales (if not $2k+, and obviously the more the better), and they would not deal with you if you are driving too hard a bargain. The only exception is, if you know the car has been sitting on their lot for a long time and still hasn't moved (ie. been sold), they would be willing to offer more incentive to get rid of the car -- sometimes even a break even price or at a small loss.

For used cars, I think they only charge a doc fee (and taxes, obviously) and no more. At the end of the day though, I'd just go in and negotiate on an out-the-door price.

By buying from a legitimate dealership, you know the car would not be in too shxtty a condition, and you should definitely be able to ask them for a thorough vehicle inspection report, as well as a vehicle history report (ie. Carproof BC). That'll take a bit of due dilligence work off your shoulders.

I remember when I bought a car from Freeway Mazda back in 2008, the car was a bit higher in price than my budget, and I told the salesman that all-in, after taxes, this was my budget. They managed to pretty much make it work by knocking about $1,000 off the car. I'm sure they still made a good return on it though.

It was a good experience though because they already had the Carfax done, a full vehicle inspection, etc. They don't really gain anything by holding certain information back. I don't know if all dealerships are like that though. Didn't really have to worry about getting ripped off from that side of things. You pay a bit more, but you know what you are getting compared to a Kingsway or Whalley dealer or private seller. In the long run, that was worth it to me.

When buying a used car, you can obviously bargain for no doc fee. After that they will try to slip in a few things like "Freight and PDI" which is not required for a used car.

Just a small thing to watch for. Happened to a friend.

This is a good way of bargaining. Give them a flat number with all the fees in and tell them to make it work.

That gives them multiple ways of reducing the costs in order to hit the number, and in the end it means you won't end up going over your budget on the car.

Just remember if they can't make it work, walk away. They will call you if they can make it work a few days later, otherwise just move onto the next one.

For the cost of the car, go to Canadian black book (go to Toyota.ca and click appraise trade-in). This will give you a pretty good approximation of what trade-in value they got the car at.

Carproof is a must. I've had friends lied to at dealership ("no accidents") only to find the frame damage later.

In terms of inspections, you MUST take it to an independent shop. I would walk away if they don't let you do it. They will probably require some sort of deposit, but it's worth it.

I almost bought a $35K late model used car from a reputable (i.e. not kingsway) dealer. When my mechanic inspected it, he found a chewed up wiring harness, insulation, and he found the dead rat too.

Having said that, I don't trust any craigslist seller either, but I'm just saying don't trust dealerships any more or less.

Pros: dealerships are generally more honest, having a brick-and-mortar store in the age of online reviews means they probably won't bullshit you into buying a lemon when their reputation as a dealer (especially if it's a larger/well-known place) is at stake. Not to mention you generally get a full CarProof report, full vehicle inspection done by licensed techs, and optional warranty is available to you. Cars will often be detailed and cleaned, and service histories are generally available for "same-make" vehicles (i.e., buying a used BMW at a pre-owned BMW dealer).

Cons: you will pay more for the car and don't have the "haggling advantage" that CL offers you (i.e., seller needs cash ASAP, no room to store car, baby on the way, etc.). Not to mention you can't screw around on the declared value and may have to pay doc fees and other such fees. But if you're patient and smart you can usually haggle those off.

Personally, when I finish school and buy a nicer/newer car I will 95% go to a dealership because I'm pretty tired of dealing with people on Craigslist. But if you have the patience and car knowledge (or are friends with a licensed tech!) then CL is probably the best bet if you don't mind spending a little more time/effort

You guys listing a CarProof from a dealer as a plus know that they only cost $75 and take about a minute on your part right? Just do a CarProof yourself and take it to your preferred shop for an inspection and avoid the bs of a dealership.

Definitely some good input, Thanks for all the great advice guys! The car is at BJ BMW so Im not worried too much regarding the car having issues and what not, since that is one of the biggest dealerships around. Ill bring my friend whos a mechanic just to be safe tho.

PM tofu1413
He will hook you up at right price

^Best Advice :fullofwin:

I think dealers providing carproofs are a plus because there were times where I would've went to view a car but because the carproof was available, I checked it out only to find something on there that I didn't like. Saved me a ton of time as that dealership was almost an hour drive away.

Thanks will definitely contact him

That's why you get the VIN before you would go check it out and run it yourself. First I do the free ICBC check to see if it's a rebuilt, then shell out the $75 for the CarProof, and if that looks good I go check it out. Unless the car is close by checking it out before getting the history is a waste of time IMO.

I'm not sure if I just don't know how to internet, but when I used the site, I entered my car, entered the kms, then it asked me which Toyota i'm interested in, and asked me to fill out my information so someone could get in contact... never gave me a value..

edit: I was able to find the value directly on CBB site though: http://www.canadianblackbook.com

Just go directly to this instead:

Black Book Car Values, Find your Used Car Trade-In Value & Your New Car?s Future Value using the Black Book Value Tools. What?s your car worth?

You can enter "Undecided" when they ask you which vehicle you are considering.

i disagree

often times the real thing is in way shittier condition than what the ad/seller tells you, why would you spend $75 on something you haven't even seen in person yet