well, chances are my current mode of transportation will die in the next 8-12 months, and it's pretty unlikely that I will have enough money to buy a new car, there is also the possibility that I may not be staying in the city for more than 2 or 3 years, so a new car would be out of the price range and not practical for 2-3 years of use.

Some info:

I live in Ottawa Canada
I'd prefer a GC8 impreza, auto or stick (I'm a quick study :P)
and the budget is about 4000-12000 canukbux.

Questions:

Is it practical to buy a used car from a dealership, are there any advantages such as payment plans, warranties etc?

What's the best way to approach purchasing a used car?


I'm sure I have more questions but they've escaped me for the time being. I'm sure there's a bunch of you guys out there that have had to deal with buying a used car, so any advice would be quite helpful. Thanks

 

you may not know me yet, but i sell subies- here are my tips- there is lots more, but i'm tired and this is all i can think of right now.
1. it can be practical in terms of getting extras(financing options, extra goodies, warranties). one advantage of buying from a dealership(not sure how the laws are in canada) but in the u.s. most dealers have certain laws that protect the consumer in buying used cars. and a dealer may/may not have more options to you getting financed.

2. inform yourself as much as possible. go to edmunds.com, kbb.com. those are good sites in researching values. carfax.com will help you in vehicle history. find a dealership with a strong reputation with the community. go to cars101.com for maintenance schedules(which you can use to ask questions)

whether you buy from a private seller or a dealership buying a used car can be scary. don't be afraid to get dirty. check oils, get under the car(dress appropiately) and check rubber boots, look for oil leaks, tires(minor, but still costs u $$) bottom line- check everything(ask for service records i.e. timing belt etc.). try finding out your credit rating so you know before hand what you can qualify for. don't let a dealer corner you into a finance rate(negotiable too...depending on lender) if at any point and time you feel that the private seller or dealership seems shady.. walk out. if they say something has been done- get proof.

if u have anymore questions- pm me.





aloha from the summit of *-^-Mauna Kea-^-*

 

well the nice thing is I have an in to the subie dealership here in ottawa. A family friend sells BMWs next door, and the owner of that dealership owns the BMW, Subaru and Honda dealership in that area, so I know the sales rep won't BS around with me. The problem is I'm not terribly mechanically inclined passed the ghetto repair stage, but I suppose that's where the research comes into play. I have about 8-12 months before I'd like to get rid of my current car, so I'll have a bit of time to do some learning.

The main thing I'm worried about is not having enough money or credit to finance through a dealership and having to use my savings to buy from a private owner.