Spring 2024 | Used vehicles: price does not guarantee quality

Are you dizzy about the cost of new vehicles? Wait a bit to see the used vehicle list. This has increased considerably during the pandemic. Unfortunately, as you will be able to see, too few of these “second hand” vehicles deserve the asking price. Particularly those with more than ten years of service.

Regardless of its age, a used vehicle must receive a complete inspection. Before entrusting this work to a qualified technician, determine your needs based on your lifestyle and budget. Not every vehicle that matches your criteria deserves your attention. Eliminate without delay those which present problematic reliability or notable technical advances, which risk being costly in the event of a malfunction. To help you see more clearly, consult the list of consumer associations to get a general idea. Then, join owner groups (there are plenty of them on social networks) to expand your knowledge of the vehicles you want.

Also, be wary of these brands and models that are not widely available or have been absent from the Quebec market for several years now. Replacement parts are likely to be both rare and expensive. On this subject, it doesn’t hurt to do some checks beforehand on a few common parts (brakes, shock absorbers, exhaust, alternator, starter) and then compare them between each coveted model. The expertise of the technician you will call upon for the mechanical inspection of the vehicle is also likely to guide you in this area and provide you with an estimate of the costs of the necessary work. This can be used to negotiate the sale price.

Also, due to the advanced age of certain models on the market, the technical inspection should be accompanied by another, exclusively devoted to bodywork work. An inspection is therefore necessary, as well as obtaining a quote for repairs.

What’s the point of getting a mechanically reliable vehicle if the chassis and body crumble on the road?

Other questions to ask

Unless you deal with an individual, it is practically impossible today to trace the history of a used vehicle. That said, a mechanical inspection sometimes gives some clues. Just like a CarFax company history report. Or the Canadian automobile safety recall database. If the desired vehicle is there (the serial number is enough to know), then check if the recall has been carried out. Otherwise, it gives you a small idea of ​​the interest that its previous owner had in it.

Finally, a call to your insurer could also allow you to decide between the vehicles on your list.