Use this Used Car Questionnaire to assist you in the buying process!
Most of us rely very heavily on our vehicles in our day to day lives. When you do have an unexpected mechanical problem, it does more than inconvenience you - it can bring your schedule to a complete stop! When this happens, you NEED a professional to get you rolling again, but what you WANT is to be dealt with honestly. You want to know what is wrong with the vehicle, what needs to be done and what it will cost. At Glenwood Auto Service, they are committed to providing you exactly that.
Your vehicle will be professionally diagnosed and top quality parts will be installed by technicians with years of experience that you can trust. Follow the link to their promise!
Glenwood are Trusted Saskatoon Auto Repair & Service specialists
Steps to follow before buying a used vehicle
Step 1. Go online and do a government vehicle identification number (VIN) search. In Saskatchewan this can be done by clicking here and going to SGI
Step 1A. If No Vehicle Status reported to SGI appears, the next step is to perform a cross Canada VIN search by clicking here and going to this SGI web page:
Step 2. If no major accident claims are found in step 1 or 1A, the next step is to spend a little bit of money online by visiting either carfax.com or carproof.com. These are the two best-known sources for vehicle history reports. These reports can reveal vital information about the used car, including whether it has a salvage title, which means it has been declared a total loss by the insurance company, or if the odometer has been rolled back. While vehicle history reports typically show open recalls.
Step 3. Contact the Seller
Once you find a good prospective car, call the seller before you go to see the vehicle. This is a good way to establish a relationship with the seller and verify the information in the ad. Sometimes the seller will mention something important that wasn't in the ad that might alter your decision to buy the car. Have our Used Car Question Sheet handy when you're calling in order to prompt you to ask key questions. You will notice that the last question is the asking price. Although many people are very tempted to negotiate even before they have seen the vehicle, it's much better to wait. Once you have seen the vehicle, you can tie your offer to the condition level of the vehicle.
If, after talking to the seller, you are still interested in buying the car, set up an appointment for a test-drive. If possible, make this appointment during daylight hours so you can see the car in a natural light and more accurately determine the vehicles condition.
Step 4. Test-Drive the Car
Test-driving a used vehicle not only tells you if this is the right car for you but also if this particular car is in good condition or not. On the test-drive, simulate the conditions of your normal driving patterns. For example, if you do a lot of highway driving, be sure to take the car up to at least 100-110kmh.
After the test-drive, ask the owner or dealer if you can see the maintenance and repair history/records to learn if the car has had the scheduled maintenance performed on time.
Step 5. Have the Car Inspected
If you like the way the car drives, you should have it inspected before you negotiate to buy it. A pre-purchase inspection can save you thousands of dollars. You can bring the vehicle to Glenwood Auto Service for a thorough inspection, that includes an all important wheel alignment check. A private party will probably allow you to do this without much resistance. But at a dealership, it might be more difficult.
No piece of car buying advice is more often ignored than this: Have us inspect the used vehicle before you buy it. Why do buyers plunk down thousands of dollars on a car with little more than an around-the-block test-drive and a glance under the hood? Three reasons deter car buyers from taking this vital step are as follows:
- Most consumers don't know that good used car inspections are readily available.
- Many car buyers don't want to pay the extra money for an inspection.
- Some people anticipate a hassle prying the car away from a dealer or private party.
Step 6. Once steps 1 through 5 have been completed, close the deal.
That means give us a call!! :)
Mon - Fri: 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM