Buying Used Cars in Toronto: Car Sources and History

Buying used cars in Toronto, or anywhere else in the world, is a huge financial commitment and an important decision.

This is the first part of a series that gives tips, important steps, and other important and helpful information when buying used cars in Toronto. The content in this hub is geared towards those looking to buy used cars in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, as there is area-specific info. However, there is valuable information here even if you're located elsewhere.

If you're looking to buy used cars in Toronto, two of the first places you should look are the Auto Mart and Auto Trader magazines.

Almost all used car dealerships in Toronto and the GTA advertise in either one or both of these magazines. Generally, in these magazines, each dealership has one or more pages and advertises a selection of their stock (usually 20+ cars and their price/features on each page).

The Auto Mart magazines are free and you can find them in "The Big Yellow Boxes" all around the GTA, usually near bus stops. Be sure to look for the "Used Vehicle Buying Guide" edition, published weekly.

On the other hand, the Auto Trader magazine costs somewhere around a dollar or two in gas stations and other places. Auto Trader has not only car dealerships' advertisements, but also private car sales info.

These two magazines are the most reliable and frequently used sources, and even better, the editions you find in the GTA will be GTA-specific.

Another more convenient option is to go on their websites: automart.ca and autotrader.ca.

You can use these pretty cool search engines that can search for the car you want through filters like price and features (e.g. air conditioning). Make sure though, that you set the area to Toronto (or whatever your area is) so you don't have to go through the disappointment of finding the perfect car... in a dealership on the end of the country.

Just like most dealers advertise in the magazines, those same dealers likely have a page on the websites, and those pages usually link to the dealerships' own website (if there is one).

Do some research online, so when you enter a dealership, you have knowleldge of the market of used cars in Toronto.

After you've found a car you like, you should first check the history of the car. Although buying used cars in Toronto is safe in general, doing this will save you any vehicle-specific trouble later on.

You can check the history information of any used car or light truck at Carfax.com. All you will need is the 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which can be found on the car itself, or you can ask the dealership/seller and they will tell you.

At Carfax, you can get basic info for free. For $24.99, you can get a full history report on a single car, or for $29.99 you can get unlimited vehicle history reports. This is very inexpensive, considering how much money you can save by NOT buying a lemon.

The history reports will tell you a significant amount of information of the car, including any accidents, previous owners, repairs, and so much more. Most used vehicles have a clean title, but it's a good idea to double check the history to make sure.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation also offers Used Vehicle Information Packages, which can give you information regarding any outstanding debts registered against the vehicle and/or registration history on the vehicle that may be of concern. Again, you will need the VIN number. Private sellers will need to provide you with the Used Vehicle Information Package by law, but if you are buying from a dealer, you can purchase the package separately. For more information on this, click here.

When checking for history, the two most important things are accidents and liens. You want to make sure the vehicle is accdent free. Liens are debts on a vehicle. Make sure that there are no outstanding debts against the vehicle, or else you could find yourself in some financial trouble.

The vehicle history is not hard to find. You just want to check for the extremes, like damages, liens. It is safe to buy used cars in Toronto, but as I mentioned before, you want to check for the occasional vehicle-specific problem.