Your Best Route To Buying A Used Vehicle

It’s a very popular and sensible way to purchase “new” wheels and get the best deal - buying a used car, van or SUV. Nearly 60% of cars bought in Canada last year were used vehicles. And in fact, over one million used vehicles change ownership in Ontario alone each year.

Talk to The Credit Union first about financing.

Once you decide this is the road you want to take, your first stop should be The Credit Union to secure your financing. Did you know that we offer just about the lowest used car loan rate around (on cars three years old or newer)? We dare you to compare both our low rates and flexible options, our used vehicle loans are designed to save you more money in the long run.

Call us or come in for a fast pre-approval. Knowing you have the cash available will allow you to jump into action when you see the car you want as well as giving you the power to negotiate a better deal.

Don’t just kick the tires!

Buying a used vehicle takes careful shopping, research and common sense.

Here are some tips from the Ministry of Transportation:

• Always inspect a vehicle in the daylight.
• Check carefully for excessive wear of the interior upholstery, the seats, even the brake and accelerator pedals.
• Look closely at the exterior. Ripples on the body of a vehicle suggest that bodywork has been done and that the vehicle could have been in an accident.
• Always take the vehicle for a road test, driving at different speeds on different road conditions.
• Evaluate the performance of the steering, brakes, shock absorbers and front-end alignment.
• Ask about the vehicle’s accident history and request a written statement that summarizes any accident information.
• Take the vehicle to your mechanic or to a diagnostic centre for a check-up before finalizing the purchase.
• Check the odometer - An average vehicle accumulates 16,000 to 20,000 kilometres per year. Be cautious if the vehicle shows particularly low kilometres for its age.