How To Buy A Used Vehicle
Medicine Hat Nissan Used Vehicle Buyer’s Guide
While there are plenty of horror stories floating around related to purchasing a used vehicle, the truth is the process isn’t that difficult or scary. By finding a reliable dealership, and checking on a few small details, you can get a great deal on a pre-owned vehicle. That means you can stretch your dollar further, getting a higher trim level, more safety features, or simply something a bit more luxurious than what you imagined to be in your budget in the first place. Here at Medicine Hat Nissan we pride ourselves on only selling high quality used vehicles, and doing so in a manner that provides our customers with peace-of-mind. Explore our inventory of pre-owned vehicles below, or keep reading to learn more about how to buy a used vehicle—and why you don’t need to look any further than Medicine Hat Nissan!
What To Look For When Purchasing A Used Vehicle
While there are plenty of ways to determine if both a used vehicle and the dealership selling it are trustworthy (and worth your hard-earned money), we believe the following are ten of the most important things to look for when purchasing a used vehicle—not to mention the easiest, regardless of your knowledge level regarding vehicles.
- Check to ensure that they’re a licensed dealership. In Alberta, AMVIC (the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council) is the regulatory body, ensuring that customers are treated fairly and properly, and helping them when need be. If you were wondering, Medicine Hat Nissan is an AMVIC-licensed dealership.
- Ensure you can check the vehicle out during the daytime, in a well-lit area. It’s a major red flag if the seller will only let you examine the car at night, or in a dimly-lit garage. Our vehicles are available to be seen both in person and via walk-around videos or video chat by request.
- Check the vehicle’s undercoating. A freshly sprayed undercoating can be used to hide potential issues you’ll have to deal with later.
- Look for parts of the vehicle that don’t quite match up, whether that means a bumper that doesn’t line up properly, a brand-new part on an older vehicle, or even differences in paint colour. This could indicate that that vehicle has been in a collision that hasn’t been disclosed.
- Make sure you’re able to test drive the vehicle. If the seller doesn’t want you to get behind the wheel until the paperwork is signed, it’s time to look for a different vehicle.
- You might not be a mechanic—amateur or otherwise—but check for odd smells, puddles, or leaks under the hood. If there’s a leak, you’ll end up paying for it down the road.
- This one should be obvious, but ensure that the VIN (vehicle identification number) matches the one found on the paperwork. You can usually find the VIN number on the dash where it meets the windshield, or on the driver side door jamb. If the numbers don’t match, or if the VIN has been scratched or removed, this could indicate that the vehicle has been stolen or that the paperwork is from a different vehicle.
- Find out if the vehicle has a lien on it. Basically, a lien is a debt attached to the vehicle that can be put there by a lender or even an automotive repair shop. The lien stays with the vehicle until it’s paid, whether you’re the one who incurred the charges or not. You can contact AMA (the Alberta Motor Association) to have them check if there is a lien on the vehicle you’re looking at. Every used vehicle at Medicine Hat Nissan is lien-free.
- Remember this old adage: if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. There’s no reason you won’t find a great deal on a used vehicle, but the better the deal the more diligently you should proceed.
- Finally, a vehicle—even a used vehicle—is a major investment on your part, and not a decision you need to make right away. If purchasing privately, be wary of seller-imposed deadlines; likewise, if purchasing from a dealership, don’t fall for the old, “it will be gone tomorrow” or “I have someone else that wants to buy it.” While it could be true, there’s no need to feel pressured into purchasing this specific vehicle.