Look Into My Eyes . . . Believe Me

Granted I've not been doing this for long. BUT it doesn't take long for a gal to learn what the important action and steps are when buying a car and most importantly what to ask the salesperson.

The following are my five top questions to always ask before you buy.

1. Is the car a rebuild?

A rebuild is a car that has been written off and then re-built. A dealer is supposed to declare if a car is a rebuild - but . . . .

If you buy a rebuild you will get a really cheap car - and it may last a long time. You may also get a world of problems and really expensive car down the line. Know what you are buying.

2. Has the car been in an accident?

These days even a minor accident can cause a heft bill, so don't be scared off right away by an accident report. If at all possible you do want to know where on the vehicle the accident occurred. Talk to your salesperson - beyond asking the basic question. He may have knowledge of the accident and if it was recent he may even have paperwork to on the repairs.

Where the accident happened is not in the ICBC reports so employ those observation skills we talked about - is the paint a different colour, is there a mysterious gap between the hood and body?

This one really does require judgement on your part. BUT, if is safe t osay that if it's not a rebuild and it has passed inspection you are good to go.

3. Has the car been inspected?

Who inspected the car? What was inspected? What were the results? There are many different types of inspections. The most basic inspection should at least cover the main components of the vehicle. Some are simply pass fail tests and some provide a percentage. Some are so detailed that the minutia of the report may get your feeling skittish. All of this needs to be taken into account. If you are provided a long detailed report it would be worth your while to take some time to read it and give some thought to what is actually important - versus - what isn't.

4. Are there any liens on the car?

You don't want a car if a finance company is going to come along and repossess it. It is possible it's an old lease vehicle and the paper work has just lagged behind, that's o.k,, but get it cleared up before you buy!

5. Finally "Show me the documentation!"

No matter how trustworthy and charming your salesperson appears to be, don't just look into his eyes and say "o.k.". A salesperson should be able to support his claims with paper. You want to see the lien search, inspection report, if there's been an accident let's see the ICBC report and if they have done repairs let's see it.

A lemon can happen to the most thorough person - even a dealer - but if you do your homework and due diligence your chances of making a satisfying happily ever after purchase are much greater!