Are Pre-Purchase Car Inspections Worth It In Canada?

If you don’t know much about cars, having a mechanic or vehicle technician come with you when buying a used car privately can make perfect sense. We recommend anyone buying privately take someone who knows cars with them or pay for a vehicle inspection for a used car, and our auto loans team will share 3 important reasons why.

1.   The Right Person for the Job

The most important reason to take an expert with you to a car viewing is because they are the right person for the job. The same as you would have a plumber fix a serious leak or an electrician inspect your home’s wiring, always have a mechanic or technician do a vehicle inspection for a used car if it isn't already certified.

They have the skills, experience, and expertise to spot what you or I would not. They should notice attempts to cover up weaknesses, and any potential mechanical or electrical issues and be able to tell you with assurance whether the car is going to cost you money down the line.

2.   Determine if the Car is Good Value or Not

We can all check comparable cars on Auto Trader or check prices on Kelley Blue Book to compare values. But that’s only skin deep.

Only someone with experience can tell you if the car is hiding any mechanical secrets. Whether there are impending failures on the horizon or whether someone has tried to cover up a potential mechanical disaster for the test drive.

While predominantly about value, it’s also about safety. There is a lot that can go wrong with a car and the layperson wouldn’t necessarily know how to identify a fraction of those potential failures.

Which is why you would use an expert.

3.   Spot Mechanical or Safety Issues

This point has been partly covered in those other two points but is important enough to mention on its own. The key reason you would want a technician or mechanic with you is to check the oily bits.

To be able to identify worn components and inspect the vehicle with an expert eye. Not just to spot potentially expensive future repairs but also to make sure the car is safe, hasn’t been written off or cut and shut, and is a safe, legitimate car.

They won’t be able to guarantee that but they will be able to reassure you that you’re not buying a lemon. To a degree at least.

The Best Way to Buy a Used Car

Or you could do away with that risk altogether and buy a certified used car from a dealership. Cars that have been quality inspected, mechanically checked and fully reconditioned ready for sale.

Cars that come with a warranty and the reassurance that you’re spending your money wisely and are getting a safe, mechanically sound car you can rely on.

If that sounds like a better idea, visit our showroom or check our inventory online. It’s all here!

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