Here at Autosolutions we believe in doing our homework. So that being said, we are going to help you do your homework before you purchase or sell a used vehicle. We will assist you on how to make your purchase and how to sell your vehicle the fastest way possible. Here are some tips in helping you make your decision making process a little bit easier.

Autosolutions website contains a listing of all dealerships that are selling a used vehicle, this includes new dealerships that have used vehicles too. Making the used car search much easier and getting the best possible deal you can by searching all the dealerships/pre-owned cars. This will save you time and money, time by not having to go to each dealership's website or in person, and money because you will find the best price.

1.Budget
2.Market Value
3.Exterior
4.Interior
5.Inspection
6.Drive
7.History
8.Making an Offer
9.The Purchase
10.Change in Ownership

1.Budget

First thing you need to do is determine the amount you can afford. This includes the following; registration fees, license plate, taxes, insurance, gas, repairs and interest of loan should be taken into consideration when buying a vehicle. Planning is important, you might not remember to take all these expenses into consideration but you should so that you don't have any surprises when you do finally purchase your vehicle.

2. Market Value

Knowing what a car is worth is important, so you don't pay too much for it. You want to get the best bang for your buck. So click on our Market value finder (link to the Autosolution webpage) to find out how much the exact year and make of the car you want to buy is. Looking at newspaper classifieds and viewing the Autosolution's website will give you a good indication of what the vehicle you are looking for is worth in your region.



3. Exterior

If you're interested in a car then give yourself enough time to thoroughly check out the car. Don't view the car at a time where you can't see the car well, like in the middle of the night or after a snowfall. Doing this will improve your chances in detecting if there is something wrong with the car.

Make sure that all of the body seems like it's in good condition. There are no visible accidents or rust and that all doors open and close correctly, including trunk, hood and sunroof. If you can, look underneath the car for rust and make sure to check for any oil spills from the car on the ground, near the engine area.

Easy test that might seem funning doing is pushing down on the corners of the car to check the suspension. You'll know right away that if the car bounces up and down many times, the shocks are worn.

Make sure your tires are not worn out and that you have a spare tire in the trunk. Check to see if there is air in the spare tire and if there is a jack include too, every car should have one of these, if it does not you will have to buy one.

Under the hood - be sure you're experienced enough with vehicles to notice any problems. If your not then we suggest getting your car inspected by a mechanic. If you do decided not to bring the car to a mechanic for inspection, here are some things to look for

Start off buy checking the engines oil and transmission oil by using the separate dipstick if applicable. Check for color and level of oil in both engine and transmission. Check the coolant, power steering oil and brake fluid to make sure that they are all in-between the min and max levels. Turn the car on and have someone press on the gas as you are viewing the engine. You can sometimes hear sounds that are troubling and problematic. If that's the case be sure and have it inspected.

4. Interior

Make sure all of the interior gadgets work like lights, horn, radio, DVD, mirrors, windows and electronic devices like AC/Heater, defroster on back windshield, power locks and test alarm system too. Check the cruise control by taking the car on a long stretch and turning the cruise on for a while. Then use the accelerate and decelerate buttons.


5. Inspection

Even if you're buying from a used car dealership, get the car inspected by a different mechanic, someone that won't be biases of the outcome. He/She will check the brakes, suspension, timing belts, muffler and tell you if the car and engine are in good working condition. This is a small amount to pay considering how much money it can save you in the long run.


6. Drive

Make sure that you drive the car in different ways testing for any problems. Check for weird noises and make sure you turn the radio and heater off while you're driving. When driving find yourself an open area where you can do a 360%, make sure you turn the steering wheel completely to the right and then do the same but go to the left. Hear a noise? This might mean some repairs that you will have in the near future. Pay attention to a shaky steering when you are driving on the highway it may mean front-end trouble. When driving, test the brakes for signs of pulling. If the car has a manual transmission, push the clutch through various gears to see how it performs. If the car has manual steering, remember city driving and parallel parking can be difficult, so try and test-drive the car under many conditions.


7. History

When buying a used car, consumers should protect themselves by verifying the vehicle's history. You can easily get a listing of the car history by using the Carfax website. http://www.carfax.com This is well worth the money, these days you really need to do your homework. Carfax has all of the same information as the Societe de l'assurance automobile de Quebec (SAAQ), however, you can easily search a VIN in seconds with Carfax. Carfax has a package deal where you pay 30$ for unlimited searches for one month. With the SAAQ you basically need to go to an office each time and the cost is 10$ each VIN search.
http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/vehicle_registration/vehicle_record.html

Before you purchase a car you must verify if you have the right to register the vehicle. An individual who has outstanding fines is barred from selling a vehicle in his name or from purchasing another vehicle. So to avoid any problems please visit the SAAQ to verify the cost is only 1.50$ per request http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/saaqclic/en/public/checkvehiclelicence/index.html and it can be done online.


8. Making an Offer
If you have decided to buy, you should make your offer in writing. If there are conditions to your offer, write them down. For example, if you didn't get the car inspected by a mechanic then you can state in writing that you'd like the mechanic's inspection done as a condition in your offer before the sale.

If the seller/dealership asks for a deposit, make sure you state in your offer that the deposit will be refunded if the mechanic does not approve the car.

In your offer make sure that you make the seller give you a 30-day warranty. That way if something major does happen to the car, the seller would be responsible. Make sure its in writing. Remember that this warranty would not cover any accidents that can occur during the 30-day period.

9. The Purchase

Several people purchase a used car by only writing out a cheque and signing (transferring) registration. Be sure to make a bill of sale too, it is important to make when buying anything, especially a car. It can be of use to you if anything does go wrong. Following things should be included in a bill of sale, date, vehicle's information (example. VIN, description), seller's and buyer's name and address, price and how the payment was done. Be sure to include as much information as possible.


10. Change in Ownership

Once you have come to an agreement. If you are a Quebec resident only, you must register your new vehicle at the Societe de l'assurance automobile de Quebec (SAAQ). If you are buying a vehicle from an automotive dealer, go to a SAAQ service outlet (http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/en/search/find_service.php) with proof of identification, preferably your driver's license, and an "Attestation de transaction avec un commersant" form duly completed by the automotive dealer.