Buying a car in Toronto

[BOLLENENI]

Hi,
What is the cost of a secondhand car in good condition and where can we buy them. Thanks in advance, what will be the nominal expenswe to maintain a car in Toronto

 

[Naturgrl]

Use autotrader.ca. Type in your location, budget, make and see what is available. Maintenance will depend on the age/make of car. You need winter tires. Insurance will be high as a new driver. You need insurance to pick up a car. Will you be paying for parking at your work or house (condo/rental)? Assume you have a provincial driver’s license to purchase a car.

 

[Copingwithlife]

Hi,
What is the cost of a secondhand car in good condition and where can we buy them. Thanks in advance, what will be the nominal expenswe to maintain a car in Toronto

Make sure you have a place to park it . Either condo or street need be . If it’s on the street , apply for a parking permit BEFOREHAND , and make sure there’s not a wait list for the area . Because if there’s a waitlist , you’re not getting a permit, and no place to park it .

 

[joconstantine]

Winter tires are "technically" not required in Ontario. But if we do have a set, there will be some discount in the insurance premium (it was about 80-100 dollars per year in my case, which is not so much as I expected). I know some people don't really use winter tires because they live in apartments and there is no space to store the other tire set. Definitely, winter tires are strong recommended, though. But they don't overrule good driving skills.

Putting that aside, according to my friend, car supply chain seems to have resumed. New cars have been delivered much earlier than people anticipated. Therefore, second-hand cars will hopefully be more affordable in the next few months. I am looking at buying my husband one, so I really hope this is true.

 

[Naturgrl]

Winter tires are "technically" not required in Ontario. But if we do have a set, there will be some discount in the insurance premium (it was about 80-100 dollars per year in my case, which is not so much as I expected). I know some people don't really use winter tires because they live in apartments and there is no space to store the other tire set. Definitely, winter tires are strong recommended, though. But they don't overrule good driving skills.

Putting that aside, according to my friend, car supply chain seems to have resumed. New cars have been delivered much earlier than people anticipated. Therefore, second-hand cars will hopefully be more affordable in the next few months. I am looking at buying my husband one, so I really hope this is true.

Agree that not winter tires are not required but if OP has never driven in winter/ice/snow then tires are recommended.

 

[Copingwithlife]

Winter tires are "technically" not required in Ontario. But if we do have a set, there will be some discount in the insurance premium (it was about 80-100 dollars per year in my case, which is not so much as I expected). I know some people don't really use winter tires because they live in apartments and there is no space to store the other tire set. Definitely, winter tires are strong recommended, though. But they don't overrule good driving skills.

Putting that aside, according to my friend, car supply chain seems to have resumed. New cars have been delivered much earlier than people anticipated. Therefore, second-hand cars will hopefully be more affordable in the next few months. I am looking at buying my husband one, so I really hope this is true.

Technically not required , but if they’ve come from a climate with no snow to a climate with snow , it would be reckless not to get them . This is why the highways in Toronto turn into bumper cars whenever there’s a whiff of snow .
I grew up in Alberta , where learning to drive in the snow was part of the ritual growing up . Your life depended on it .
Literally. You knew in the winter to ALWAYS keep your gas tank full.
Keep axe in the trunk if you ever hit wildlife .
Yes, you were expected to kill any wildlife if you hit them , to put them out of their misery .
( Only had to do that once)
FYI , a person can be an excellent driver in the summer and be a bloody menace on the roads in the winter.
Winter tires , bags of sand in the trunk

 

[rcincanada2019]

Last winter during a snow storm, traffic was a stand-still because almost all vehicles were caught unprepared. Each car, including big semi, were skidding left and right. The few who were smart enough to put on their winter tires early were able to navigate the road without any problems.

Technically, winter tires may not be required. But I'd rather have them for my family's safety's sake. Every responsible drivers would.

 

[foodie69]

Anyone in Canada NOT using snow/winter tires between November and April is a bloody fool. I grew up with snow and all my cars are properly equipped

 

[foodie69]

Hi,
What is the cost of a secondhand car in good condition and where can we buy them. Thanks in advance, what will be the nominal expenswe to maintain a car in Toronto

A Rolls Royce will be more than a Honda. Depends what you can afford. My car cost me $80 per month in insurance, $200 in gas and probably $1000 per year in parts and maintenance

 

[joconstantine]

Technically not required , but if they’ve come from a climate with no snow to a climate with snow , it would be reckless not to get them . This is why the highways in Toronto turn into bumper cars whenever there’s a whiff of snow .
I grew up in Alberta , where learning to drive in the snow was part of the ritual growing up . Your life depended on it .
Literally. You knew in the winter to ALWAYS keep your gas tank full.
Keep axe in the trunk if you ever hit wildlife .
Yes, you were expected to kill any wildlife if you hit them , to put them out of their misery .
( Only had to do that once)
FYI , a person can be an excellent driver in the summer and be a bloody menace on the roads in the winter.
Winter tires , bags of sand in the trunk

Agreed with all of what you said. I always filled my tank up whenever I had a chance and tried to keep it above half.

I just wanted to point out that as a newcomer, OP might have to spend his money on a lot of stuff. And if he finds that he needs to wait for another month (for example, waiting for the next payday), and he does not plan to take long drives on the highways, he should good enough to do grocery shopping with all-season tires. But again, not a ideal solution, and there is always risk to be calculated.

 

[canuck78]

Tough time to buy a used car.

 

[BOLLENENI]

Thank you all , got a clarity

 

[steaky]

Anyone in Canada NOT using snow/winter tires between November and April is a bloody fool. I grew up with snow and all my cars are properly equipped

That's me! I didn't have snow/winter tires between November and April, but driving was okay (as my car had "snow mode" in its programming! There's not so much snow in Metro Vancouver last winter anyways.

 

[foodie69]

That's me! I didn't have snow/winter tires between November and April, but driving was okay (as my car had "snow mode" in its programming! There's not so much snow in Metro Vancouver last winter anyways.

I used to live in Vancouver for 10 years. I know all about the kind of drivers you represent..

 

[Jeiddynsoa]

In Toronto, the cost of a secondhand car in good condition can vary depending on the make, model, year, and mileage of the vehicle. Generally, you can expect to pay anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.
As for where to buy them, you can check out local dealerships, used car lots, and online marketplaces like AutoTrader or Kijiji. It's also a good idea to have the car inspected by a mechanic before purchasing to ensure it's in good condition.
If you're interested in exploring more than just cars, you might want to check out https://sacfleamarkets.com/. They offer a variety of items and could be a fun place to explore while you're in Toronto.