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Buying preowned cars in Canada: starting a how-to thread

ashwooddream

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Jul 6, 2011
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Hi everyone,

This is NOT YET a how-to thread. ;D I searched the forums and had difficulty finding one, so I thought we might have one started (and hopefully, have qorax and/or the other senior contributors chime in too!).

I landed in Edmonton 2 weeks ago. We live outside the city, 1 hour away to be exact. I am still looking for work, while my wife (who landed here 17 months ahead of me) is now working as a nursing aide and is earning decent income (in fact, almost equal to what I earned as an IT consultant back home!). I did bring over some money, which I had previously earmarked for a 6-month rent/expenses contingency (while I do not have a job yet) and a CAD 4000 car. In the place we live in, a car is almost a necessity (it costs a flat $8 to get from one place to another via taxi; so $16 to do the groceries is not helping).

In short, I have $4000 to use to buy a car (or should I?)...

I have been looking and what I found is...
- if I wanted an SUV, I would be getting a 2000-2003 model of anything, with 200k+++ mileage on the odometer, hardly something you would call reliable.
- if I wanted a sedan, I would be getting maybe a 2003-2005 model with around 150k miles, nearly decent.

Now, possible questions:
- do I blow my whole budget on either of the two choices? If so, should the mileage count really give me a heart attack, like should spending $4k for a 240k+ mileage SUV be called a boneheaded move?
- do I get a sub-$2k car (any type) with LOTS of miles, and use it as a 'for the meantime' vehicle and save up for a brandnew one?
- do I keep calling for a cab (in which case I use up the 4k after 500 calls, or roughly after a year)? I only have an international license, but I do have a driving certification from my home country attesting to my driving experience).

If you want to share your experience on how you acquired your vehicle and your reason for choosing them, as well as other circumstances around getting a vehicle, please do share. I appreciate everybody's cooperation in advance. Cheers!
 

Aquib

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Apr 19, 2011
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ashwooddream said:
Hi everyone,

This is NOT YET a how-to thread. ;D I searched the forums and had difficulty finding one, so I thought we might have one started (and hopefully, have qorax and/or the other senior contributors chime in too!).

I landed in Edmonton 2 weeks ago. We live outside the city, 1 hour away to be exact. I am still looking for work, while my wife (who landed here 17 months ahead of me) is now working as a nursing aide and is earning decent income (in fact, almost equal to what I earned as an IT consultant back home!). I did bring over some money, which I had previously earmarked for a 6-month rent/expenses contingency (while I do not have a job yet) and a CAD 4000 car. In the place we live in, a car is almost a necessity (it costs a flat $8 to get from one place to another via taxi; so $16 to do the groceries is not helping).

In short, I have $4000 to use to buy a car (or should I?)...

I have been looking and what I found is...
- if I wanted an SUV, I would be getting a 2000-2003 model of anything, with 200k+++ mileage on the odometer, hardly something you would call reliable.
- if I wanted a sedan, I would be getting maybe a 2003-2005 model with around 150k miles, nearly decent.

Now, possible questions:
- do I blow my whole budget on either of the two choices? If so, should the mileage count really give me a heart attack, like should spending $4k for a 240k+ mileage SUV be called a boneheaded move?
- do I get a sub-$2k car (any type) with LOTS of miles, and use it as a 'for the meantime' vehicle and save up for a brandnew one?
- do I keep calling for a cab (in which case I use up the 4k after 500 calls, or roughly after a year)? I only have an international license, but I do have a driving certification from my home country attesting to my driving experience).

If you want to share your experience on how you acquired your vehicle and your reason for choosing them, as well as other circumstances around getting a vehicle, please do share. I appreciate everybody's cooperation in advance. Cheers!
Used cars are so expensive in Canada.
Which are best website to buy second hand cars ?

Also please chek insurance before you buy anything as without Canadian driving licence it's lots , say 400 $ monthly on SUV.
 

Aquib

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Did you find anything?
 

jhun_nyor

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May 24, 2010
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try kijiji.ca

I found a first owned, accident free, 2006 Ford Escape XLT V6 FWD 147,900 KMS for $5,500 in Nov 2011. I lived in red deer and the vehicle is in Sundre. Soon as I test drive it and checked everything is in good condition I paid it in cash to the owner.

So in order for me to drive it home I needed to secure a plate number.
In order to do that I need to secure auto insurance (I went with a broker and find me a good deal). Since I just had my drivers license in October I'm paying high premium. My current premium is at $1944 per year, I'm paying $162 per month.
The insurance co give me temporary pink slip to be given to auto registry to get my plate.
I paid $83 if I remember it right for registration + plate.

I went back to the owner, he took his plate number put my own plate and drive my SUV =)

I still have it fully checked with KALTIRE and according to the report everything is in good condition. They advise me though to have the brake pad replaced which I did for safety reason. I paid around $300+ for the service including oil change.
KALTIRE technician were amazed that the owner sold it to me very low whereas market price is around 10K for 2006 model and above.

It is in very good condition and haven't had a problem ever since I bought it. I clocked in around 12K in mileage
 

Aquib

Hero Member
Apr 19, 2011
903
128
Calgary
Category........
Visa Office......
London
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
Jan 2010
Doc's Request.
March 2010
AOR Received.
JULY 2010
IELTS Request
SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION
File Transfer...
FEB 2010
Med's Request
09 FEB 2012
Med's Done....
27 Feb 2012
Interview........
Medical received 12 March
Passport Req..
15 April 2012
VISA ISSUED...
30 April 2012
LANDED..........
Sep 18 2012 Shuker Allah.
jhun_nyor said:
try kijiji.ca

I found a first owned, accident free, 2006 Ford Escape XLT V6 FWD 147,900 KMS for $5,500 in Nov 2011. I lived in red deer and the vehicle is in Sundre. Soon as I test drive it and checked everything is in good condition I paid it in cash to the owner.

So in order for me to drive it home I needed to secure a plate number.
In order to do that I need to secure auto insurance (I went with a broker and find me a good deal). Since I just had my drivers license in October I'm paying high premium. My current premium is at $1944 per year, I'm paying $162 per month.
The insurance co give me temporary pink slip to be given to auto registry to get my plate.
I paid $83 if I remember it right for registration + plate.

I went back to the owner, he took his plate number put my own plate and drive my SUV =)

I still have it fully checked with KALTIRE and according to the report everything is in good condition. They advise me though to have the brake pad replaced which I did for safety reason. I paid around $300+ for the service including oil change.
KALTIRE technician were amazed that the owner sold it to me very low whereas market price is around 10K for 2006 model and above.

It is in very good condition and haven't had a problem ever since I bought it. I clocked in around 12K in mileage
Nice post brother.

So you bought vechile and then before driving it you get indurance and plate ?