Topic: Help for a first time car buyer please!!

[sam1350]

I am going to buy a used 2003 Corolla auto preferably LE model covered with manufacturer’s warranty. I heard APA help used car buyers in Toronto. I read their website but still did not understand the process. Had any of you used their service of buying a used car? Do you recommend them?

Do they refer buyers to some dealers that they negotiated the price with them? Should I expect their No-haggle price to be one of the lowest on the market? Or with a little search I might find a better deal?  

Is that fixed price, based on black book values plus a fixed profit for dealers? And lastly can they refer buyers to the manufacturer’s (Toyota) dealers?

Thanks for your time

[WW]

Welcome to the forum Sam1350! I don't know anything about used car prices but i am sure there are ones that can help you here. And isn't a brand new 2004 Corolla a better buy than a used 2003 Corolla? I don't think their prices will differ much.

[sam1350]

Thank you very much Winson,

Actually my girlfriend likes the new look of Corolla 2003 comparing to 2002 or 2001 models but you are right, the price comparing to 2004 models did not depreciate that much. The dealers that I called did not have any brand new 2004 but only 2005, which is a little bit more than what I am willing to pay.

[WW]

Well, there are many other alternatives to a Corolla LE. Mazda protege/Mazda3 and the Honda Civic are also great cars. Not sure if you can still get brand new 2004 models on those however. They also look great IMO.

[articsteve]

I don't think the APA helps to negotiate used car prices from any dealer.

They do have a list of reputable repair garages.

The newer Corollas are better looking than the previous units however the used prices on them are not competitive.

My buddy just bought a 2003 Acura EL Premium, private sale, for 19K.  The car had 38,0000 km and 2 years left on the warranty which can be extended.  This is in Toronto.  Brakes were toast though.  That cost him another 500 bucks.  Tax was paid was PST only.

That car is a superior to a Corolla LE in every respect, IMO.

Does she have cash?  If not, buy new and get company financing.  Banks are about 7.9 for 5 years.  Honda is 2.8  Do the math on that.  I think Corolla financing is not as sweet.

One other thing, any Japanese car will usually make the warranty without a blown motor or tranny, but treatment of previous owner is paramount which is the problem of buying off dealers; as the previous owner/maintenance gets fairly FUZZY. She wants to see the vehicle go hundreds of thousands of km.

You need proof of oil changes every 8,000 km (usually) from new to qualify for engine warranty.  Toyota or whatever company will not care what a dealer has told you.  No records and you got potential problems.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I prefer Corolla over Acura EL any day of the week - unless you like the lightweight feel of a more lively car. The Corolla gets nearly identical - in fact better - mileage than the EL, has much better acceleration, is similarly quiet, and reliable. Actually, I liked the exterior appearance of the 1st gen 1.6 EL more than the 1.7.

And yes, get proof of service records. If they don't have them, ask where they took it for service and get the records from the service dept. If you change oil yourself, save the receipts.

[alex_tang]

Hi all, I am from Vancouver and I have the following questions and hope somebody can give me answers:

1. How do I know my new car is not a demo car?  what is the acceptable mileage on a new car?

2. What are the general insepections that I should take when receiving the car?

3. How are we protected by law (in Vancouver) from getting a lemon?  If the car has been take to the shop many times and still can't be fixed, can I request for a refund?

4. If so unfortunately I got a lemon, what should I do and what are the procedures?

5. If I put down some deposit specified as non-refundable, but then I wait for several months and still don't get the car, can I get back the deposit?  Any law or legal statements regarding to this?

Thank you very much.

[Mdxtasy]

New car's should not have more than 20KM on it.  My 2 new vehicles that I have purchased have had 4KM on one and 15KM on the other.  Demo's will have hundreds and/or possibly thousands of KM on the clock.

Inspect everything.  Make sure the body work is perfect...paint..panel gaps, interior blemishes, etc.  Those things cannot be fixed with a warranty.  Drive the actual car before taking delivery to ensure all works well.

Can you request a refund?  Probably not.  

Lastly, never put down a non-refundable deposit.  It's either fully refundable or do business with some other dealer.  If you do put down a deposit, ensure the contract you sign has an expected delivery date for the vehicle.