So you’re in the market for a used car? Brace yourself for a flood of information as you explore all your options. To help you navigate the process of searching for used cars in Calgary, here are a dozen tips and steps to finding the perfect car at the perfect price.

    1. Keep in mind the pros and cons of buying a used car in Calgary from a dealership as opposed to a private seller. Sure, you’ll probably pay a bit more at a dealer. But that dealer may offer maintenance services, financing options, and even warranty protection. No private seller will offer any of those things.

    2. To get started in your search for the ideal car, start with some lists. Come up with a list for each of two categories: must-haves (essential features in your car) and it’d-be-nice-to-have (features you’d like but don’t absolutely need).

    3. Calculate what your budget is for purchasing — and owning — a car. Keep in mind when it comes to purchasing that you have two options: financing the car by borrowing money to buy the car and repaying it gradually or making payments over time to the dealer; or paying for the car in a single lump sum purchase.

    4. When calculating what you can afford, don’t think just about the purchase price (plus interest if you’re financing), but think about the ownership costs that will include fuel, maintenance, repairs (depending on the age of a car and any warranty protection), parking and tolls (depending on where you live and will drive), and insurance.

    5. If you’ve decided to finance your purchase, you’ll find many online tools for calculating what you can afford taking into account any trade-in, downpayment, price, length of repayment, etc. Many banks, credit unions, and even car dealerships may have online financing calculators you can play around with even before applying for financing.

    6. Once you’ve worked out your budget, contact a bank, credit union or financing company to get pre-approved for financing (assuming you’re not paying for your car with a lump sum) before shopping for used cars in Calgary. Knowing exactly what you can get as far as financing is concerned will help you in your negotiations with a car dealership. It’ll also give you something to compare to if the dealership offers you financing terms of its own.

    7. Now, how to find a car now that you know what you need (and what you want) and what you can afford. If you’re considering private dealers, online markets such as Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace are options despite the risks of private transactions and scams that you should be very cautious of.

    8. If you’re focusing on or including dealerships in your search for used cars in Calgary, contacting them can be as simple as looking up their contact information and inventory online. There are online resources to help you winnow your search among the many dealerships in your area, such as DealerRater and Car pages.

    9. By this point, you know what you can afford to pay, but now that you’re beginning to see cars, you need some tools to help you determine what a particular car is worth or would cost you to own. There are two terrific resources online for helping get a hold of that information. Canadian Black Book is an online and free resource for determining appropriate prices for used cars near you. While an American resource that calculates in American dollars (so make the conversion), Kelley Blue Book is a good tool for determining what it will cost to own a particular car for a five year period.

    10. Once you have found used cars in Calgary that you like and can afford, there are at least three more steps to take before you should hand over a dime. First, ask the dealer or seller for the car’s VIN — Vehicle Identification number. Once you have the vehicle’s VIN, go to the Carfax website and enter that VIN into their search field. Carfax will generate a Vehicle History Report with a lot of important information about the history of the car you’re considering. Watch for any red flags, especially anything that doesn’t line up with any information you got from the seller.

    11. Second, take any car you’re interested in purchasing for a test drive. The odds are really good that you’re buying this car to drive, not just to look at. If that’s true, drive it before you buy it to be sure it feels comfortable, safe, and suitable for your needs.

    12. Finally, before you pay a nickel for that car — no matter how much you love it — have the car inspected by a mechanic you trust. The mechanic will point out any issues with the car (in the present or future). Keep in mind that issues that come up may not necessarily mean you shouldn’t buy the car. Minor, cosmetic, or routine issues may simply give you some leverage in negotiating the price or give you the heads up about future costs. On the other hand, major structural, damage, or safety-related issues should have you offering up a hard “No.”

There are countless dealers who sell used cars in Calgary. The best of them are determined to answer all your questions and to ensure you find a car that matches your needs precisely. After all, they want to sell you your next car, too. And that means making you a happy and safe customer. Follow these tips while searching, and good luck.