Dealers Own Vancouver Island Used Cars and Trucks

Dealers Own provides links to the best dealerships on Vancouver Island to purchase used cars and trucks from.

It doesn't matter if you are looking for your primary vehicle, a second car or a car for someone else. We'll provide you with access to the used car dealers in your area.

OTHER IMPORTANT LINKS

ICBC - Buying a Used Car
Some helpful tips when buying a used car.

BCAA - Buying a Used Car
Some helpful tips from BCAA for buying and selling cars.

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Island owned and operated, owners of CanadaCarBuyer.com and IslandCarBuyer.com, publishers of the IslandCarBuyer.com bi-weekly magazine with a press run of 50,000 copies distributed on Vancouver Island. Over 200,000 readers per issue, certified by the publisher and CARD online 2007 Canadian Advertising Rates & Data - Rogers Media.

What You Need To Know Before You Buy A Used Car

Here are some things you need to consider before you make that important purchase:

· Always inspect a vehicle in the daylight. Kicking the tires isn't enough. Check carefully for excessive wear of the interior upholstery, the seats, even the brake and accelerator pedals. New pedals may indicate a lot of use. Look closely at the exterior. Ripples on the body of a vehicle suggest that bodywork has been done and that the vehicle could have been in an accident.

· Take the vehicle for a road test that allows driving at different speeds on different road conditions. This will help evaluate the performance of the steering, brakes, shock absorbers and front-end alignment.

· Don't let yourself be blinded by the reputation of a particular make or model. Even a well-made vehicle can deteriorate if it's not maintained properly.

· Ask about the vehicle's accident history and request a written statement that summarizes accident information.

· Take the vehicle to your mechanic or to a diagnostic centre for a check-up before finalizing the purchase.

Signs of Trouble

· Steering that pulls the vehicle to one side can mean alignment problems in the future.

· Squealing brakes under normal operation can mean excessive wear or improper adjustment.

· Blue smoke coming from the tail pipe can mean costly engine repairs are necessary.

· Lack of control during cornering at normal speeds or an excessively bouncy ride can mean steering linkage problems and/or worn-out shock absorbers.

Check the Odometer

           An average vehicle accumulates 16,000 to 20,000 km’s per year. You should be
           cautious if the vehicle shows particularly low km’s for its age, or if the signs of wear
           are not consistent with the vehicle's odometer reading. If you believe the odometer
           has been tampered with, report it to the police. Odometer tampering is a criminal offence.