By Charlie Cosburn

The day you get your G2, you’re legally allowed to drive all by yourself. Despite this new means of freedom, most people who get their G2s don’t make use of their licenses as they usually don’t have places to be; however, when they do, they generally borrow their parents’/guardians’ cars. But what if you require a car as much and often as your parents/guardians do? Regardless of whose business is more urgent, you both have places to be. There are varied solutions and ways you could approach this issue, one of them, and the one we will be exploring in this guide, is simply – buying your very own car. Let’s delve into all the intricacies of purchasing a car by looking into the financial aspect, ways to approach the purchase process, and an insight of a personal car buyer!

WHAT EXPENSES SHOULD I CONSIDER?

The first thing you should ensure is that you are able to afford a car, or to see if your parents/guardians are able to support you. We’d recommend a budget of five to seven thousand dollars, which may seem daunting at first, but expenses can add up very fast. You have to be cautious as there are many added expenses when buying a car, which are often overlooked during the process. First to consider are the registration fees. Once you earn the car ownership, you must head to a service in Ontario to register the car under you or your parents’/guardians’ name(s). During this procedure of registering a car, you’ll be faced with two main fees: the license plate and permit fees, and the registration tax. The tax is 13% of the car’s price, and the license plate is another 59 dollars. For example, let’s say you bought a 5000 dollar car and went to register it. With the fees previously mentioned, you’ll have to pay another $709 ($650 as tax and $59 for the plate) in total.

Another cost people often overlook is the safety certification of the vehicle. You can earn the safety certification by undergoing a safety inspection. A safety inspection is extremely important and necessary before you start regularly driving your vehicle on roads. This can usually be done at any mechanic shop or car dealership and focuses on making sure all the essential parts of your car work. Everything in your car must function, including the powertrain, the brake system, the suspension, the electrical system, the tires and wheels, and the body. In some cases, they’ll even take the car for a test drive to make sure it drives well. Inspections can vary from place to place and what car you have but will usually cost between $60-$200. That’s just for the inspection, though, and most used cars have something that needs fixing. For instance, when I bought my car, I needed to replace a control arm, two brake rotors, all the brake pads, all the tires, and even the windshield wipers. The cost of all this was around $600, and that was just for the parts. Luckily, my dad and I could replace it all without needing a mechanic, so we saved a bit of money there.

Gas and insurance are two more costs that come with owning or driving a car. Both of these can be covered by your parents/guardians, but similar to many other things, it depends on how much you’re driving, and if they feel up to it. Insurance rates also vary depending on your age, sex, and even what type of car you drive and whether you’re a full time or part time driver. However, the rates will usually be in the range of $1,500-$2,500 a year. Like I have already mentioned, these prices can differ heavily depending on how much experience you have and what type of coverage you choose. In fact, G2 drivers usually pay 25-50% more than experienced drivers. Even drivers under 25 pay more because of their lack of experience and tendency to take more risks on the road.

Lastly, maintenance cost is another expense to consider. If the car you have purchased was originally expensive, then, in general, the maintenance will also be costly. For example, you can find Audis and BMWs for low prices, but the parts and maintenance for those cars will be more high-budget due to the quality and intricate systems found in the vehicle.

Now that you know what to consider financially, let’s talk about the fun part: how should you buy a car?

HOW SHOULD I BUY A CAR?

First question on your mind should be: where should I look when buying a car? I’d personally recommend visiting sites such as Kijiji autos and Facebook Marketplace which provide up in the market cheaper used cars. If you want something in better condition, then a car dealership should have some lightly used vehicles for purchase, though these will be much more expensive. However, in this section of the article, we will focus on buying cars that were once used.

When you’re looking for cars on these websites or those alike, it’s important to differentiate between scams and good deals. Over the past few years, car theft has become extremely common, and with that, more and more scam deals are appearing on websites. Car thieves will steal cars and resell them at super low prices to get it out of their hands as fast as possible. The issue with that is they don’t have the car ownership, which is something you need if you want to register the vehicle. Not only that, but driving and even just owning a stolen car is considered a felony, as you have possession of stolen items even if you don’t realize it. The best way to avoid situations like these is to check the price of other similar vehicles, read reviews by people who have already bought things from the seller, and, most importantly, just have common sense. My ultimate advice is: if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

Now that you know how to avoid frauds, here are some factors you should take into account when purchasing your very own car. One essential part would be knowing what to look for; you don’t want to buy a car in bad condition but you also don’t want to spend too much money. The first thing I recommend is thinking about what you’ll be using your car for. If you want to carry lots of people and items, then it’s probably best you look at larger vehicles. If you just want a car to get you from point A to point B, try to find a commuter car that is good on gas.

Another factor is the brands of the car. Try to find reliable brands, such as Honda and Toyota, and avoid unreliable brands, such as Jeep, Kia, and most electric cars. However, there are still exceptions in both categories, so it’s important to research the car you have your eye on and watch/read reviews before you go and buy it.

Condition of the vehicle is also crucial in the decisioning process. You can usually get a pretty good idea of the car’s condition by looking at its mileage. A car with 300,000 km will probably be in worse condition than a car with 150,000 km due to more wear on the engine. Try to stay under 200,000 km when looking for cars. It’s also a good idea to look at the photos and see if you can see any rust or other visible damage on the exterior. Keep a keen eye on rust, especially rust on the main frame (under the car), as if it gets too bad, there will be no more metal. Instead, the car and/or the car parts may just rust, which can be crumbled and taken off with your hand, slowly disintegrating your car. Some rust is fine, especially if it’s just surface rust (it’s not on the main chassis), but, regardless, it’s still important to watch out for it as it can spread.The most important aspect, though, is that you must go and inspect the car in person before you buy it. Check the car for rust and take it on a test drive if you can, just to see how it drives. Don’t forget to ask the seller questions, such as the reason behind selling the product, etc. If you can, bring an ECU reader, which tells the engine whether there is excess air in the mixture lab and naturally if there is excessive or insufficient fuel being injected. With the device, you can run a diagnostic on the engine to see if there are any issues the seller may have forgotten or possibly even lied about.

One more advice: once everything meets your needs and you have decided to purchase the car, ask the seller if the price can be lowered to the price the seller originally said. The seller may say no, but at least you have asked.

When the vehicle is finally in your ownership, make sure to register the car, safety it, and set up your insurance like I have previously mentioned, so you are legally allowed to drive the car!

AN INSIGHT FROM A PERSONAL PURCHASE

To surmise everything, I’ll illustrate an example by talking about my personal experience buying a used car. I started by looking on facebook marketplace and soon also began looking on kijiji autos. I found a couple decent deals, such as a $2000 Dodge Caliber with under 200,000 km. After doing some research though, I found out that it’s not a great car, both reliability and overall quality wise. So, I kept on looking, and this is, in my opinion, the most difficult part: waiting for the right car to show up, and having the seller respond. A lot of the time, the sellers would ghost me and were unresponsive, either because someone had already bought the car or the seller had “forgotten” to take down the post.

Finally, after about a month of searching, I found a Mazda 2 with 162,000 Km for just $2800, which was actually a very good price. I watched a couple of videos, read some reviews, and found the car had a good reputation and was reliable. With the help of my mom, we messaged the seller. This time, they responded! The next night, my dad and I went to go see the car in person. He brought an ECU reader to do a diagnostic on the engine and found nothing wrong with it. Next, we looked under the car to see if there was any rust on the chassis. When we were done examining the car, we asked if we could take the car for a test drive, and the seller allowed us to do so. After the visit and much discussion, we decided to buy it and pick it up a couple of days later.

The car did need a couple fixes, mostly with the tires and brakes, but I included repairs in my budget, like I mentioned in the beginning, so I was prepared for the incoming payments. Overall, the process was very easy and swift, but that’s only because I was patient and waited for the right vehicle to come along.

In conclusion, purchasing your first car is an exciting but complex process that requires careful planning and patience. Start by understanding all the associated expenses, from registration fees and safety inspections to insurance and maintenance, to create a realistic budget. Next, prioritize your needs and thoroughly research potential vehicles, ensuring they align with your usage, reliability preferences, and financial constraints. Remember, patience is key – waiting for the right car, inspecting it carefully, and verifying its condition can save you from costly mistakes and ensure you make a decision you’ll be happy with in the long run. By following these steps, you can navigate the car-buying process with confidence and make an informed choice that meets your needs without breaking the bank.