Car Buying in the Time of Coronavirus
August 18, 2020 7:52 AM   Subscribe

I am thinking of buying a used car and could use some advice.

I'm in Ottawa, Canada, so specific suggestions of dealers here are welcome. Suggestions of US chains like "Just go to Car Max" won't be helpful.

I used to have a car - an early 2000s Honda Civic that I bought new -- and then I didn't have a car, because I quit my job to go back to school and I couldn't afford a car and a mortgage and I loved my condo more than my car. Now I would like to have a car again.

Having never bought a used car, I could use some advice on the how to buy a used car generally -- how do you decide which makes/models/years to consider, are ex-rentals a good idea, buying from individuals vs. buying from dealers etc? -- and how to buy a used car during a pandemic, specifically. There is a Hertz sales office very near me, so ex-rentals are something I'm considering. There are also a lot of used car lots, but they are very much the portable trailer in a corner of a parking lot "no credit, no problem" type of place and they seem sketchy to me but they also seem like they've been there a long time so it isn't like they're just fly-by-night businesses. I don't need financing, as I recently sold my condo. (I still love my condo more than any car I could buy, but since the condo and I no longer live in the same city, I couldn't keep it.)

I could go further afield to find branded dealers (Honda, Toyota, etc) that sell both new and "certified pre-owned" cars. I am willing to pay a bit extra to know that the car I am buying isn't a post-accident piece of shit, so are those dealer lots a good idea or am I just as likely to get a piece of crap from them as anywhere else?

I am very, very fat, and I don't fit well in a lot of cars so I would have to drive the car first -- not necessarily the specific car, but a car of that model. How are test drives happening these days?

In the past few years, I have rented at Chevy Malibu and driven my mom's KIA soul and they were okay. I have rented a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and it was comfortable but too big. There was a small SUV I rented (Mitsubishi something? I don't remember) that was less comfortable than even the cars I have driven. I barely fit into the passenger seat of my friend's MINI, so not surprisingly, that is right out. It is less about the size of the car, though, than the ability to push the driver's seat far back and adjust the steering wheel.

I could also just buy a new car, but it seems like you pay a huge premium for a new car vs. already being able to buy 2019 and even 2020 model year cars used.
posted by jacquilynne to Shopping (10 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
It's not just about how far the steering wheel goes in or out, but the tilt aspect is important as well (especially for women with shorter legs, as if you extend the wheel out too far, it can end up in your thighs or other awkward, uncomfortable places). Adjustable pedals would help but are rare.

Honestly, you'll really have to go and try driving the car that you intend to buy--especially a used car to really make sure everything fits. Pay special attention to the headrest, as modern headrests tend not be designed for shorter women--I swear the just force your head down into your chest--and angling the driver's and passenger's mirrors. (Sometimes when you pull the seat too far forward, the edge of the door blocks a large part of the mirror's viewing area.) I'm actually a car person, but I have so many, many issues with the way ergonomics are (read: aren't) designed to fit women, especially women with things like busts, which can cause seat belts to ride up and clothesline your neck.

I really think your best approach is going to be set your budget, pick the style of vehicle you want (car, SUV, truck), decide on the size and then look for the available vehicles that tick those boxes.

Did you like your former Civic? If so, consider a newer one. If you didn't, what would you ohave changed? With the Malibu and the Soul, what made them okay? The handling, the power and torque? The size and form factor? If you liked the Jeep you drove, except for the size, would you consider a smaller Jeep? Give those questions some consideration and let those answers drive your selection.

You should be able to get a test drive, even now. There is nor rule that says a sale rep has to be in the car with you when you drive it off the lot (although some will try to insist). They'll take a photocopy of your licence but that should be sufficient for them.
posted by sardonyx at 8:29 AM on August 18, 2020


Response by poster: With the Malibu and the Soul, what made them okay?

When I say okay, I mean just the ability to accommodate my fatness. Basically: "Did not cause me physical pain while entering, exiting or driving the car." The Civic was okay when I bought it, because I could push the seat far enough back, but by the time I sold it, I had gained some weight and it was difficult to get the seatbelt on and off because there was no longer enough room between me and the arm rest to maneuver the belt into the buckle.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:47 AM on August 18, 2020


If you liked your Civic then also consider a Toyota Corolla or Hyundai Elantra - they're similarly laid out, inexpensive and reliable. Small crossover SUVs also seem to be all the rage now.

Private sale used cars are undoubtedly the least expensive option if you've got the cash, but buyer beware.

Off-rental used cars are a reasonable choice. They should be able to provide better documentation about maintenance than the average used car.

Used car dealers in smaller towns/more rural areas are also a good bet - they survive on word-of-mouth/reputation and are far less likely to pass off a shitbox to customers.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 8:55 AM on August 18, 2020


Not immediate to your question, but my largest family member a) loved Malibus as a rental to the point of purchasing a Max version which they no longer make. We have one season of snow and live on a hill, and it was awful in snow, so read reviews, especially if the car is rear wheel drive. Said driver now drives a larger Toyota RAV 4 comfortably and the seatbelts are comfortable enough.

In the US, our family consults Consumer Reports which posts reviews on car reliability-perhaps there is a Canadian equivalent or version? Ours can often be accessed through a public library system when local resources are robust.
posted by childofTethys at 9:19 AM on August 18, 2020


We just bought a used car in Toronto (2010 prius). I have long legs and needed to test drive vehicles first to make sure they worked with my 1 year olds car seat. I called or emailed to book an appointment, and then went in at the specific time. The vehicles were sanitized before we drove them, and I was able to do things contactless (ie, they took a picture of my license instead of photocopying it). Some dealerships are also offering drop offs for test drives within a certain distance (we weren't able to do that because our local dealerships didn't have any priuses so we had to go out of town). I'd expect that the car sales people wear a mask at all times when working with us and follow standard covid protocols (ie, staying 2 m apart, having hand sanitizer on hand).

I liked using cargurus as a search engine, it's dealership specific and has a rating system. We didn't have a trade in this time but I'd suggest negotiating the price of the car first, and then the trade in. You definitely would likely get more for a vehicle privately, but there is a convinence factor for selling it to the dealership, especially in times of COVID. A dealership can also handle all the paperwork for transferring your existing plates.

My biggest suggestion is to make sure you have a independent mechanic look over the vehicle. Our recent purchase we had a mobile mechanic look it over at the lot, our previous purchase we took it to our local mechanic. If the dealer does not allow a third party inspection, run away fast.
posted by snowysoul at 9:27 AM on August 18, 2020


I hate to say it, but I really think you're going to need to go to a bunch of dealerships, get in and out of a bunch of cars, and adjust things until you're either comfortable or have ruled the car out completely. If it weren't for the size issue, I'd say go with a larger car, like a Chrysler 300, where the seats aren't going to be a sporty (read tight with deep side bolsters) as something you might find on a smaller car. Something bigger than a Civic but smaller than a 300 would be an Accord or maybe a Nissan Maxima.

I think I'd avoid looking at higher/taller vehicles that are harder to climb into (like some SUVs), but again, this is really going to come down to a matter of personal fit.
posted by sardonyx at 9:35 AM on August 18, 2020


Jeep-wise, you might consider a Compass as it will be smaller than the Grand Cherokee or just the regular Cherokee (not the Grand version), that is, if you were okay with the climb in and out of the Jeep you drove.
posted by sardonyx at 9:39 AM on August 18, 2020


I just bought a used car. I always do (which is rarely, because I then drive them to death). I've been looking at cars for more than a year, but the process was hastened because my old car predictably died. Still the 14-16 months studies helped me find the right match.
Here we have websites where all the dealers can put up their wares and you can put in parameters. If you have that in Canada, that will be most helpful. Last time I bought and this time, in the end it came down to one car that fitted my list. This time I needed a bigger car because I have become a grandmother. Otherwise the parameters were much the same. I want a car that is old, but has few kilometers. In both cases it ended being 9 years and about 50.000 km. For me, that gives a good car with a good price point. I want a non-smoker, preferably one owner, it needs to have a hook for the trailer and to be a five door car so there is space in the back for my big dog. It needs to have a good gas efficiency (I hope next time, I can buy hybrid or electric, but right now they are not in my price range). I like to sit upright, as a short and round person, but you can't write that in as a parameter, so that can be how you choose between the options).
If you don't have sites like this, you have to go through tons of dealers with the same parameters -- I mean the ones that work for you). I learnt all of this from the first car dealer I bought from, who was a sweetheart, and maintained the car for free for all of its life.
That car was an old Volvo (gas guzzler, though otherwise charming), then I leased a Citroen Megane for a while, because it was for my business (fine, but not perfect), and then I had a VW Golf (won't recommend, it had a powerful engine but it wasn't really a nice place to spend a lot of time), then a lovely Fiat Panda, and now it is a Citroen Picasso that I already have feelings for.
posted by mumimor at 10:18 AM on August 18, 2020


In terms of CanCon car guides, the Lemon Aid series is good - they have new car guides for each model year and than big omnibus ones for used cars. Most public libraries should have them available.

You might want to check out Autotrader if you're considering a private used sale (I think they have dealer listings as well). Autotrader seems to self-select for private sellers who are a bit more conscientious than the Kijiji crowd, IME. If you have a mechanic you trust and can get a car checked out before you finalize the sale, private sales can work out pretty well. Also get a CarMax report to make sure you're not looking at a rebuild.

The other location-specific thing to think about, if you're still spending time in Ottawa, is that buying a car in Gatineau (or elsewhere in QC) to register in Ontario is a headache, but just a slightly less of one than it used to be. You don't have to deal with emissions testing anymore, but you would still have to deal with Revenu Québec rebate nonsense.
posted by blerghamot at 1:50 PM on August 18, 2020


Phil Edmonston's 'Lemon Aid' series of books contain invaluable information about shopping for vehicles - and car /truck/suv reviews. There hasn't been a new edition in a few years though.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 1:51 PM on August 18, 2020


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