Buying a vehicle has changed so much in the past 15 years. 

The internet has changed how people make purchases, including cars, by providing more access to information. 

We can research, make comparisons and price check from the comfort of our home, then go look at the vehicles that seem to match our needs.

This is fantastic for consumers because it can save time and money!

A consequence of being able to compare prices online means that Dealerships must keep their pricing competitive, not just with other dealerships in town but within all of Canada, and that means there isn’t the mark up in the vehicles there used to be.

As a result, I’ve seen are people from Alberta, Ontario and across the Lower mainland come here to purchase pre-owned and new vehicles.

What does this mean to you as you decide on your next vehicle? 

Negotiating no longer means thousands of dollars off because there aren’t thousands built into the price.

When you work out your budget and figure out how much you are willing to spend, you will want to look at vehicles that are close to that price range rather than the ones way over your budget,

Why? Because if you fall in love with a more expensive vehicle and then are disappointed to find out that you can’t get it discounted to a level you can afford, you may end up less satisfied with a vehicle you can afford.

While you are budgeting, keep in mind there are always fees for registration of documents which can range from $400-$800, depending on the Dealership.

There are also levies from the government that must be charged, as well as, taxes.  If the vehicle is under $55k the tax rate is 12% (standard in BC). If it is over $55k there is an additional 3% luxury tax on most vehicles. 

Please contact me if you would like me to advise you through your next vehicle purchase.

Melina Snyder,
Laird Wheaton  GM
2590 Bowen Rd,
Nanaimo, BC
250-758-2438  cell: 250-729-1371
melina@lairdwheaton.com   facebook.com/melinaslotaauto/

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