IS Series: We Just Bought A (Used) Car!

Hey there! 

I know, I know it's been too long, but I now come with great news! WE. JUST. BOUGHT. A. CAR!!! I can actually taste our hard-earned freedom from the elements, from 1 hour+ bus rides and missing buses! We can now grocery shop with utmost abandon! :P No more lugging around personal carts while waiting under the harsh summer sun or during snowstorms. We can now go to wherever we want, whenever we want! FREEDOM BEYBEEEEE

 

Okayyy, too much happiness my friend. 

So how did we go around shopping for one? Well, it started when Mr. A got serious about taking his G license. As soon as he passed (thank you Etobicoke!), we started looking around Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or just randomly looking around dealerships around town for good second-hand vehicles. Our criteria were:

 

1) It should be a Japanese brand (reliability factor), 

2) Not above 300,000 km, 

3) Not more than 5K CAD,

4) the body should still be presentable/the engine is not too worn out, and

5) it should be an SUV.

With our budget, however, we were working on a limited market. Used Toyotas were still expensive for <2005 models, and even then the frames are either too outdated, too rusty, or no warranties were offered. We can't risk buying one that will give up on us 3 months in. We also didn't want to consider financing just to get something brand-new, it's not a practical choice for temporary residents. 

So after 2 weeks and 2 failed trips to Scarborough and Dundas, we found Dar Motors in Halton Hills. There, we had to compromise on our above list as Mr. A fell in love at first sight with a used 2013 Hyundai Elantra GLS 2-door coupe. We had to re-work our list on multiple levels based on its nationality (Korean), pricing (>5 but <10), and that it was a sedan, albeit a coupe. I originally wanted an SUV because I felt that it was a more practical vehicle for winter and that we can carry more items on it vs. getting a sedan. However, Mr. A pointed out that its fuel economy is top-notch, and that the body is well-maintained for its age. At this point in our life, getting a car that is appropriate for our family size is what we actually need, and not a gas-guzzling, older model SUV. We also had a 1-year engine warranty plus an additional 6-month coverage on our AC. They will be taking care of registration and car detailing, and all we had to do is pay a $500 down payment at the onset and the rest of the balance on the day of pick-up. 

So I took away all my prejudices and said yes. They were also open to bringing the car to our mechanic of choice so we can get it checked, and even dropped us off at home on the way. Talk about customer service! With this in mind, we went ahead and closed the sale 2 days ago.  We even got our lucky number plates customized! Thanks again Naveed of Dar Motors, their service is truly the best :) 

If you want to get in touch with them, they can be reached at below:

See you on our next roadtrip!