This post has been produced in collaboration with Carloft. Thank you to the experts at Carloft for educating this mama on everything she needs to know about buying a used car!

Mention that you saw it on STRUCKBLOG and get $500 in free fuel or $1000 off any Lux vehicle when you shop at Carloft!*

*STRUCKBLOG code does not expire but must be mentioned prior to taking delivery of the vehicle.

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To be perfectly honest with you, previous to my most recent car shopping experience I knew very little about buying a used car. Although that was genuinely the case, it’s also exactly why I wanted to share this guide for buying a used car from a mom’s point of view.

Maybe you’re like me. A mom who considers her car a necessary tool for daily life. I use the word tool quite intentionally here, as I very much consider my car a tool, one that is essential to my ability to get things done expeditiously and efficiently. A good car needs to make my life easier, not harder. It has to get me and my kids where we need to go reliably and ideally, it has a few key features that make our journey comfortable and enjoyable (in other words, keeps my kids from screaming in the backseat).

Maybe you’re like me. A mom who considers her car a necessary tool for daily life. A good car needs to make my life easier, not harder. It has to get me and my kids where we need to go reliably and ideally, it has a few key features that make our journey comfortable and enjoyable (in other words, keeps my kids from screaming in the backseat).

How Did We Decide it was Time for a New Second-Hand Car?

My family and I started discussing the need for a new vehicle recently after my second son was born. All of a sudden our current used SUV (a 2017 Ford Escape) seems small. Our back row is taken up entirely by car seats. These days a typical shopping trip with both kids and our two-seater stroller in tow results in a cramped ride, especially after a trip to Costco (where I tend to purchase things that are not on my list, but too good of a price to pass up).

We’ve begun to wonder how we will manage if we want to travel a farther distance in the future. Where on earth will we pack all of our stuff? Between travel cribs, toys, snacks, and diapers galore, it feels like we are going to need to rent a trailer for our next road trip. If you have kids you know what I mean. They certainly don’t travel light.

Our back row is entirely taken up by car seats. A typical shopping trip with both kids and our two-seater stroller in tow results in a cramped ride, especially after a trip to Costco. We’ve begun to wonder how we will manage if we want to travel a farther distance in the future. If you have kids you know what I mean. They certainly don’t travel light.

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Our current SUV doesn’t have a third-row, so I knew it was time to shop for something with a little more space and seating capacity.

Why Buy Used?

Although I admittedly didn’t know much about buying used, I knew from experience that it would save us a lot of money when I started researching the best places to buy a used car. Our current car is used and buying a second-hand car saved us thousands of dollars in the past.

The car may no longer be considered new, but you can’t beat used car prices, especially when you’re purchasing practically the same vehicle. You can save thousands of dollars for what is essentially a new car. Not to mention, you won’t have to wait for inventory to arrive so you won’t experience any shipping delays to the dealership. You can get behind the wheel of your used car right away.

I would never be able to afford a brand new Land Rover Discovery like this one, but that’s the benefit of buying used. You can get what is essentially a brand new vehicle at a fraction of the cost.

In many cases, the only reason the car is considered used is because someone else initially drove it off the lot, but the vehicle still has good car mileage and plenty of life left in it. The car may no longer be considered new, but you can’t beat used car prices, especially when you’re purchasing essentially the same vehicle. Not to mention, when buying a used car you don’t have to wait for inventory to arrive so you won’t experience any shipping delays to the dealership. Once you purchase the vehicle you can get behind the wheel of your car right away.

Which Online Car Buying Site Did I Use in my Search?

I began by researching (in other words Googling) the best places to buy a used car locally where we live, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and who offered a large selection of used cars in the Southern Ontario region. Frankly, I didn’t know what else to search for because I didn’t know what make and model would fit my needs. I just wanted the best used SUV I could buy that would solve my storage problems while upgrading some of the technology I have in my current vehicle. To put it plainly, I wanted options and an easy way to make an informed choice this time around (because my past vehicle-purchasing experiences have been exhausting and akin to taking on another full-time job, no thank you).

As a multitasking mom, I needed a mobile-friendly online car buying website that’s easy to use with lots of selection, including various makes and models all in one place. A simple and fast way to find suitable options without an exhausting search.

Carloft’s website made narrowing down the search options easy based on the features I need in my mom-mobile. The 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander ES SUV had everything I was looking for and was waiting to hit the road when I arrived because I had prebooked it online.

In my research, I came across Carloft’s website. I had heard of Carloft before as I have friends who have very happily purchased vehicles from this used car dealer. Their site is mobile-friendly, which as a multitasking mom, is how I search for everything these days. Most importantly I felt like I had found exactly what I was looking for in a good online car buying website, mainly, something easy to use, even for me. They have lots of selection, including various makes and models all in one place, and 4 nearby locations, including Napanee, Cornwall, Carleton Place, and right here in Kingston. Bingo!

After browsing their website I learned that I could very easily get a trade-in evaluation for our current used SUV and reserve a car for a test drive online. The test drive is the fun part, am I right!? So I left hubby at home to man the kids and made my way to the lot.

Here’s what you need to know before buying a used car so that you’re armed and ready, mama.
With this info, you can do it solo and find the mom-mobile of your dreams.

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1) Know What Reconditioning Was Done to a Used Car

Head to the used car dealership during the day and in good weather. You want to be able to walk around the vehicle and have a good look at it. Inspect the tires, windshield, and upholstery, and look for any dents or scratches on the car. Buying a car from a good used car dealership such as Carloft means you won’t have to worry about any of this, or things like mismatched tires and windshield chips, which is why it is more reliable than buying a car from a private seller. Each of their cars undergoes a comprehensive safety and damage inspection, including examining the vehicle’s structural integrity, communications systems, suspension, exhaust, tires, transmission, and engine. Thank you for doing this legwork for me!

Buying used from a dealership is more reliable than buying a car from a private seller. Each of Carloft’s cars undergoes a comprehensive safety and damage inspection, including examining the vehicle’s structural integrity, communications systems, suspension, exhaust, tires, transmission, and engine. Thank you for doing this legwork for me so I can feel like a smart and informed car shopper.

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I was impressed with the safety and damage inspections that Carloft’s vehicles undergo, but I was equally amazed by the clean and detailed interiors!

As a potential purchaser, you should be asking about the safety and damage inspection and for any corresponding paperwork so that you have all of the pertinent technical information on hand. I was happy to learn that Carloft even does paint readings to determine whether a car has been repainted or repaired outside of an insurance agency in addition to providing a UCDA report on each car. This ensures that the vehicle’s history is accurately captured as vehicles must be represented fairly and with full disclosure. It also makes me feel like a smart and informed car shopper because I can be sure that the dealer is being completely truthful about the vehicle.

2) Have a List of Your Wants and Needs in a Car

Ask yourself what your current car lacks. Do you need a third row? More storage space? Or perhaps you’re looking for state-of-the-art technology and good fuel economy. Regardless of what it is you need, make a list of must-have features either mentally, on your phone, or on paper that can act as a checklist in your used car search. In other words, know your pain points so you know what to look for. For example, a third row is an absolute must-have for me, without one that particular vehicle is a hard no for my family.

Regardless of what it is you need, make a list of must-have features either mentally, on your phone, or on paper that can act as a checklist in your used car search. In other words, know your pain points so you know what to look for. A list will take the guesswork out of the process and may even allow you to explore some options you otherwise may not have considered.

At Carloft they have over 500 vehicles to choose from so suffice it to say I was happy I had this list to narrow down the search. After browsing their website Carloft staff followed up with me and emailed me a list of suggested vehicles based on the features I searched for. Having a checklist helped the staff at Carloft make sensible suggestions based on my needs, which took the guesswork out of the process and allowed me to explore some options I otherwise may not have considered.

Know what features you want in a car that you don’t currently have, such as LCD monitors in the back row to keep the kids entertained for long drives! In the Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury SUV, you can even control the entertainment system with a remote control.

3) Know Your Budget & Get Pre-Approved

Save time by getting pre-approved before you even leave your house. Check if the used car dealership near you has an online credit application process like Carloft does so that you don’t have to spend time filling out paperwork once you’re there. It took me all of 30 seconds to fill out their credit application online, and I was even able to determine the value of my trade. Doing this beforehand from the comfort of my living room was not only convenient, but it also meant my salesperson already had all of the pertinent details regarding what I can afford and was able to make reasonable suggestions based on my budget.

Check if the used car dealership near you has an online credit application process so that you don’t have to spend time filling out paperwork once you’re there. Applying online ahead of time means that both you and you’re salesperson are informed from the start and allows them to steer you towards the right car, no matter what your financial situation may be.

Having a number in mind, whether it’s what you can afford bi-weekly and/or the total price of the used car will ensure that you find a vehicle that’s right for you based on your needs and budget. It also makes the purchasing process that much more enjoyable, as no one likes to feel pressured into purchasing more than they can manage. Applying online ahead of time means that both you and you’re salesperson are informed from the start and allows them to steer you towards the right car, no matter what your financial situation may be.

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I was able to use the 30-second credit application online to determine my budget and financing options. While browsing vehicles I was also able to determine the value of my trade and book a test drive, all before I even left the house.

4) Schedule a Test Drive Online

This is the fun part! Once you have the used car search narrowed down you can reserve the cars you want to test drive online and schedule a time that works for you. Carloft had my two options ready for me upon arrival and handed me the keys immediately because I had reserved them online.

Once you’re in the vehicle focus on replicating your real life. Drive on the same roads at the same speed you normally would. Scrutinize whether this particular used car would meet your needs. Does it have that third row you’re looking for? Is it easily accessible? Connect your phone to the hands-free system and use it! Plan a route using the navigation system and see how loudly you can blast The Wiggles in the back to entertain your kids. You can even bring them along! Carloft encourages its customers to shop with their families and with their car seats in tow to make sure they fit.

Once you’re in the vehicle focus on replicating your real life. Plan a route using the navigation system and see how loudly you can blast The Wiggles in the back to entertain your kids. You can even bring them along! Carloft encourages its customers to shop with their families and with their car seats in tow to make sure they fit. The goal of the test drive is to pretend you already own your used car.

Don’t rush your test drive. My salesperson at Carloft encouraged me to drive to my favourite restaurant for lunch and have a bite to eat before heading back to the lot. The goal of the test drive is to pretend you already own your used car.

5) Try Out All the Technology and Features of Your Used Car

As mentioned above, it’s a good idea to not rush the only opportunity you may have to test out what could potentially be your new-to-you vehicle. Before you even leave the lot find out what all of the buttons do. It can be hard to find the right ones when you’re already on the road and driving. Familiarize yourself with how to control the heating and cooling, wipers, sound system, navigation, and hands-free controls.

Before you even leave the lot find out what all of the buttons do. It can be hard to find the right ones when you’re already on the road and driving. Familiarize yourself with how to control the heating and cooling, wipers, sound system, navigation, and hands-free controls so you can try them out during your test drive.

If you aren’t sure how to use the technology, have your salesperson explain the controls before you venture off on your test drive. Doing so allowed me to learn about some additional features such as the blind spot detectors on the side mirrors of the 2017 Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury SUV I otherwise wouldn’t have noticed. The sales team at Carloft is accustomed to walking customers through a car’s features in detail as they regularly do so upon purchase. They even ensure that phones are paired with Bluetooth systems prior to a customer’s departure from the lot.

If you aren’t sure how to use the technology, have your salesperson explain the controls before you venture off on your test drive. Doing so may even allow you to learn about some additional features that you otherwise would not have noticed.

Personally, I was really glad I took the time to connect my iPhone to the Apple Play system in the 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander ES SUV before my test drive as I enjoyed myself so much that I got myself lost in my very own town. Having connected this made it easy to navigate back to Carloft using Google Maps just as I normally would on my phone.

I know looking for a good used car can be a daunting and stressful task because I’ve been there, but I’ve learned that thankfully, it doesn’t have to be. If you’re a working mom like me and you simply don’t have the time to search endlessly for what you need, a used car dealership experience like I had at Carloft is what you need.

If you have any tips of your own to share based on your personal experience looking for your perfect mom-mobile or used car shopping in general, be sure to share via the comment below or connect with the STRUCKBLOG community on social media. Find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Anna

Disclosure: This content was sponsored in collaboration with Carloft. All opinions and comments are my own.

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