<HTML>Actual most of the car dealers who also sell the new car are OK to deal with, due to they will care their repution and they will check the used car that have been traded-in. The key point is there suitable car for you in that dealership. Since I just bought a used car and my friend has asked me the same question before, share the expereince for you:
1) for price, you may check with black book( the reference price for used car which is also used by most dealers) through the site
http://www.toyota.ca, and then click 'price your Toyota', after select the 'province', then you will see an icon calling sth 'trade-in price', click that icon, then you may go into the black book site. You just answer the question it prompts, then you will know the price arrange for your interesting car. But please note, the price is for trade in price, which means it's the price for dealer buying in the car, i.e. the cost of the car. When you buy the car from the dealer, the dealer will earn about 1000-2000 profit from the car depends on your negotiation skill and the car status.... the bigger dealer, more profit and the less feasibility for the price. When you negotiate the price, just negotiate the road price with the sales, the road price means the price including everything which the car can be on the road, it includes the tax, admin fee and so on, it prevents some sales have some hidden agenda on top of the car net price. But normally the road price excludes the license fee, that's charged by government.
2) The sales you meet, he/she have not the price decision power, their manger has the decision power, So if you can, you may talk with the manager directly, you may save some time, and sometime you may get better deal. Since the sales get commission from the net profit directly, but the manager not.
3) Don't buy the car from the private except you do know the car status, even pay more I suggest you buy it from the big dealer. Normally there will not hidden agenda of the car if you buy from the dealer.
4) Make sure there is no accident of the car before, you can check with the dealer, and ask them put this statement on the contract. I believe if they are willing to put on the contract, then the car was really accident free. The dealer can check with the insurance company or some other organization to get this information, but I think they will do this after you sign the conditional offer. This is very important, if the car was accident before, it's not only serious impact the car price and also the performance of the car.
5) If you are not the professional to verify the car's status, you can sign conditional offer subject to your own mechanic inspection. That means you agree the price and sign the conditional offer, but you will bring the car to your trusted mechanic to inspect the car, normally it costs about 100 bulks to inspect the car, but you can know the actual status from a professional. Of-course if you find the car is not good, you will lost 100 bulks, but just 100 bulks, you don't need to pay, may be ten times to repair your car later on. At least you know what you buy exactly.
6) When you pick up the car, verify the car in the same status when you sign the offer, and if you find any problem, put it on the contract and ask the dealer the close the problem within certain date, bear in mind at this moment, you are the customer(the god), don't so kind. Meanwhile, the dealer will only responsible for the thing put on the contract, all the promise in oral will probably not realize. That's the game rule here.
7) I suggest you should buy a car with power window and power lock. Since some old car have not these features, but although they are not major features, but you will find they bring you so much convenience, especially for power lock. But this is my personal preference, for your reference only.</HTML>