Information checked on 2 October 2026. When choosing a new car, a dealer’s used car or a private sale, compare total cost, vehicle checks and the protection attached to the seller separately. A lower asking price does not settle those questions.
Budget for the vehicle, taxes, insurance, fuel, registration and maintenance. Compare loan offers by interest rate, financing fees, amount financed, term and payment schedule. A longer term can reduce each payment while increasing total interest. Obtain comparable quotes from different dealers or lenders and compare total cost rather than the monthly payment alone. FCAC: financing comparison FCAC vehicle-financing information
For a new car from an Ontario OMVIC-registered dealer, check the dealer’s and salesperson’s registration. All-in advertised pricing includes the mandatory charges the dealer intends to collect, except HST and licensing. Separate the vehicle price, financing and optional add-ons; a low monthly payment does not establish a low total price. This Ontario advertising rule is not a nationwide rule. OMVIC: Ontario dealer purchases
For a dealer’s used car, also check registration and read the written disclosure of condition and previous use. You can ask for an independent mechanical inspection, acceptable financing or agreed repairs to be conditions of sale. Confirm acceptance before signing; a test drive or verbal assurance is not a complete mechanical inspection. OMVIC: written sale conditions
A private sale does not receive the Ontario MVDA protections reserved for purchases from OMVIC-registered dealers. Before buying a used car, use its VIN for the applicable provincial or territorial security search and check its history. Liens may exist in more than one jurisdiction. If a lien remains, require the seller to pay the debt and remove it, with written proof, before buying. FCAC: vehicle liens OMVIC: dealer protection
In British Columbia, a vehicle must be registered with ICBC before it can receive licence plates and insurance. Registration records the vehicle and its owner. Follow the appropriate ICBC new- or used-vehicle process; Ontario’s dealer protections and contract rules do not replace BC registration requirements. ICBC: vehicle registration
Ontario vehicle purchases have no general cooling-off period. Before signing, record any financing, inspection, repair or affordable-insurance conditions and read the deposit and cancellation terms. Specific failures to disclose can create statutory cancellation rights; that does not make every purchase freely cancellable. OMVIC: contract and cancellation conditions