[PR] Buying a Used EV is Hard… Here’s How I Did it

After 3 years of dealing with buses that were often cancelled, late, too slow, or piss smelling, I pulled the trigger and bought an electric vehicle (EV). I chose a 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S AWD. Despite being unprepared for the challenge of buying a car, I found one of above-average quality on a low budget by combining my father’s knowledge of trading used cars and online help.

In this guide, I’ll share the rules I learned and followed when buying a used EV in Canada.

Clarifying requirements

Before I begin, why did I choose an EV? It's similar to computers, something I think I understand more than automobiles. A MacBook is considered “premium” because even when its doing heavy work, it doesn’t make a sound. My irritation by the sound of a whirring PC fan when its CPU overheats is similar to my intolerance towards the sound of explosions in an engine. The sound, combined with the toxic byproducts spewing out of the exhaust, makes me nauseous and does not scream “premium.” Also, it's bad for the environment.

Assuming you agree with some of that, here are some easy questions.

And then, there are the hard questions:

How long do you plan to keep this car?

The longer you plan to keep it, the lower the resale value. For example, a Kia EV6 may not hold up in value as much as a Toyota bZ4X. (This may not be true, just something to think about.)

For me, it was 2-3 years, assuming I get a free battery replacement from Volkswagen.

What’s your maximum mileage?

The higher the mileage, the lower the car’s market value and the sooner it will need to go in for maintenance.

For electric cars with battery warranties of 8 years or 160,000 km—whichever comes first—I’d recommend a car that is < 3 years old and < 80,000 km driven so you have plenty of warranty left. Car makers will often replace the battery if its health drops below 70%.

Are you willing to cover unexpected defects?

This will affect your out the door budget as standard warranty is often extra depending on the year and make.

For me, the answer was yes because I had a low budget.

I know this is the wrong answer.

Are you okay with an accident on the car?

This will also inform resale value. If there’s an accident on it that’s been repaired, expect 10-15% less resale value than accident-free models. To find out if there’s been an accident, order a Carfax report.

Again, it was yes for me because my low budget meant I had limited options.

What’s your insurance budget?

Yes, insurance is a factor and is a total buzzkill. Get quotes from multiple insurers for each car you’re seriously considering to see if it fits your monthly budget.

Does the car support DC fast charging?

Are you able to wait a few hours for a Level 2 charge if you’re caught charging outside in a blizzard? The answer is almost always no, so try to find cars which support Level 3/DC fast charging.

What’s the EPA rated range in ideal conditions and winter?

In Canada, electric cars have limited range and poor charging due to our long winters. Thanks to billionaires warming our atmosphere, this may become less of a worry, but a worry nonetheless. Depending on the temperature, the car may lose up to 40% of its normal range below -10°C. 400km in a good season will turn into 260km in winter.

Depending on the temp, cars without a heat pump take longer to charge outside because the battery is too cold to transfer energy.

I’m fine with that since I’m a city commuter and I park my car in a heated parking garage.

Each data point is difficult to remember if you’re tracking more than 2 cars. (For most people with low budgets, that’s the case.) I recommend using a spreadsheet to track data points per car like the listing link, range, out the door price, location, Carfax, mileage, and the salesperson’s phone number.

Driving

This is the worst part: you now need to talk to the dealership. They'll try to build a relationship with you because if this car doesn’t work out, they’ll try to sell you another one. (It’s often pointless because you’ve already looked at other cars, but they’ll try their best anyway.) Ask them to send you the Carfax if it isn’t already on their website.

Get a verbal quote from the salesman on the “out the door” price so they can confirm they’re not hiding any fees from you. The dealership should not charge you any fees apart from licensing/registration. If they do, ask the sales rep to remove them. If they ask you for your budget do not give it to them. The same goes for if they ask for what you can afford biweekly. If you supply them these numbers, they’ll be used against you when its time to negotiate.

Once everything looks good, it’s time to schedule a test drive! Give them your license to photocopy and take the car out on the highway with your friend/partner to get a second opinion. If the salesman decides to join, don’t let them talk your ear off. That’ll prevent you from hearing the car or any bumps in the road. Your goal is to find reasons not to buy the car, so pay close attention to the experience. Accelerate quickly, brake hard, turn sharply, and push the car to its limits to see if everything works

Buying

If the car drives well and is the best car you’ve test driven among the others in your sheet, it’s time to negotiate the price. If they quote you a “final offer” above your budget, walk away. In my case, I overpaid by $1000 because I was low on options.

I'm bad at following my own advice.

Here’s some scenarios for your consideration:

Once you agree on a price, they’ll walk you through all the paperwork. Then the vehicle is conditioned within a few days, and you can drive it home! While you wait, sign up for insurance which should start on the day that the vehicle is delivered.

I pulled a few blunders mostly because of how sparse the used EV market is in my region, but I hear the Chinese-imported BYD cars may spice things up. The Canadian market may look a lot different when I’m ready to trade in, which excites me.