Toronto, Ontario -- More than two-thirds of Canadians are uncomfortable buying used vehicles from dealerships, a new survey has found.
Produced by Angus Reid and commissioned by online used vehicle retailer Clutch, the new survey found 68 percent of Canadians do not trust the traditional used car buying process. Respondents most commonly said that the fear of being sold vehicles with hidden flaws or being subjected to pushy sales tactics were the leading causes of stress during used vehicle buying.
Only 23 percent of respondents described their experience as smooth. The rest reported issues such as haggling, undisclosed defects and high-pressure negotiations. More than half said they struggled with price talks, while half noted flaws that were not disclosed.
Negotiation stood out as a particular source of stress. One third of buyers admitted discomfort with bargaining, including 39 percent of women and 37 percent of younger shoppers. Just 28 percent of men and older Canadians said the same. A no-haggle option would boost confidence for about a third of those considering online purchases.
Consumers also know what would fix the problem. Three quarters want full transparency on vehicle history and condition. Seventy two percent said an independent inspection would help, while 57 percent favoured a longer return window or satisfaction guarantee.
“This survey confirms what we’ve known for years," said Dan Park, chief executive officer of Clutch. "Canadians want a car buying experience that’s fair, transparent and puts them in the driver’s seat.”
Clutch says its platform addresses those demands with fixed pricing based on market data, 210-point inspections, full history reports and a 10-day money-back guarantee. Vehicles can be delivered to buyers’ homes and picked up if returned.
The Angus Reid Forum polled 1,020 Canadian adults between July 30 and August 5. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 points, 19 times out of 20.
Another recent poll commissioned by Clutch and conducted by Ipsos found 71 percent of Canadians would rather not negotiate at all when buying a used vehicle, and 76 percent believe transparency is lacking.
A similar report released by CARFAX Canada also found that 80 percent of used-vehicle shoppers rely on online listings, but 46 percent will bypass a listing that doesn’t include a detailed vehicle history.
In 2024, Kijiji released the results of a survey showing that 59 percent of buyers say the hardest part of the process is knowing if the vehicle is fairly priced.
