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A member quote includes dealer invoice, the APA negotiated mark up over invoice, incentives and a referral to a dealer or a broker who guarantees to sell or lease you the vehicle at the pre-negotiated price. Membership includes 5 quotes. (1 year membership $77 +HST.)
The APA has a network of car dealers and brokers in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria to help you buy your new vehicle at substantial savings and with the fewest hassles. Participating dealers/brokers agree to a fixed non-negotiable price. All deals are subject to a $87 APA referral fee payable at the time of purchase.
Toronto (join APA Toronto): The APA has agreements for all mainstream vehicle manufacturers. There are, however, a few luxury makes that are not covered, such as Porsche. Jaguar and Land Rover are now covered in the Toronto area. If you are planning to buy a luxury car through our service, contact us by e-mail at apatoronto@apa.ca to know if we have an agreement for the car you have chosen.
Vancouver, Victoria (join APA Toronto): APA's approved broker can deliver most brands on Vancouver Island and the Mainland, but please contact the Toronto office by email at apatoronto@apa.ca to know if we can help you with the brand you have chosen.
Quote requests for British Columbia will be completed by the end of the next business day.
Montreal, Ottawa (join APA Montreal): Most makes are covered, but please contact us by e-mail at apamontreal@apa.ca before joining to know if the car you are considering is covered by our service.
We will provide you with information on the vehicles you are considering so you can better negotiate with a dealer in your area. Our pricing reports tell you what the dealer paid for the car and how much profit (mark-up over invoice) the dealer is likely to accept. We also itemize current available incentives from the manufacturer for cash purchase, a financed purchase, and for lease deals.
You will have more information than the average consumer entering a dealer showroom. If there is more than one dealer for a particular brand in your immediate area, you can attempt to negotiate with them for the best price on the new car and the best offer for your trade-in. APA staff are available by phone or email during office hours to provide advice on all aspects of the negotiation, including the trade-in appraisal and monthly finance and lease payments.
For vehicles in the range of $30,000 and higher, the APA can recommend a reliable full service broker that has been vetted by APA and can in most cases ship a vehicle to you at a very good price. Contact APA Toronto for a referral and more details.
The APA new vehicle buying service started in Toronto in 1990. Today the service is offered to consumers in Canada’s three largest markets and delivers about 1,000 new and used vehicles a year. Consumers are treated to a haggle-free, hassle-free shopping experience, and can rely on the assistance of a dedicated staff of APA counsellors, many of whom have tried the vehicles members are thinking of buying.
The service is supported by a network of car dealers and brokers who are able to deliver all the volume car brands and most luxury brands. Pricing is usually based on a Cost-Plus formula, working from the manufacturer invoice price, and includes any additional discounts and incentives available to retail customers. Pricing information is supplemented with detailed vehicle reports available free on the APA’s website. The service has a very high satisfaction level; 94% of respondents rated it superior to their previous shopping experience for a new vehicle in a recent survey of APA members.
Because of the on-the-ground relationship with consumers and dealers provided by the buying service, the APA has been able to innovate in the areas of new vehicle sales and delivery. Among some of the innovations introduced by the APA that were later taken up in the auto industry:
• Plain language car lease contracts for consumers: APA discovered the first one in Canada in 1991, and made representations to government and industry that saw Plan Language Leasing and GAP protection introduced to Canada in the mid 1990s. The APA received a letter of recognition from then Minister of Finance Paul Martin for its work to reform consumer leasing.
• All-in pricing: APA pioneered the all-in price with no extras in Canada. All-in pricing has recently been enshrined in legislation covering auto advertising in Quebec and Ontario.
• No-haggle pricing: APA introduced this concept to new vehicle retailing in Canada in 1990, a year before the Saturn dealer network.
• Satisfaction guarantee or your money back: APA is still the leader on deposit refunds for new vehicles (deposit refunded at any time, so long as the recommended dealer has not incurred genuine out-of-pocket expenses). Industry leaders are now catching up to APA’s 30-day money back warranty (less an allowance for use) for used vehicles.
The APA’s car buying service has operated for many years, advertised mainly by word-of-mouth so more savings are passed on to you, the consumer. We have recently seen the arrival of new private sector service providers that claim to offer the same service. At this time, the standards provided by APA’s recommended dealers and brokers, and support from the APA counselling staff and vehicle testing team, ensure APA offers the best buying service available to consumers in Canada.
Buying a new car often includes two transactions, one for the new car and the other for your trade- in. Since this is a classic example of a “zero sum” game, it is a good idea to get more than one appraisal for your old car. APA members in Greater Toronto and Montreal can receive a second quote for their trade- in from an approved used car dealer.
In Toronto, if the offer obtained with the Used Car Appraisal Service is higher, that is the amount that will be honoured by any APA approved new car dealer.
The appraisal takes about an hour and in most cases you will receive a firm verbal commitment right away. You do not need to provide a written copy of the evaluation to an APA approved new car dealer. The APA cannot guarantee this appraisal will exceed the offer you’ll receive from the new-car dealer. On the other hand, when it comes to trading in your used car, it's prudent to obtain more than one quote, even though many people don't do it.
APA’s Used Car Appraisal creates no obligation on your part and there is no charge to Members for the inspection and valuation. If you do not intend to buy your new vehicle from an APA new car dealer and wish to obtain the appraisal in writing so that you can negotiate with your local dealer, there is a $40 fee.
Members interested in this service should contact the APA for referral information. For more details, view their website at www.tradeinmycar.ca.
The APA member price applies equally to finance and lease deals. The pre-negotiated buying price is simply converted to a monthly finance or lease payment based on the terms and incentives offered by the manufacturer. APA’s finance and leasing analysis service is also available so that you can confirm that the payments correspond to the negotiated member price, or the price you obtained from your local dealer.
Leasing can be tricky. We strongly recommend that you contact the APA to confirm the accuracy of the quote you received either from the APA recommended dealer/broker or your own. Please note that in order to confirm a lease monthly payment we need to know not only the negotiated price and monthly payment but also the residual value (buyback) and the total amount due on delivery (please itemize). If there is a trade in, state the amount allowed. We will also gladly confirm finance payments.
Dealers and manufacturers have become much more vigilant in passing on the costs of repairing and reconditioning vehicles returned at the end of their leases. Often, whether a part needs to be replaced or merely repaired is a judgment call. Think of a dented bumper for example. The choice between repair and replacement may be subjective but the cost of replacement is certainly much higher. In today’s environment, neither the dealer nor the inspection company designated by the lessor is likely to choose the less expensive option. After the economic meltdown in 2008, the APA began to receive more complaints from consumers who felt they were overcharged for vehicle reconditioning.
Obtaining a second, independent opinion is a good idea. A few weeks before the end of your lease term, you will be contacted by the lessor. If you choose to return the vehicle, it will be examined by either the dealer or the designated inspection company to determine what repairs, if any, are necessary. You may be given an estimate and a choice to have the vehicle repaired by the dealer or on your own.
Sometimes, the best strategy is to take care of obvious problem areas even before meeting the inspection company or the dealer. Possibly an inexpensive repair or touch -up will allow the problem area to be passed over or deemed adequate by the inspection company. The APA approved inspection service will provide you with a list of items you should look at and at the same time provide, if applicable, a repair estimate. There is no obligation on your part whatsoever.
Contact APA for a referral or further details at 416 204-1444 or email us at apatoronto@apa.ca
$39 fee applicable to non members.
Non members: Dealer Cost Report ($25.00) Click here.
Note: Dealer Cost Report includes only the dealer invoice and incentives on one vehicle (dealer installed accessories are NOT included). It does NOT include a referral to APA approved sources or the pre-negotiated mark ups or discounts available to APA members. We strongly recommend a membership quote even if you are not going to be buying through an APA source.
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