We arrived in Canada with optimism, and we thought we had been ready: we had financial savings, work expertise and a assist system. However one go to to a automobile dealership throughout our first week within the nation confirmed us how little we actually knew. In only a few hours, we received a crash course in shopping for a automobile in Canada, and in how the programs round cash, credit score and on a regular basis life really work. That have turned out to be way more formative than we anticipated.

Shopping for your first automobile: What nobody tells you

We assumed shopping for or leasing a automobile can be pretty easy. We had been on the lookout for a mid-size SUV, much like the one we had in Dubai, and leasing appeared just like the smarter selection. It didn’t make sense to spend over $40,000 in our first week in a brand new nation.

Then got here the credit score examine.

My spouse had a robust credit score, however her Canadian credit score file had gone dormant after she declared non-residency. I had simply landed, so I had no credit score file in any respect—a typical scenario for newcomers. Even once we supplied to pay outright in money, the dealership required paperwork from the financial institution to confirm the supply of the funds. Understandably, that wasn’t one thing we had thought to organize for thus quickly after arriving.

We thought-about asking a member of the family to co-sign the lease, however that wasn’t lifelike—it was an excessive amount of to ask, particularly figuring out that co-signing might have an effect on their very own credit score rating. Auto insurance prices had been one other shock. Regardless of our lengthy driving historical past, my spouse and I had been each thought-about “new drivers” within the system, which meant larger premiums. And since my spouse had the higher (although nonetheless restricted) credit score profile, she must be the first policyholder, with me added as a secondary driver.

Ultimately, we pivoted—leasing now not appeared viable. Between the dearth of credit score historical past, paperwork necessities and unexpectedly excessive insurance coverage prices, it simply wasn’t a sensible choice. We rented a automobile for a number of months, then purchased a modest used car. It was a troublesome adjustment on the time. Going from a high-end SUV overseas to a second-hand entry-level automobile in a brand new nation was humbling. Nevertheless it was additionally the precise choice. It gave us time to settle in, work out Canada’s monetary system, and begin constructing the credit score and paperwork path we wanted.

7 car-buying suggestions for newcomers to Canada

Whether or not you’re shopping for your first automobile, exploring auto financing, or shopping for a used automobile in Ontario or one other Canadian province, listed here are a number of sensible classes we realized alongside the best way: