Before You Sign: a BC car contract checklist — ClearCut Auto
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Free checklist · British Columbia

Before You Sign.

Twelve things to check on a vehicle contract in British Columbia.

Purchase or lease, new or used, the contract is where the deal is actually decided. Go through these twelve points before your signature goes on it.

The vehicle

  1. 1VIN, trim, options and colour on the contract match what you agreed to.
  2. 2(New) Freight and PDI sit either inside the advertised price or on their own line, depending on the brand. Find them, and confirm you are not charged twice.
    (Used) The price you agreed to is the price on the contract.

The price and your trade

  1. 3Vehicle price and trade-in value appear as separate lines, never blended, and the trade figure matches what you were quoted verbally.
  2. 4The exact lien payout on your current vehicle is written down, confirmed by your lender, not estimated.
  3. 5If you owe more than the trade is worth, the shortfall appears as its own line rather than folded into the new loan.
  4. 6Taxes are itemized: GST, PST at the correct tier, and federal luxury tax if it applies.

The financing

  1. 7The interest rate on the contract matches the rate you were approved at.
  2. 8The term is the length you asked for. A longer term makes any payment look affordable.
  3. 9Ask for the total interest you will pay over the full term, in dollars. It is rarely offered. Ask anyway.
  4. 10If you are leasing: the kilometre allowance, the per-kilometre overage charge and the end-of-lease buyout price are all stated on the contract.

The add-ons

  1. 11Every add-on is listed and priced individually. Nothing is bundled into a single package figure.
  2. 12Anything pre-installed you did not request can be declined or removed, and warranty, GAP and protection products are negotiable.

Then check the number.

Take the total amount financed from the contract — the balance after your down payment and trade, taxes included — and enter it in the Interest Calculator with your rate and term. If the payment on the contract does not match, ask what accounts for the difference before you sign.

Open the Interest Calculator →
The one-pager

Want the printable one-pager?

All twelve points on one page. Print it, take it to the dealership, and go down the list before you sign anything.

We only use your email to follow up if we can help. Your details stay with ClearCut Auto Inc. and are never passed to a dealer.

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Have a quote in hand?

Send it over and I will tell you what stands out. A photo of the worksheet is enough, and you will hear back within 24 hours. If you want the full written review — price, structure, financing terms and back-end products — that is ClearCut Clarity, $250 + GST.

Email me your quote →

Or send it straight to info@clearcutauto.ca from your phone.

LicensedClearCut Auto Inc. is a VSA-licensed broker-agent, Licence B70016. We represent buyers only.
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