Certified Used Vehicles

New, used car prices, reviews and dealers Written By: MyRide.com
Reprinted under license.

What it means and why certification matters

2005 Toyota Camry
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Introduction


Certification. When it comes to buying a used car, it seems as though everything is certified. It's everywhere: on "Certified Pre-Owned" banners at dealerships, on melodramatic car commercials, on straight and simple dealer advertisements - where there's a used car for sale, that word will, sooner or later, creep around the corner and tap you on the shoulder.

Psst. Hey. I'm certified. Wanna see my 1, 654 inspection item list?

So buyer, please beware. That car may be a certified waste of time, a bonafide barge that costs you hundreds of dollars and a boatload of self-respect. For unscrupulous characters, certification is a nifty word to put on banners and lure in unsuspecting customers without having certified anything but, perhaps, the fact that the car has four wheels.

This is not the intended meaning behind used vehicle certification. But for every shady operator who abuses vehicle certification, there are many legitimate programs that provide a complete overview of a vehicle's mechanical fitness. It's a simple concept when you peel away the marketing noise:

A certified vehicle is one that has passed a series of published tests by a seller who is willing to support the inspection with some sort of warranty. Most car sellers take certification very seriously. A good used vehicle certification bridges the gap between new and not-so-new, and right now dealers have quite a few not-so-new vehicles for sale. Anything that will move these used vehicles - many just off a lease - is a strong benefit. The continuing incentive market for new cars has created a booming market for three year-old vehicles with low miles, perfect candidates for a used certified program. If you are a car buyer with $25,000 to spend, for example, it's an alternative that's hard to resist. According to a recent Autobytel survey, when asked what car they'd buy if they had $25,000 to spend, more than 50% would buy a "nicer used vehicle, with some miles but more options." The survey polled more than 2,000 people on autobytel.com and autoweb.com.

 

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