What Is a Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle?

As new cars get more expensive, the used car market is booming. It's easy to find a used car but finding one that's both reliable and affordable is more of a challenge.

What is a Pre-Owned Vehicle?

Simply put, a pre-owned car is a used car. Used cars come in a wide variety of makes, models, model years, and conditions. Selecting the right pre-owned car or truck can be fraught with worry, fear, and doubt. Some questions you may have while doing your search are as follows:

• What kind of warranty will I get, if any?
• How was the vehicle treated by its previous owner?
• How do I know if anything’s wrong with the car mechanically?
• How can I get the best price?
• What will I do with my current vehicle?
• Can I trust the seller?
• How do I get financing?
• Where will I get this vehicle serviced?

While we can’t answer all of these questions for you, an option that has become very popular with used car buyers in recent years is the option of purchasing a certified pre-owned vehicle.

What is a Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle?

A Certified pre-owned vehicles has had a thorough inspection by a factory trained mechanic and any necessary repairs have been completed before the vehicle is set out on the lot for sale. A certified pre-owned car or truck may come with a warranty, so the price will likely be higher than for a vehicle with no warranty. This doesn’t mean that there won’t be repairs in the future for that vehicle, but the certification can give you the peace of mind knowing that the vehicle has been thoroughly inspected and comes with some warranty protection.

Where can I find a Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle?

Typically, you can only find a certified pre-owned vehicle at a dealership that sells the same brand. In other words, you won’t find a certified per-owned Buick at a Toyota dealership, but you will likely find a number of certified pre-owned Toyotas at that dealership.

Advantages of a Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle

• Warranty coverage-as mentioned above, most certified pre-owned vehicles will come with a limited warranty from the manufacturer. During the warranty period, you can have any covered repairs handled at the dealership where you bought the car, or at any other dealership of the same brand of vehicles.
• Newer and lower mileage-certified pre-owned vehicles are usually newer with lower mileage, as it’s not uncommon for the manufacturers to specify the age and mileage limits for such vehicles. That means that you’ll likely enjoy good service from the vehicle for a longer period of time.
• Thorough inspection-when you buy a certified pre-owned vehicle, you can be sure that it’s been inspected by a factory trained mechanic and any necessary repairs have been made. This inspection would look for things that need immediate attention, but the mechanics will also check to see any signs of trouble to come and will deal with it accordingly.
• Better financing options-at many dealerships, you’ll find that a certified pre-owned vehicle may be eligible for more attractive financing options. Indeed, the manufacturers usually have their own financing divisions that provide lower rates for certified pre-owned buyers. Other lending institutions may also offer lower financing rates for a certified pre-owned buyer.
• Other perks-in addition to the warranty protections, some dealerships include extras like roadside assistance, towing, or travel expense reimbursement.

Disadvantages of Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles

While these advantages are real, there are also a couple of disadvantages of a certified pre-owned vehicle:

• Higher price-because of the mechanical inspection and warranty protections offered with certified pre-owned vehicles, you’ll probably find that the prices are higher for similar non-certified vehicles.
• Limited selection-dealerships usually only certify the best vehicles that they take in on trades. This means that you’ll be limited to the nicer cars or trucks, and only vehicles from the same manufacturer.

Final Thought

The bottom line is this. You need to carefully consider all of your options when purchasing a pre-owned vehicle. You may find that a certified pre-owned vehicle is the right choice.

Yankee Ford Finance Managers offer a variety of financing options, along with personalized account management. We work with Ford Credit and Ford Company ensuring our customers take advantage of special rates available for Gold and EV Certified Vehicles.

Yankee Ford is the premier Ford dealership in South Portland, Maine, offering a diverse inventory of both new and used vehicles to choose from. Our highly trained sales team is ready to help you select your next vehicle, and our certified factory trained service technicians are equipped to handle all your service needs. If you have any automotive needs in the Portland area, we hope you will stop by and let us serve you. For more information, visit our website or contact us. We hope to see you soon!