The Many Benefits Of Certified Used Cars
One of the reasons that proportion has grown in recent years is that purchasing pre-owned vehicles isn't as risky as it once was.
Gone are the days when shoppers had to roll the dice and hope they didn't end up with a lemon.
An entirely new category of secondhand auto has taken chance out of the equation.
Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Vehicles When you buy a used car, there is absolutely no guarantee that it will be in excellent working order.
Like most secondhand items, you buy it in "as is" condition.
In other words, it may run great, or it may run like an old jalopy.
A certified vehicle is different.
Because these automobiles have undergone extensive safety and performance inspections, the seller can offer some sort of guarantee.
Quality Assurance In most cases, a certified vehicle has: - Undergone a thorough inspection from a licensed auto mechanic; - Been serviced, repaired, or refurbished to bring it as close to new vehicle standards as possible; - Been issued an extended warranty from either the dealer or the manufacturer.
Standards Not every secondhand vehicle is eligible for a certification program.
More often than not, CPO autos are less than five years old and have fewer than 75,000 miles on their odometers.
Because these automobiles must be in excellent working and aesthetic condition, they cannot have any major accidents on their record.
Of course, the main reason these autos must be in tip-top shape is that their manufacturers don't want to pay for costly repairs on products that are still under warranty.
Benefits The popularity of the CPO program has been nothing short of astonishing.
Most of the significant automotive dealers now supply these sought-after used cars to their customers.
In addition to quality and performance guarantees, these autos also offer drivers an opportunity to purchase their dream car at an affordable price.
Why is this? The average new car loses about half of its value in the first five years.
This rapid rate of depreciation gives buyers the opportunity to afford an automobile that might have been out of their price range when it was new.
Not to mention the fact that certification gives them some of the same guarantees they would have received if they had purchased a brand-new version.
Drawbacks? There's really only one.
Since the seller has paid for inspections, repairs, and maybe even a warranty, he will invariably charge more for a certified auto than for a regular secondhand one.
On average, shoppers should expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 extra for a CPO car or truck.
As with any other automotive purchase, shoppers are encouraged to browse around and to negotiate for a better price.
Certified pre-owned vehicles are a safe, reliable alternative to traditional used cars.