What Is A Certified Pre-Owned Car? Know All About It

Buying a car, new or used always create multiple confusions for a buyer. But, this article is oriented towards the people who are looking for a used car. Machines cannot be perfect always, the risk of malfunction/ repair always exist with any car. As, determining the car’s condition is not everyone’s cup of tea, nowadays, people are getting attracted towards “Certified Pre-Owned” cars due to many perks associated with it. But, the difference between a CPO car and a general used car is something which is still a mystery for many people. This article will help you in decoding different aspects associated with a Certified Pre-Owned car

Definition of a CPO Car

Well if you purchase a brand new car then it is likely that it is protected under manufacturer’s warranty for any sort of issue for a limited time period. But, when you buy a used car, from a dealer or an individual, usually it is not protected by any sort of warranty, and one may not be able to identify the parts which are affected in any way, and this is the most important matter of concern for any buyer. Here comes the role of, a “Certified Pre-Owned” car, which is a car inspected at the dealer/manufacturer end for different issues and then awarded with a rating certificate.

Certification By Whom ?

A used car can be certified by anyone, and who is awarding the certificate should be a matter of consideration here. It can be done either at the dealer’s end or at manufacturer’s end. Most of the vehicles are certified by manufacturer-backed programs and different manufacturers have different standards to provide certification. But, many dealers run their own certified programs which are not backed by any manufacturer and if you are considering to buy a car from any such dealer then it is important to analyze the reputation of that particular dealer in the market.

For this, customer’s feedback can help you in an effective manner. Such dealers might also offer some sort of warranties with an additional cost.

Dealer or Manufacturer: Whose Warranty Should Be Preferred?

A manufacturer CPO warranty is factory warranty and must be honored by any dealership of that brand. But, a dealer warranty on Certified Pre-Owned car which is not backed by a manufacturer might be only honored at the particular dealer chain. So, if your car breaks down in the middle of a place where the dealer does not have its branch then it will be a problematic situation for you. Also, there are many dealers who are charging a premium for “certified” used cars for quality control or warranty protection, in return for a very little. So know what all is covered and what all is on offer before paying a premium to such dealers.

Does CPO Car Means Accident-Free?

There are many myths in the used cars market and one of them is that a certified used car is accident-free. There are many instances where accidental cracks are slipped from the dealer’s inspection and have been tagged as accident-free. Even some manufacturer certified used cars have also slipped the crack. Thus, there is no guarantee whether a car is accident-free or not. It is recommended that make inspection personally or take the assistance of an expert even if you are purchasing a manufacturer certified used car.

What Is Covered?

It totally depends on the dealer or the manufacturer from you are looking to buy your car. For instance, some may offer particular kilometers/ year bumper-to-bumper warranty and some may specify what all damages and loss they can cover at the time of finalizing the deal. You may also get a choice of different coverage packages from which you can choose depending on your requirement.

Will I Pay More For CPO Car?

Now this is a frequently asked question and again the price of a CPO car totally depends on different factors. These factors include a premium cover, strong reliability history, kilometers run, variant, and model year. So yes, it may be possible that while opting a car with good scores on each of the stated factors may demand some more bucks but, do not get convinced by the words of the sales executive about the condition of the car. Check it yourself, and decide whether all the factors are worth your money or buying a general used car can solve your problem.

We recommend that if a car has a history of problems with major components like engine or transmission then go for a full fledged CPO warranty. In addition, shoot your queries in the comment section about used cars or CPO cars and we will be happy to help you in best possible manner.