What’s the Difference Between Used and Certified Used Cars?

When updating your family vehicle, a daily commuter, or weekend adventurer, you typically have two options: look for a new car or shop used cars for sale. New cars are great but come with higher price tags and waitlists to get the model and options you want. Used cars for sale can also be tough since there’s a lack of confidence in the used vehicle’s condition. Let’s look at Certified Used vs Used Cars.

Luckily, there are options to help shoppers know a little more about their potential purchases. Many customers, however, don’t necessarily know the difference between used cars and certified used cars for sale.

Here’s what you need to know:

What’s It All Mean?

Technically, a used car and a certified used car are both pre-owned vehicles for sale. In most cases, these kinds of vehicles cost less than brand-new options. While all used vehicles are pre-owned, not all used vehicles are certified. There are some major distinctions between these two types of cars.

Used vehicles are sold by a private party or auto dealership. These are vehicles that belong to someone else before you have a chance to buy them. It’s as straightforward as it sounds. Certified used cars for sale are vehicles that come with a certification that guarantees a certain level of quality when compared against standard used cars.

Reliability

For a vehicle to earn the certified status, it must pass a litany of tests. While each auto manufacturer has slightly different rules to certify their vehicles, there are some significant similarities.

• Certified pre-owned vehicles can typically only be so many years old. For example, many brands require a vehicle to be no older than six model years.
• The vehicle has to pass a series of quality-control tests and multi-point inspections. These inspections cover everything from the vehicle’s aesthetics to safety systems to under the hood.
• The car has a clean history report and clear title

Extra Warranties

While some used cars may have some of their original warranty left, it’s not common to have much protection after your make the purchase. Certified cars, however, have additional perks from the manufacturer that protect you in the case something happens.

Coverage varies from brand to brand, but there are several kinds of extra perks you may see on a certified pre-owned car:

• Bumper-to-bumper warranty
• Powertrain warranty
• Low or no deductible for repairs
• Roadside assistance
• Trial memberships to services like SiriusXM radio
• And more

Final Price

With the additional layers of inspection and restoration mixed with extended warranties, a certified car is going to have a higher price tag than a standard used car. That means shoppers who are looking for a great deal might decide to stay away from certified cars. The lower price will mean less money down, the potential for lower payments, and an overall lower price.

Shoppers who are looking for a car that is in near-new condition with manufacturer-backed warranties love certified used cars for sale. These vehicles still cost less than their new counterparts but offer a higher level of quality over standard used options.