Questions to Ask When Buying a Certified Pre-Owned Car

All new cars are identical to each other. In a dealer’s warehouse, every new car which has the same specs and features also has the same cost price, mileage and is in the same condition as the other one. Then, after they have been bought and owned, three years later, they cease to be similar any more- they are all different from each other then. When it comes to buying a used or pre-owned car, there are two routes that a car buyer can go take.

The first route is to buy the used car from a private seller. The second method is to purchase from a used car dealership. There is a third route that used car buyers can take. This third route that is gaining increasing popularity, involves buying a used car from the manufacturer’s certified program and is referred to as “certified pre owned” (CPO) car shopping. Shopping for a certified pre owned car blends in tasks that are required before buying any new or any used car. So in a nutshell, buying a certified pre owned car might require more effort than buying a brand new car, but involves fewer pitfalls than buying a used car from a private seller. In order to get the best while buying a CPO car, there are a few points that you need to be clear about.

1. In the same way that you would while buying a non certified used car, find out by yourself the resale values of the CPO cars that you have enlisted. Car value calculators are freely available in the multitudes of websites and they offer a near accurate estimate of the resale value of the car, which is determined based on the vehicle’s mileage and overall condition.

2. Make sure that it is the original car maker and not just the local auto dealer that is certifying the car. That way you can ascertain that the CPO car has undergone thorough inspection and meets the manufacturer’s stringent criteria to declare the car as ‘certified’.

3. Ask for the certification checklist to ascertain that all the major components of the car have been inspected and tested.

4. Ask for the vehicle’s history of maintenance and repair.

5. Go through the car warranty and make sure that you understand it clearly.

6. Read the policy on the CPO warranty to know which parts of the car are going to be covered under the warranty. Bumper-to-bumper coverage is generally not included and is purchased separately.

7. Also, ask for the details of the return policy.

8. Check for both the mileage and age limits of the car that are mentioned in the warranty.
9. Make sure to ask for a test drive of the car to get feel the driving experience first hand

Once you clear off these questions, you can then get ready to strike up a deal to negotiate the price of the car.