The used car market can be a minefield.
A listing will appear online showcasing a clean car with a clean bill of health and before you know it, as the seller has driven off into the sunset, you’ll have the mechanic serves up an incredible bill.
Sometimes it’s just bad luck, but in many situations, precautions could have been taken.
One of those measures is to buy a certified used car instead of a lemon from a suspicious stranger on Facebook Marketplace.
Certified used cars are used vehicles that fit certain condition criteria and pass a number of rigorous tests set by the manufacturer.
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This process is carried out by dealers, who can then sell the used cars as certified pre-owned models.
Eligibility criteria vary by manufacturer, but the majority of brands in Australia opt for cars that are under five years old and have no more than 120,000km on the odometer.
If a car meets those requirements, it will be subjected to a thorough mechanical inspection that includes up to 190 inspection points in the case of the Ferrari Approved program.
In general, manufacturers rate between 90-165 test points, with 100 being the most common number.
Another set of passing marks qualifies the vehicle to be sold as a certified pre-owned vehicle, providing many benefits to the buyer.
Perks vary depending on the manufacturer, but some of the benefits you can expect a certified vehicle to come with include a warranty, full service history, roadside assistance, and even Free maintenance is possible for a certain period of time.
For example, Nissan Australia packages certified pre-owned cars with three years of free roadside assistance, a 1000km trade-in period, service benefits and warranty options.
Audi offers a two-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty on certified pre-owned cars, as well as two years of maintenance and roadside assistance.
Brighton Automotive Group general manager of sales, Joshua Ferguson, said the scheme exists to provide used car buyers with peace of mind.
“It brings more comfort to the buyer,” Mr. Ferguson said. Automotive expert.
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“The vehicle must meet certain criteria to become a certified pre-owned vehicle. There are many other inspections and tests that must be carried out to ensure that the vehicle has an authentic history.
“The dealer inspects the vehicle but there is a checklist provided by the manufacturer for the vehicle to meet certified pre-owned standards.”
Certification gives car buyers confidence in the history of the car they are buying and a safety net in case something goes wrong.
No public seller can offer that guarantee, even if they adhere to a strict maintenance schedule and sell the vehicle honestly.
So what’s the catch? Certified used cars typically cost more than non-certified cars.
American auto research firm Kelley Blue Book estimates the price of a certified pre-owned car is about 1.8% higher than a conventional used car, but other sources predict Guess that number could be closer to 10%.
Therefore, the difference can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars depending on the price set by the dealer and the vehicle model in question, so not all certifications are the same price. treat.
The question is whether you are willing to pay for peace of mind.
