Used Car or Certified Pre-Owned Car, Which One is Better?

Are you interested in buying a certified pre-owned or a used car, but you’re not sure of the differences between the two? To make a more informed decision, let’s look at the advantages each option offers.

Certified Pre-owned Car

A certified pre-owned (CPO) car is a used car, but it is a fairly late model car (usually less than 5 years old) that has gone through a rigorous inspection process. A vehicle can either be certified through the manufacturer or through a dealership. A manufacturer’s certification is more trustworthy and certification process is practiced at national level. Manufacturer certified vehicles also go through more testing and offer benefits such as extended warranties, loaner vehicles and roadside assistance.

Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are only available through a franchised dealership, unless the used car dealership is offering its own certified vehicle. Most car dealers showcase their updated inventory on their website. The site should clearly distinguish between regular used cars and certified pre-owned. If you feel like you need more information about any particular vehicle, it is always a good idea to call the dealership.

Benefits of Purchasing a Certified Pre-Owned:

1. Less expensive than buying a new car
2. Rigorous inspection and servicing process
3. Peace of mind that vehicle meet high standards setup by manufacturer

Used Cars

Used cars are often sold with extended warranties similar to certified pre-owned vehicles (CPO). However, CPOs are more expensive and are fairly late models.

If you choose to purchase a used car be sure to get the vehicle history report to make sure you are not buying a car that was damaged or in a flood. Most used car dealers provide CarFax or AutoCheck reports on their website. If a report is not available, you can purchase this online.

It is also wise to ask family members, friends, and coworkers if they have any experience with the dealership. Personal experience are always more useful then any online review.

Benefits of Purchasing a Used Car:

1. Cost Less than a new or a Certified Pre-Owned vehile.
2. Lower registration fees
3. Insurance usually cost less than a comparible Certified Pre-Owned

In the end, selecing a Certified Pre-owned car verses a used car mostly depends how much you are willing to spend.  So weigh the advantages and disadvantages for both types. Select the car that best cater to your needs.

The Kansas City, MO area has numerous car dealerships that offer both Certified Pre-owned Vehicle and basic used cars.