The Real Difference Between Factory Certified and Dealer Certified Used Car

For many people, certified used cars have become better alternatives to new cars. CPO cars are popular because they eliminate the risk of buying a used car, are comparatively cheaper and represent similar quality as that of a new car.

To be labelled as a CPO, a Honda used car should meet specific mileage and age requirements, after which it must go through a thorough inspection at the dealership. If it successfully meets the test standards, it gets an extended warranty and a higher price tag than a non-CPO model. For many paying this extra money for a CPO is worth it, because of the peace of mind and extended assistance it brings along with it.

Factory Certified vs Dealer Certified Used car

To be certified by a manufacturer, the car has to undergo rigorous inspection and reconditioning process. Only after the car meets all the standards prescribed by the manufacturer, it is backed with a manufacturer's warranty. This warranty is equivalent to the original factory warranty, implying that you can take your Honda used car to any franchised Honda dealership if you face issues.

For many dealers, selling a CPO vehicle is a profit-making undertaking. People are willing to pay more and the used cars for sale need very little reconditioning. Dealers simply add an extended warranty to a used car and label its as certified. Such a so called certified car is directly connected to the dealership which has labeled it as certified i.e. if the dealership shuts down, the certification becomes loses importance.

Often dealers also buy used cars from the used cars for sale by some other dealership, give it a third-party warranty and sell it as CPO. The cardinal rule is that: only a franchised dealer can sell the manufacturer'sCPO vehicle and the warranty of such a CPO used car is not restricted to a certain dealership. A dealer certified used car does not meet the manufacturer's criteria for inspection and also, they do not quality for additional perks that a manufacturer's warranty includes, such as road assistance.

How to avoid CPO scams

Visit a franchised dealership: If you want to buy a Honda CPO, then you must go to a franchised Honda dealership. A genuine CPO vehicle will have the manufacturer'sCPO logo.

Make a thorough personal check: Even though CPO vehicles are meticulously inspected, buying them blindly could still be hasty. Take a look around and personally check for issues. You can also consider getting it checked by your chosen mechanic. He may identify issues which may have gone unidentified in the inspection.

See what the warranty covers: Different manufacturers have different clauses included in their warranty. A manufacturer'sCPO will come with a limited warranty or a limited warranty with a powertrain warranty. Honda for instance, provides a 12-month/12,000-mile limited warranty, or extend any existing new-car warranty for 12 months or 12,000 miles.

The CPO buying process isn't absolutely hassle-free. However, buying a certified Honda used car poses lower risk than buying any used car. Expert technicians have meticulously inspected them and all the troubling issues have been resolved. They are backed with the manufacturer's warranty hence, you can be assured that if your car faces issues in the future, assistance from the manufacturer will be provided to you at the dealership level. You will not get all these benefits if you opt for a non-CPO car or a used car which has been carelessly certified by a profit oriented dealer.