"Certified" Used Car Extended Warranties Coverage Issues - Part 2

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Used Car Extended Warranty: "Certified" Is No Substitute

The implied selling point of "certified" used cars is they won't break. That kind of makes used car extended warranties seem unnecessary. Naturally some buyers may wonder what will be happen if something does break. After all it's still a used car. In order to ease those inquiring minds, there are "certified" used car warranties included. But with this "certified" extended warranty... used car problems are not always covered to the extent you'd expect. Sadly, too few people will inquire further about what the "certified" used car warranty covers.

"Certified" Used Car Warranty Coverage under the Hood

• Does certified mean "under warranty"? Not necessarily. The major manufacturers' "certified" programs usually include some extended warranty protection. But oftentimes, "certified" cars sold outside of manufacturers' programs do not come with any used car extended warranty coverage.

• How good's the warranty? The GM Certified Used Vehicle Warranty is only good for 3 months or 3,000 miles! Ford offers longer "certified" used car extended warranties. But Ford's "certified" used car warranties generally aren't bumper-to-bumper. Ford's most common "certified" used car extended warranty covers only the "power train." Forget about the little extras like the roof or the doors. Meanwhile, there are independent used car warranty companies that sell extended warranties for used cars bought anywhere in the US. This independent extended warranty used car coverage is generally bumper-to-bumper and lasts several years.

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"Certified" Used Cars: Extended Warranties Still Needed

"Certified" used cars offer two things: an inspection and a used car extended warranty. Arguably, neither is worth the price.

• Inspection. Let's face reality. The junky used car problem doesn't exist for want of dealer inspections. Lemons get sold for one of three reasons. a) The defect did not show up in the dealer's own inspection. b) The dealer is trying to sell a car whose defects were already known. Or sometimes c) the buyer knows about the defects but is guilty of wishful thinking. Either the defect is un-findable or you can't trust the dealer or yourself. Either way, a "certified" inspection won't provide the protection of an extended used car warranty.

• Warranty. A "certified" used car will often cost 10%-25% more. For a $10,000 used car, that's $1,000-$2,500. An extended used car warranty from an independent auto warranty company will often cost about the same. But the best used car warranties will provide a lot more protection than "certified" used car warranties. You may end up getting an independent extended car warranty anyway. The "certified" used cars' extended warranties are generally just so skimpy.

Worst of all, certified used cars come with an expensive risk. They tempt you to let your guard down with an industry that's no more trustworthy than, well, used car dealers. Ford even issued a press release headlined "Pre-Owned Vehicle Program Reduces Customer Buyer Beware." As if that were a good thing.

Of course, in the end, you may buy a "certified" used car anyway. These days it seems there are fewer and fewer used cars that aren't "certified." Just make sure to get an independent inspection and an independent used car extended warranty. "Certified" or not, it's still a used car.

Return to : Part 1 
Used Car Extended Warranty: "Certified" Is No Substitute

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