| With the price of a new car getting higher | | | | in exchange for certifying the vehicles. The |
| and higher each year, many buyers choose to | | | | problem for the consumer is that there are |
| buy used cars instead. The price of a new car | | | | cars being sold as certified used cars that |
| can easily equal a year's pay for many | | | | may not really be certified. Worse, some of |
| people, so buying a used car makes sense. But | | | | these cars have problems that are so severe |
| there are risks associated with buying a | | | | that they possibly shouldn't be sold at all. |
| pre-owned vehicle. What if is defective? What | | | | |
| if it is a lemon law buyback? Once should | | | | Some states have rigid laws that prevent cars |
| always be a bit suspicious of a used vehicle. | | | | with certain types of damage, such as from |
| After all, if it is a great buy, then why did | | | | fire, flood, or a severe accident, from being |
| the original owner choose to part with it? | | | | sold within that state under any |
| | | | circumstances. And yet there are reports of |
| To resolve some of these issues, as well as | | | | such vehicles having been transported to |
| to compete with volume dealers of used cars | | | | neighboring states, where their titles can be |
| such as Carmax, the major auto manufacturers | | | | "laundered." Some of these cars have then |
| have introduced the concept of a "certified | | | | been sold as certified used cars. |
| used car." These cars are inspected for | | | | |
| problems, repaired if necessary, and offered | | | | There are several lawsuits pending in |
| for sale with a warranty that is better than | | | | California over the sale of such cars, and |
| the one typically offered with sales of used | | | | the problem will continue to exist as long as |
| cars. In exchange for this added peace of | | | | there is no national standard regarding the |
| mind, the buyer pays a higher price than he | | | | sale of used cars. Does this mean that buyers |
| or she otherwise might. | | | | should steer clear of certified used cars? Of |
| | | | course not. What it does mean is that buyers |
| This program is good for dealers, who find | | | | should exercise caution when they shop for a |
| the cars easier to sell, and for the | | | | used vehicle, whether it is certified or not. |
| manufacturers, who get a fee from the dealers | | | | And that is just plain common sense. |