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What’s the Difference Between Used vs. Certified Pre-Owned?

What Is a CPO Vehicle?

It’s fairly common for a person to conflate certified pre-owned (CPO) and used vehicles. What’s essential to remember is that CPO cars and used vehicles are two separate car-buying experiences that contain their own set of advantages. We’ll begin our comparison by highlighting a dilemma that drivers looking to purchase a pre-owned Genesis consistently face.

People searching for a pre-owned vehicle don’t want their desire to save money to result in the purchase of an unreliable car. You might be wondering how you can seek out a pre-owned Genesis that you can depend on day in and day out.

CPO cars supply a purchaser with peace of mind due to their relatively new condition that’s been thoroughly inspected. Drivers that purchase a CPO vehicle receive a late-year model that’s available at a solid price.

Dealerships are selective about the vehicles they adopt for their CPO program. Leased cars or trade-in vehicles are two common scenarios that lead to a certified pre-owned certification. Every car that a dealership considers for its CPO program has to meet strict requirements. Your typical CPO vehicle is no more than six years old with limited mileage.

You can expect every CPO car to contain a clean title and an issue-free car history report. These CPO criteria examples are only a handful of the requirements that a car has to meet to receive a CPO certification.

CPO cars go through a comprehensive inspection from a trained mechanic. CPO inspection results need to fall within the requirements of the manufacturer’s program. Repairs are necessary during a CPO inspection when car elements are worn out beyond a manufacturer program’s limits. You can expect a factory-trained mechanic to fix any other mechanical issues that crop up during a CPO inspection.

Dealerships sell vehicles that pass a mechanic’s CPO inspection with a limited warranty covering a multitude of maintenance categories. Two examples of warranty coverage for a CPO vehicle can include the car’s powertrain and electrical system.

How Used Vehicles Differ From CPO Models

Purchasing a used vehicle that isn’t certified pre-owned is a different scenario. A non-certified car is a secondary phrase for a used vehicle. Cars that aren’t certified haven’t gone through a dealership’s thorough mechanical inspection. The result is a buyer purchasing the used vehicle without a dealership warranty.

Used car buyers aren’t out of luck if they’re looking for a warranty. Non-certified car customers can purchase an extended warranty if necessary. Drivers looking for a used car will often perform history checks on vehicles they’re considering purchasing. Car history verifications are a vital step when performing your due diligence on a used vehicle.

You’re probably curious whether used or certified pre-owned vehicles offer more advantages. We’re going to further examine this debate by unpacking the advantages that each type of vehicle purchase presents.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of CPO Vehicles

One distinct advantage that CPO cars provide is their gently used condition. A vehicle that’s lightly used is going to be relatively new and contain limited mileage. One of the first tasks that dealerships perform when searching for a pre-owned vehicle is checking the vehicle’s history report for issues.

You can rest assured knowing that the CPO vehicle you purchase hasn’t been in a major collision. Dealerships exclude vehicles from their CPO program if the car has a significant frame or body damage history.

It’s natural to wonder what all the fuss is about regarding a CPO vehicle’s mechanical inspection. Trained mechanics perform a thorough inspection to ensure all of the car’s major systems are working properly. CPO inspections will document essential details like proper repairs that occurred during the mechanic’s work.

A significant perk of buying a certified pre-owned vehicle is receiving a warranty with your purchase. You can take a lot of stress off your plate knowing that your CPO vehicle purchase won’t result in costly unexpected repair fees.

View of the steering wheel and infotainment system of a Genesis.

The Advantages of Purchasing a Non-Certified Vehicle

Non-certified vehicles aren’t without their perks. Savings are the primary motivation behind a driver’s decision to purchase a used vehicle. You’re able to spend less money on a used car since the car hasn’t gone through a full dealership inspection. You can always take a used car to a local mechanic to initiate an assessment yourself.

Specific newer model used cars might still be under their manufacturer’s warranty. Purchasing a used car that’s still under warranty saves you the time and trouble of buying an extended warranty.

Used cars generally provide drivers with a higher level of model selection than CPO vehicles. A non-certified vehicle might be right for you if you’re a car buyer that prioritizes options.

Deciding Between Used vs. Certified Pre-Owned Has Never Been Easier

Are you searching for a certified pre-owned Genesis dealership to meet your car-buying needs?

Crown Genesis is here to streamline your process of deciding between a used or certified pre-owned vehicle. Utilizing our site gives you direct access to our used and CPO car inventory. Finding your ideal used or CPO vehicle can happen before you visit Crown Genesis in-person. Our inventory search filters help you seamlessly distinguish CPO Genesis models from used Genesis vehicles. Add extra levels of focus to your Crown Genesis inventory search by filtering vehicles based on essential factors like price, year, make, and much more.

Look no further for the right used Genesis dealership. We work to provide you with a wide range of Genesis car buying options to take the stress out of deciding between a used and CPO vehicle. Browse our site’s used and CPO vehicle inventory today before stopping by Crown Genesis for a test drive.

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