what does it mean when a car is listed as "certified" pre-owned?

Answer 1

I work at a car dealership- and to us, "certified" means pretty much nothing. Every dealer inspects a used vehicle to see if it needs any work- some dealers fix everything, some do not. The best bet when buying a used vehicle is to take the car before you buy it to a private mechanic or another dealer to have it entirely looked over.

Answer 2

Certified varies between the makes of the vehicle. In order for a vehicle to be 'certified' it has to fall under the criteria that the factory has set (example; have mileage between 3,000 miles and 45,000 miles and be under 5 years old) the vehicle then goes through an inspection that is also determined by the factory, but as someone else mentioned that this inspection is usually about the same as a dealership's normal used-car inspection process. The big difference is that most certified vehicles have an added extended warranty added into the price. This 'certified' warranty extends the warranty, so be careful to find out what you are paying for both the vehicle and the warranty because often they are lumped together to distract the buyer away from the actual cost of the warranty. Cars that have been 'certified' can be sold without the certification warranty.

Answer 3

Certification is a very vague word in the pre-owned market. To be safe, stick with the manufacturer's certification. It generally entails an extensive inspection and usually comes with a special warranty. Sometimes it means a special encentivised interest rate as well.

Dealerships themselves can also label a car as certified. I'm going to sound like the pot calling the kettle black, but beware of this. At our dealership, we have factory certified units and we have dealership certified units. Our dealership certification is an extensive 115 point inspection (the same as our lower factory certification requirements) and an extended service plan. Note I said service plan, not warranty (I'll mention more about this down the page). Such dealership certification's validity is contingent on the integrity of the dealership. Of course I'll tell you we're one of the good guys, but to prove it, we have copies of the inspection and service work performed available for customers. If you are buying a dealership certified unit, you can always ask the dealership for proof of the performed work.

As for the service plan/warranty issue. We sell Ford/Lincoln/Mercury certified pre-owned units. These are factory units and come with extended warranties. A warranty is a plan that stays with the car, even if ownership changes. Thus, it can increase the value of the vehicle. A service plan is one that a customer buys and it goes with the customer, not the vehicle. With Ford/Lincoln/Mercury, a dealership cannot add a "warranty" to a vehicle unless it is a factory certified unit. They can however add a service agreement.

I say that to say this; factory certified units are the safest bet when purchasing pre-owned vehicles. Do your research though, because each manufacturer's certification is very different.

Answer 4

Depends upon who is certifying it.

If it's the dealer, it's pretty much meaningless. It might indicate a car in better than average condition, maybe with a dealer-backed warranty. Or it could mean nothing at all as there is no legal definition of the term. Some dealers "certify" pretty much everything on the lot.

If it's "factory certified" it usually indicates a vehicle in exceptionally good condition that meets factory-determined criteria for age, mileage, and condition, has passed a comprehensive inspection and is covered by a factory-backed warranty that will be honored at any of the dealers for that make. It also usually indicates a premium price.

Answer 5

Yes, this blood sugar level is abnormal.The normal value is below 100. If the fasting blood sugar is 126 mg/dl, you have diabetes. In-between is called impaired fasting glucosose now termed as prediabetes.What is the implication of this? Studies have shown that even at prediabetes stage,a higher incidence of cardiovascular mortality is seen. If she has a very strong family history, an OGTT can be done to know if she is already diabetic even at this time. For Type 2 diabetes, which your wife may be having, an FBS maybe below cut-off of 126 but definitely has a positive OGTT. By challenging a person with 75 grams of anhydrous dextrose orally, the blood sugar 2 hours after the intake is 200 mg /dl. Because of the associated cardiovascular risk even at the prediabetic stage, we treat by non-parmacologic and pharmacologic methods. Will she develop full blown diabetes, if she really is on the prediabetic stage. Maybe or maybe not.How to prevent? Maintain an ideal body weight through proper diet and exercise. Metformin is a proven drug that can prevent the progression of prediabetic to diabetic state. There are other agents that were studied for this use. Please see your endocrinologist or diabetologist. Definitely, you need to be treated properly.

Answer 6

It varies depending on the manufacturer but generally it means they go through an "intensive" inspection, usually 100+ "points." These range from checking the cooling system to making sure the correct spec tires are fitted (in the case of CPO'ed Porsche's). I believe all of them offer some type of extension on of the original factory warranty as well. Check the manufacturer's website for more detailed information. :)

Answer 7

Different dealers use the term loosely. Some have actually checked over the vehicle and it's history and are sure nothing is wrong with it, and will give you a warranty. To some it means it is guaranteed someone owned the vehicle before you.

Answer 8

Like my toyota it had to go through a bunch of tests to verify its in good condition. They don't certify all the cars they get in. I wouldn't buy a car with out that or a carfax check.

Answer 9

Bostonian is right as usual. ;) Not all certifications are equal. You will need to see if it is a manufacturer or dealer certification.

Answer 10

the dealer put it though extra testing to ensure its condition--it costs more, but is often worth it