The Benefits of Buying Used and Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles

Believe it or not, Americans statistically prefer buying used and certified pre-owned vehicles. At the end of 2019, reports showed that the sale of new cars had continued to slip from previous years, whereas the sale of used cars was slightly higher. Overall, the trend also showed that more car buyers were gravitating toward trucks and SUVs, whereas the sale of small passenger vehicles was declining.

Regardless of what type of car you’re looking for - be it an SUV or a passenger sedan - a lot of consideration goes into the lead up of buying a car. Coming up with a pros and cons list can be extremely beneficial, especially if you are debating whether you should buy a new or a used car. While the allure of the fresh car smell, new technology, and the idea that no one has sat in the car before you might be leaning you toward a new car purchase, new cars aren’t always the best choice.

AutoBank of Kansas City is committed to helping potential car buyers make good choices when it comes to purchasing their next car.

Here are some of the benefits of buying a used or certified pre-owned vehicle over a new car.

1) Used and certified pre-owned vehicles cost less.

The apparent reason people gravitate toward used and certified pre-owned vehicles is because of their cost. Many car buyers cannot afford the monthly payments on new cars, and even more people do not qualify for loans because of their credit history. Used and certified pre-owned vehicles, however, cost less, to begin with. Additionally, many of the dealerships that offer these types of cars also offer in-house financing. Overall, you end up saving both time and money when you purchase a certified pre-owned vehicle.

2) Many used and certified pre-owned vehicles still have warranties and new technology.

Backup cameras. Lane assist. Power features. Older vehicles don’t always have these things, which is why buyers looking for driver-assisting technology look first at new cars. What drivers don’t know is that many of the used and certified pre-owned vehicles available on the market do have these features available. Certified pre-owned cars almost always have some driver-assist technology, as used auto lots have high standards for their certified pre-owned vehicles that often lead them to sell mostly newer cars. If these things matter to you, visit a buy here pay here dealership like AutoBank and let them know what you’re looking for.

3) Certified pre-owned vehicles usually have a period of free maintenance.

If you’re on the hunt for a used car and have been searching on private seller platforms, you will rarely get a car that comes with a free maintenance offer. Additionally, private seller vehicles can sometimes offer dubious maintenance history, which means that even if the car looks good when you buy it, you never know how soon afterward you will need to take it in for service. With certified pre-owned vehicles, you can feel confident that even if you encounter an issue with your car soon after buying it, you can likely take it in for maintenance.

4) For a car to be designated a certified pre-owned vehicle, it must pass a rigorous multi-point inspection.

Certified pre-owned vehicles can only advertise themselves as such if they adhere to automakers’ multi-point inspection requirements. If they don’t meet these requirements, they cannot be sold as certified pre-owned. This gives the buyer the advantage of knowing that the car they are interested in met inspection standards or received maintenance before sale to meet those standards.

5) When you buy used or certified pre-owned from a dealership, you have access to the vehicle’s history.

Not all former car owners are forthcoming with a car’s history, which can make buying a car from a private seller a daunting task. Used car dealerships, and especially dealerships that sell certified pre-owned cars, are required to disclose the maintenance log and accident history of a vehicle before selling it. Federal regulation requires disclosure, and it is impossible to get the certified pre-owned designation without this disclosure. Therefore, buying used or certified pre-owned from a used car dealership leaves the buyer more informed about the decisions they are making.

6) Most used car dealerships offer competitive in-house financing.

We spoke earlier about the struggle that many go through when trying to obtain funding for a car. However, at buy here pay here dealerships like AutoBank, it is easy to purchase a certified pre-owned car and get in-house financing. Click here to check out our in-house financing application, and feel free to call us about any questions you might have about the process. Typically, you don’t need to have a stellar credit score to get financing, and you can drive away with a car the same day.

7) These vehicles are usually more gently used and better-taken care of than used cars from private dealers.

Used car salespeople have to meet specific standards to sell a car as certified pre-owned, which means that they are also more selective about the vehicles that they take in. Because of this, most cars at used car dealerships, especially certified pre-owned vehicles, have been better-taken care of than a car being sold through a private seller.

8) If you maintain a certified pre-owned car well, it should have a high resale or trade-in value.

Of course, all car buyers worry about the future when it comes to purchasing a car. So, some car buyers are turned off to the idea of a pre-owned car, thinking that it won’t have a high resale value. However, because of the work that goes into certifying a pre-owned car, you start with a car that is in pretty good shape. If you keep up with regular maintenance and keep the car clean, there should be no problem reselling the vehicle down the line.

Ready for your next car? Visit AutoBank of Kansas City. We have the greatest selection of used and pre-owned cars in Gladstone, Kansas City Northland, Parkville, and Liberty, Missouri. Visit us at 2000 East Truman Road or 6901 East Front Street in Kansas City. We can help get you on the road in a new-to-you used or certified pre-owned car.