What is the Difference Between Used and Certified Pre-Owned?

What to Know About Buying a Used Car

Used vehicles are ones that have previously been driven by other owners. This will vary in terms of the model year, mileage, and the number of previous owners. This is why they are typically priced lower than new and certified pre-owned vehicles. Because these vehicles are not new, there’s no need to worry about depreciation.

While a car with 100,000 miles or more may seem risky, vehicles are known to last for hundreds of thousands of miles if the previous owners kept up with routine maintenance and care. Even so, keep in mind:

• Thoroughly inspect any used vehicle you are interested in and take it for a test drive before making an offer.
• If you can’t get a vehicle history report, discuss any issues in terms of vehicle condition or performance that arise, to ensure this is the vehicle for you.
• Some cars and SUVs can even last beyond 200,000 miles with proper care and maintenance.

What to Know About Buying a CPO Car

With certified pre-owned vehicles, they are part of the CPO program, but there are strict requirements that must be met. The guidelines include: 

• A multi-point inspection
• Generally less than 80,000 miles, but sometimes up to 100,000 miles 
• The model year is within five years of the current model year
• Offered with extended warranties and/or limited powertrain warranties

Certified used cars are usually newer models with less mileage. Even though they do come at a higher price point than used cars, they are more affordable than purchasing a brand new car. If you’re looking for more updated features for your Methuen commutes, then you should consider buying a certified pre-owned vehicle.

Shop for Pre-Owned Vehicles at Rockingham Toyota

Now that we’ve answered, “What is the difference between used and certified pre-owned?”, it’s time to explore our pre-owned CPO cars and used vehicles for sale at our Salem showroom. Contact us today with any questions or to set up a test drive!