Moreno Valley, the second-largest city in Riverside County, has its own urban charm, with many famous eateries and parks all over the city catering to the busy lives of its residents. The fast-paced lives of Moreno Valley’s residents demand quick transportation, and what’s better than a car to get around the town quickly? A 2019 survey verifies Moreno Valley’s affinity to vehicles, as the average car ownership in Moreno Valley was two cars per household.
With such high demand for cars and the current automotive market’s price inflation driven by semi-conductor scarcity, buying a pre-owned vehicle from a reputed dealership like a Volkswagen dealer in Moreno Valley would be your best bet.
After deciding to purchase a used car rather than a new one, you must decide whether to purchase a certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle or a standard used vehicle. Meanwhile, both options have advantages and disadvantages, while a CPO car, pickup, SUV, or station wagon will usually cost more. Still, it will come with many of the same benefits as a new vehicle, including a multi-point assessment and warranty cover directly from the manufacturer. In the meantime, non-certified automobiles will almost certainly be less expensive, but they won’t come with the assurance of good operating order or the coverage of a factory warranty. So this guide will walk you through your options and help you choose the best one for you.
What Exactly Is a Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle?
A factory-certified pre-owned car (CPO car) is a gracefully used vehicle offered by the same brand’s franchised new car dealership. They are usually lightly used, accident-free automobiles with low mileage and just a few years old. Meanwhile, CPO programs were once exclusive to luxury automakers, but Sedans, SUVs, Crossovers, and station wagons are all available as certified used vehicles from practically every carmaker today. They are distinct from other used vehicles in that they usually come with a manufacturer’s warranty.
A registered pre-owned automobile is not always shown on a dealer’s lot. And while each auto manufacturer’s program has its own rules, all CPO vehicles must be under a particular age and mileage, have paperwork proving they’ve been well-maintained, and pass a thorough examination.
Factory CPO automobiles are only available at dealerships that sell the same brand. A certified pre-owned Volkswagen, for example, can only be found at a Volkswagen dealer. And it won’t be a factory-backed CPO automobile if you see one stamped “certified” on a Toyota dealer’s lot.
Lease returns make up a large portion of the vehicles offered under automakers’ CPO programs. While they may not come with the latest technology available in new automobiles, they will be relatively fresh and come with warranties guaranteed by the manufacturer rather than a third party.
How Do Automobiles Obtain This Certification?
Every automaker establishes its own certification requirements for a car. Each program, however, requires that the vehicles come from a specific selection of current model generations and have low mileage. CPO vehicles must also have been cared for properly as per the service manual.
Survey and Refurbishment of CPOs
The seller will assess the automobile and if they choose to proclaim it a certified pre-owned car, restore it to the CPO program’s guidelines. And passing the test implies the vehicle is in good condition for the manufacturer to give warranty coverage to the vehicle’s new owner.
Assessments of Non-CPO Used Cars
A dealership may or may not evaluate a non-CPO vehicle, and it will most likely only undergo enough restoration to make it appealing for a quick sale. Besides, there’s little motivation for sellers to do substantial mechanical maintenance on non-CPO used automobiles because they often don’t give a manufacturer warranty. As such, any faults or mechanical failures after you drive a secondhand car that has not been certified on the lot are your responsibility, and the same is true for privately owned vehicles. It’s buyer discretion, and once you’ve signed the paperwork and taken possession of a pre-owned car, you shouldn’t anticipate any help from the seller.
It is recommended to go ahead with CPO cars to experience satisfactory secondhand car ownership. Remember that a certified used car can only be purchased from the manufacturer’s dealership. That means you won’t be able to find a CPO Honda Accord at a Volkswagen dealer in Moreno Valley. And with non-CPO cars, you’ll have no assurance on their performance and service history; hence, the money you save upfront may be drained away by expensive ownership costs.