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

When purchasing a used car from our dealership in Athens, AL, it's easy to get confused by all the different vehicle types and descriptions. That's especially true when you're trying to decide whether it's worth buying a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle. After all, what does that label even mean? Is it worth shelling out more money for something when you can get its equivalent for less money?

In the car world, these kinds of misconceptions happen all the time. The truth is that dealerships will vet both pre-owned and Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. To become a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle, however, a used car has to be inspected and subjected to a variety of additional criteria. Certified Pre-Owned vehicles also have higher standards to qualify, which we'll outline below.

What is a Pre-Owned Vehicle?

A pre-owned vehicle is just another name for a used car. There's nothing particularly special about a used car-it's just a car that someone has owned before you and could come with a host of problems. These cars need to be inspected by someone before purchasing to eliminate the possibilities of there being any hidden damage or insidious problems the previous owner might not have been upfront about.

To verify the authenticity of a pre-owned vehicle around Huntsville, you'll either need to know a lot about cars or hire a trusted mechanic to help you. This can be a tedious and time-consuming process and isn't even necessarily a guaranteed way for you to get a tip-top vehicle out of the whole encounter.

That's where Certified Pre-Owned vehicles come into play. These cars have already been subjected to the tests and vigorous inspections. They also meet our stringent set of criteria to ensure that you're getting the best vehicle possible in the Decatur, AL area.

 

How Can a Vehicle Qualify as Certified Pre-Owned?

Every Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram Certified Pre-Owned vehicle has been subjected to a 125 point inspection program that is custom-made based on the vehicle. To qualify for the Certified label, these vehicles need to be under 75,000 miles, have no frame damage, a clean title, and be clean of any accessory add-ons that might compromise the safety or performance of the vehicle. These are just a few of the many qualifications a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle must meet.

The inspection process covers interior layout as well and takes into account not only the performance of the vehicle but its superficial condition as well. That means the Certified Pre-Owned car you buy won't have any wear-and-tear to the seat upholstery or any water damage to the floor. The glass surfaces will be clean of scratches or chips, and there won't be any stains or problems in the upholstery. Plus, every car is given a thorough vacuuming and shampoo treatment to remove any surface stains which might've been present.

Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles are Ready for the Madison, AL Roads

Besides superficial things, each vehicle is also given a thorough road test to ensure that the drivability isn't compromised in any way. This includes checks for tire alignment, acceleration performance (including any weird noises which might occur), a steady throttle at all times, and anything else you might encounter when driving a pre-owned vehicle.

Also, all electronic equipment is checked and maintained. Have you ever purchased a used car only to find out that the speakers have been blown out, or the radio only works on one station, or that one of your headlights doesn't have high-beams? Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are checked for all of those things, and anything amiss is fixed by our service technicians.



Visit Champion Auto Group to Learn More

If you'd like to learn more about the differences between Certified Pre-Owned and pre-owned vehicles, we encourage you to visit our dealership in nearby Athens, AL today. You can take models from our used inventory and our Certified Pre-Owned inventory for test drives to try out all the great features available to you. We look forward to working with you soon!