December 26, 2008, Newsletter Issue #174: Certified Vehicles Don't Always Tell a Car's History

Tip of the Week

Do not expect all the sordid details of your prospective car's history to be mentioned on a certified vehicle.

In extenuating circumstances, a car may have concealed accident damage that is not disclosed. Quite often the certification of salvaged or rebuilt vehicles renders the warranties invalid.

A car's history in an accident may not be fully disclosed in a certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle. As a result, it is important to take the following steps before finalizing any purchasing decisions:

1) Run the VIN number to review the car's history
2) Comprehensively review the details of the certified vehicle to confirm that you are getting your money's worth
3) Do not rely on the dealership's certified claim, order a vehicle inspection on your own
4) Review the fine print of the CPO agreement because many warranties exclude accident coverage.

Even though, CPO programs have compliance standards, the guidelines vary from car dealership to car dealership.

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