Certified used vehicles affect you and your business on a few levels. If you’re working at a dealership, it will be paramount that you understand what is expected of you while working in the body shop of a used car dealership. Whether you are there full-time or just swing by once or twice a week, during your time working there, you must uphold the law and do only what you are allowed to do on a vehicle. There was a J.D. Power and Associates study that showed that the sales of certified used cars have increased 46% since 2000. Certified used cars have become affordable alternatives to a new car. These certified used cars feature warranties that extend beyond the initial “when new” coverage.

To be a “certified used” vehicle, the warranty has to be backed by the vehicle manufacturer. The original manufacturer takes this quite seriously and uses its dealer network to inspect the car, determine if it is worth certifying and then offer support for the vehicle for a period of time beyond the original warranty. It’s important to note that not all used cars can qualify for certified pre-owned programs, and terms are not across the board for all vehicles, they vary from one brand to the next. If you find that the car you or a customer are buying is not qualified to be certified, well then the dealership should still be able to provide you with proof of a 100-point inspection of the car. During the inspection of the car, if the car presents problems, the factory trained technicians will fix it or disqualify the car from the program. In addition, the certified warranty protection is typically implemented once the vehicles original factory warranty expires. When the used car warranty begins, it is usually good for a number of years or miles, whichever comes first.