The Difference Between Used & Certified Pre-Owned Toyotas

Jul 30, 2020

Front of the Toyota Knoxville

If you’re looking for a near-new Toyota at an unbeatable price, you should consider a Toyota Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle. The Toyota Certified program is a curation of the best used Toyota vehicles on the market. Each certified Toyota car, truck or SUV must first pass rigorous inspection. Only the best make it through certification.

Then, they’re refurbished inside and out, available with extended warranty, and only low mileage used Toyotas are accepted into the program. In other words, you can expect a quality, late-model used car – something that’s just not possible when buying from a private seller – at a used car price.

Are Certified Toyotas Better than Standard Used Vehicles?

So what makes a certified Toyota more attractive to buyers than a standard used car? For starters, Certified Pre-Owned Toyota vehicles are thoroughly checked inside and out. Toyota uses a 160-point quality assurance examination to ensure that only the best low-mileage vehicles are selected, and that’s why certified Toyotas are available with impressive warranty coverage.

The quality of your used vehicle is protected by three criteria:

Toyota Certified Warranty. Certified Toyotas are backed by a 12-month, 12,000-mile limited warranty, as well as a 7-year, 100,000-mile Powertrain warranty. Toyota provides you with protections. Plus, the certified program warranty includes one year of Roadside Assistance. This warranty is honored at more than 1,400 Toyota dealerships in North America.

Newer Models, Low-Mileage Guarantee. Only a small percentage of Toyota vehicles are eligible for the certified program. It starts by narrowing the vehicles down by mileage. A vehicle must be six years old or newer and have less than 85,000 miles. Plus, all certified vehicles are recondition inside and out to Toyota quality standards.

CARFAX Reviews. Any Toyota vehicle that is being considered for certification must pass a CARFAX vehicle history report review. This contains vital data about the vehicle, if it’s been serviced regularly, if the title is clean, and the vehicle’s accident history. Again, this is another point that weeds out lesser used vehicles.

Financial Benefits of Toyota’s Certified Program

But the Toyota Certified Program is about much more than just the exacting quality standards. The program opens up customers a lot of significant benefits. These financial benefits include:

Special Toyota Financing Rates Available: For qualified buyers, Toyota provides the same new car financing rates to certified customers. That means Toyota-backed low APRs are available, as well as special offers and the most attractive terms. If you finance a standard used vehicle through a dealership, chances are you will have to find market-rate financing. Toyota provides specialized rates to benefit buyers.
Trade-Ins Welcomed: Have a trade-in? Not a problem. A trade-in vehicle can be used towards the value of your certified purchase. When buying a used vehicle through a dealership, that’s likely not an option.
Increase Resale Value: The warranty coverage provided in the purchase price of your Certified Toyota is transferable. That means if you go to sell your vehicle, while the terms are active, you can include that as a benefit in your sale price. Even more good news, Toyota vehicles already have one of the highest resale values of any brand in North America.
Avoiding the DMV: Much of the paperwork that’s required to purchase a certified vehicle is taken care of in-house, just like when you buy a new vehicle. When you purchase from a private seller, you’re required to secure the title and register at the DMV. In other words, purchasing a certified used vehicle saves you time.

See Our Certified Pre-Owned Inventory

Thinking that a certified pre-owned Toyota might be right for you? Check out the pre-owned inventory at Toyota Knoxville, or visit us today at 10415 Parkside Drive.

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