Are auto warranties and vehicle protection plans necessary when you purchase a used vehicle? No matter how many tests, inspections, and certifications a vehicle goes through, there’s no way to bring the chance of something breaking down to zero percent. Everything breaks eventually, even used cars.
This is even the case for certified pre-owned vehicles. Auto protection plans are necessary to protect yourself from unwanted car repair bills. Are these plans really necessary for certified pre-owned vehicles?
What is a “Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle?
When you purchase a used car from a dealership, there are generally two different types to choose from: pre-owned vehicles and certified pre-owned vehicles. A pre-owned vehicle is simply as the name implies; it’s a non-new vehicle that has either been sold or traded to a dealership, who is now selling at a reduced price. These vehicles are generally inspected and in good working order, but they do not meet the level of standards set for certified pre-owned vehicles.
Certified pre-owned vehicles (CPOs), unlike standard pre-owned vehicles, must meet certain requirements to legally call them certified. These requirements include standards in their:
- Cleanliness
- Condition (including damage, mechanical issues, etc.)
- Reconditioning: if they do have damage, it must be repaired, which is not the case for standard used cars
- Inspection: all CPOs must go through a certified inspection backed by the vehicle manufacturer
Are Protection Plans and Auto Warranties Necessary for Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles?
Depending on the car dealership you work with, your certified pre-owned vehicle you purchase will generally come with some type of warranty, but these warranties expire and don’t always cover everything on the vehicle. If you’ve recently been to a dealership, you’ll know that they will always try to upsell you to a higher vehicle protection plan. They often call these “service plans,” and they often try to tack them on to the price of the vehicle they are selling you.
The problem with these types of protection plans is that they want you to pay for them in their entirety, and they’ll tack them on to the overall price of the vehicle. If the car costs $15,000, they will stick you with an additional $3,000 at the outset, bringing the total price of the car up to $18,000. There is no cancelling this plan should you no longer want or need it because you’ve agreed to pay the total cost upfront.
There’s a Better Option
If you are heavily considering getting a certified pre-owned vehicle and want to get better protection for it, consider an auto protection plan from Everything Breaks. Our plans cover more than standard dealership warranties, and they can be cancelled at any time. You pay monthly, sometimes as little as $1 a day, and you get a whole host of other benefits that include:
- Roadside assistance and towing
- Rental car benefits and continuation of journey
- Extensive coverage
- The ability to cancel anytime
- Your choice of local repair facilities
- A fast and easy claims process
In the end, our protection plans give you greater control over your warranty. Rather than locking yourself into a three-year, five-year, or even longer plan, get the coverage you need, when you need it with Everything Breaks. See our available plans.
