Those navigating this tough car market might want to skip one category altogether.
Certified used cars may present an especially bad value.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 reasonable to question whether certified cars are really worth anything in terms of extra cost,鈥� said Kevin Brasler, executive editor for Consumers’ Checkbook.
For starters, he鈥檚 not impressed with the additional warranties that come with manufacturer-certified cars, which are generally newer, lower mileage and have a lower risk of mechanical issues.
鈥淏ut the biggest problem we鈥檙e seeing is that the dealers, they promise to make all these repairs to the car and they promise to make all these checks,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ig surprise 鈥� car dealers don鈥檛 always do what they鈥檙e supposed to do.鈥�
鈥淲e found a car where its former life was as a federal crash test vehicle,鈥� Brasler said. 鈥淲e found cars that have had extensive flood damage.鈥�
He added, 鈥淚t is still very much when it comes to used cars 鈥榖uyer beware,鈥� and that鈥檚 still the case when it comes to these certified cars.鈥�
He says to take any used car to a mechanic to get checked out, and to even take it to a body shop to be looked at, too.
Brasler adds that while Carfax and similar services are 鈥済reat tools for consumers,鈥� they don鈥檛 always pick up on all problems. For example, if an owner paid cash for an accident repair and didn鈥檛 file an insurance claim, the accident may not show up on the report.
