Used Car Warranties

With rising cost of new vehicles, many people are opting to buy a used vehicle. The prospective buyer must be aware of what type of car warranty is available on the vehicle they are looking to purchase. Some dealers offer limited warranties on used cars, some do not. And some cars come with the original factory warranty still in force. But how do you tell what is on the car?
The first thing any consumer must be aware of when buying a used car is the condition the car is in. Was it traded in as a lemon for something that was not covered on the car's original warranty? Was it in a severe accident or even a flood? Request that the dealership you are considering purchasing the car from provide you will all of this information. Ask for a Carfax report if possible.

Because many car manufacturers offer a bumper-to-bumper car warranty that covers so many years or so many miles, a used car may still have part of this warranty available. Check to make sure that the original warranty is available. If it is, ask for a detailed description of what is covered. Do your homework ahead of time and see if the state or country you live in has individual warranty requirements. Inspect the information provided to you by the dealership on the existing and remaining warranty with any specifications required by law where you live.

If there is no car warranty left on the vehicle you are interested in, ask the dealership what kind of warranty they offer. Most dealerships offer some form of thirty-day warranty. This is to ensure that any problems that may arise can be fixed in a short length of time, preferably before they start to cost you a lot of money you may not have. Some dealerships offer a longer warranty. Make sure you ask what they offer, what it covers in detail, and that you understand the warranty they offer before signing the final papers and driving away.

Two places that may not be the most recommended or reliable sellers of cars are the Internet and individual sellers. Because of the problem with high odometer readings making cars cheaper to purchase, there has been instances where sellers - and some less than honest dealerships - have rolled back the odometer. By looking at a car on the Internet, you do not know what you may be getting. The seller may claim that the car warranty is in force when in fact it is not. 'Buyer beware' is a great statement in these cases.

Whatever type of used car warranties you look into purchasing, consider a policy that includes a free car rental. After all, having your car fixed for free or for the price of parts is important, but you still need to be able to get to work and the grocery store while your car is in the shop. Free car rentals are the most overlooked, and possibly the most valuable part, of good used car warranties.

by Terry Bolton