Toyota Dealership Shows What Really Happens When Previously Owned Cars Are Inspected and Certified

Thinking of buying a used car and wondering if it really is worth the extra cost (and risk) of buying a CPO (certified previously owned) vehicle? Here’s a recent video of how a previously owned vehicle should be inspected and certified before being sold to a customer. Plus---red flags on CPO cars you should definitely walk away from.

CPO Vehicle Warning

In earlier reports we’ve pointed out that there are some real problems with buying a CPO vehicle from a dealership. Namely, car buyer alerts like this one from Consumer Reports that warns some dealerships will scam used car buyers with bogus pre-owned car certifications.

However, to be fair---not all dealership CPO vehicles are scams. In fact, some dealerships and their mechanics do take pride in their work and will not certify any previously used vehicle before it is truly ready and road-worthy for its next owner. The caveat to this remains, however, that all used car buyers have to have all used cars (even CPO vehicles) inspected or wind up with a dealership horror story like this one.

That said, from the same Toyota Master Diagnostic Technician who gave us the best and worst Toyotas to buy--- “The Car Care Nut”--- recently shared what he has learned from years of working on Toyota vehicles with a behind-the-scenes look at what really should happen during the inspection process before a used vehicle earns its CPO certification.

The significance of this video is that it serves as an excellent source of information a used car buyer can take with him or her before going to a dealership knowing what to look for and what questions to ask when considering buying a CPO vehicle off the lot.

What You Will Learn

Some of the things you will learn (but not limited to) include:

• The first thing that happens to a used car during a CPO vehicle inspection
• What disqualifies a used car from being a CPO candidate
• Tricks that are give-aways that a used car had some previous body repairs done to it
• What is and is not a deal breaker for a used car
• How fluid leaks are handled
• How modified vehicles are assessed
• What level of wear and tear are acceptable and normal
• How many inspection points checked and who is liable
• What warranty and guarantees are made with a CPO vehicle
• CPO red flags

Buying a Certified Pre-Owned Car? Here's what happens Behind the scenes!

And finally…

For articles about car scams perpetuated by mechanics and car sellers, here are two selected articles titled “The Most Important Used Car Scam Everyone Should Be Aware About;” and “Avoid Getting Scammed with This Blown Head Gasket Tutorial for Non-Mechanic”

COMING UP NEXT: Avoid Voiding Your Toyota Warranty with This Important Advice on How Warranties Work and Don’t Work

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

Image Source: Courtesy of Julio César Velásquez Mejía from Pixabay