One of the problems with trying to sell your own used car is the competition that you have with dealers. See, most dealers these days are going to have the availability of certified used cars. Now, what is a certified used car or pre-owned car?

It’s one that has been checked from bumper to bumper. It’s checked cosmetically, it’s checked mechanically, and its service history is verified so that the car is known to be good. Then it comes with very specific guarantees that are typically better than the average used vehicle.

All right, now how can you compete with that? Well, in the past you couldn’t, but today there are services that are available in the after-market that duplicate the certification program. See, the typical thing that you want to look for is one of these programs that usually it’s going to extend these coverages or make them available to cars that are no more than six years old with no more than 75,000 miles on them.

Now, the way these work is very simple. They’re taken into a repair shop, an NASC certified technician checks the car mechanically. In most cases, about 200 different things are going to be checked on the vehicle. Then, as a seller, you’re going to get a printed document that tells the condition of the vehicle. You’re also going to get a certificate that gives a limited warranty on it. You’re also going to have sales aids, things that will help you sell the car. You know, how to explain all of these things and what the meaning of them is and so on.

‘‘In addition to the seller, the program also benefits the buyer. The buyer can bring a prospective vehicle in to us, we do an inspection on that vehicle. That certification is good if the customer moves from one state to another state. They can still file a claim if there’s a problem with that vehicle.’‘

Mike Ables, Operation Manager, Auto Service Chain

Now, if your car doesn’t qualify, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get something to pass on to the client. You can get various things, from the most basic up through the more mid-range check outs that will give you a list of things that have been tested and are known to be good or bad, and again some sales tools to go along with that.

You put this all together, and it levels the playing field and gives you almost the same advantage that you would have as a new or used car dealer. It’s a great program and something that you should look for when you get ready to sell your used cars.