Used Car Buying Horror Stories: Part 4

Just like buying new or certified pre-owned, buying a used car can be an exciting experience. Finding that rare vintage gem or your ideal late-model car with low miles at a great price can feel like a big win. The opposite side of the spectrum is when the used car buying process is trouble from the beginning -- or that used car turns out to have costly issues down the road. Learn from the used car buying horror stories below: always do your research into the used car's history, make sure it is inspected by a professional and also consider shopping for a certified used car for added peace of mind.

A NIGHTMARE FROM DAY ONE

I purchased a used 2010 Volkswagen CC about a year ago with 70,000 miles. Clean carfax, no accidents. I did have the understanding Volkswagens are expensive to have worked on, but...the car has been a nightmare from day one. Just the last two months alone the has been in and out of the dealership five times. The intake manifold, all the fuel injectors, the fuel pump, fuel pump control module, carbon build up.

Just with the fuel system alone I truly don't believe all those parts I mentioned above failed. Every time I drive the car I now wonder am I going to arrive at my destination? Totally disgusted.

TALK ABOUT A RUN OF BAD LUCK

A drunk driver recently pulled out in front of me and totaled my 1988 Camaro RS. A sad day. Then a week later the head gasket on my 2000 Land Rover Discovery 2 blew. So I take the insurance money and go buy a 2000 Honda Prelude with 100,000 miles on it. On the way home the tire falls off from studs snapping. $700 in repairs later, I get home. Only to find out a month down the road that the reason for my alignment issues is a bent frame. Beyond repair, I've tried. Now I'm stuck with a car that is never aligned and burns through tires in like three weeks. Any advice?

How about a certified used car next time around? With a certified pre-owned (CPO) car, you get a late-model and low mileage vehicle that has been certified by the manufacturer, has passed a rigorous inspection, repair and reconditioning process and comes backed with an extended factory warranty!

WHAT'S YOUR CAR BUYING HORROR STORY?

Help inform other used car buyers; share your worst car buying story in the comments below!

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All About Avis Certified Used Cars for Sale

Car buyers in search of a quality, late-model used car, SUV or pickup priced below market value have an option that may often be overlooked: shopping at Avis Car Sales. With locations across the country -- just like Avis Rent a Car -- Avis Car Sales offers a large selection of Avis Certified used cars for sale. These certified cars are backed by a comprehensive warranty, feature low mileage and have passed a multi-point inspection process performed by ASE Certified and ASE Master Technicians.

INSPECTED, CERTIFIED AND BACKED BY A PREMIUM ASSURED LIMITED WARRANTY

If you shop Avis Car Sales' selection of certified pre-owned vehicles on their website or within the certified car inventory here on CertifiedCars.com, you will discover that all of their used cars for sale are late-model versions of popular cars, SUVs and trucks, most of which have low miles. In fact, many certified used cars at Avis Car Sales are still under the factory warranty. Plus, each Avis Certified car comes with a Premium Assured Limited Warranty, providing 6 months or 6,000 miles of mechanical breakdown coverage and 1 full year of 24-hour/365-day Emergency Roadside Assistance. Longer-term protection is available as well, through Avis Car Sales' Premium Assured Protection Plan service contracts.

OTHER PERKS OF AVIS CERTIFIED CARS

Similar to when you shop for a certified pre-owned (CPO) car through a manufacturer's factory program, Avis Certified cars must first pass a rigorous multi-point inspection by ASE Certified mechanics or ASE Master Technicians. Every pre-owned car sold through the Avis Certified program is kept up to its manufacturer's standards, and are guaranteed to be free of open recalls. Also like a traditional car dealership, financing assistance is available at Avis Car Sales; even vehicle trades are accepted!

While shopping at Avis Car Sales is similar in many ways to your traditional car dealership, Avis' Ultimate Test Drive Rental affords car shoppers an extended test drive that can last up to three days -- with the first two hours completely free! If you test drive a car as part of the Ultimate Test Drive Rental for 1-3 days and end up purchasing that vehicle, your rental fee will be reimbursed.

SHOP & COMPARE AT CERTIFIEDCARS.COM

Whether you are shopping factory CPO vehicles, browsing the local used car lots or talking to private sellers, consider Avis Car Sales as another great option in your used car search. With used cars priced below market value, the purchase process can be haggle-free and hassle-free, when you shop Avis Certified.

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You Can Now Buy a Certified Pre-Owned Ford with Bitcoin

You Can Now Buy a Certified Pre-Owned Ford with Bitcoin

Have you invested in Bitcoin and want to put your earnings toward your next car? More and more select dealerships across the country are beginning to accept bitcoins, and offering bitcoin financing for car purchases -- including a southwest Michigan Ford dealership where you can purchase certified pre-owned Ford vehicles with bitcoins. Campbell Ford Lincoln is situated in Niles, MI, less than 200 miles from Ford's global headquarters in Dearborn and is now accepting bitcoin payments.

Whether you have been eyeing a quality certified pre-owned (CPO) Ford Mustang, F-150, Escape or another CPO Ford model, you may be able to find your ideal CPO Ford at Campbell Ford Lincoln that allows you to pay in full or provide your down payment with bitcoin. In fact, if you visit bitcoinford.com, you will be redirected to the Campbell Ford Lincoln, as the dealer aims to be the go-to place for purchasing a new, used or certified pre-owned Ford with the cryptocurrency. As Campbell Ford Lincoln is also a Lincoln dealership, car shoppers have the opportunity to buy a CPO Lincoln luxury vehicle through the dealership's bitcoin purchase or finance program, too.

PAY WITH BITCOIN & HAVE YOUR CPO FORD DELIVERED TO YOU

Don't live within driving distance of Campbell Ford Lincoln's Niles, MI and South Bend, IN area dealership? The bitcoin-accepting dealership is now advertising low-cost shipping options for car delivery throughout the continental United States. If you have spotted a competitive price on a certified pre-owned Ford Focus, Fusion, Explorer or F-150 and want to take advantage of Campbell Ford Lincoln's easy and hassle-free bitcoin car buying option, consider having your CPO Ford shipped to you.

EXPLORE ALL OF YOUR CPO VEHICLE OPTIONS AT CERTIFIEDCARS.COM

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A review of the Fair.com App

Have you heard of the new Fair.com app? If you haven’t, you probably will soon because it presents some big changes to how people pay for and drive their cars.

Fair allows customers to get a low-mileage, pre-owned car right on their phone, and turn it in whenever they want -- with no fixed term and no physical paperwork whatsoever. You can shop late-model certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles and used cars from real car dealerships; plus, all the shopping, checkout and payments are done within the app. You can get approved by scanning your driver’s license, sign for a car with your finger, then pick it up at the dealership.

If you are like me, you have wondered why an end-to-end app for getting a car has not been available before. In fact, years ago I searched for a service like this online and in my phone’s app store, but to no avail.

Fair is aiming to change the way people get cars by breaking up the standard two- or three-year lease agreement in favor of a flexible model that allows customers to return their car at any time. Want to drive a different car, SUV or pickup truck model every season or every year? It can now be easily done with Fair and – more importantly – at reasonable prices.

This arrangement may seem too good to be true for auto enthusiasts who are already regular lessees. You may also be wondering if there is a catch or how the prices compare to a standard lease from your franchise car dealership or a monthly rental car program. After all, how can you get a good deal if you can’t even negotiate?

Well, I’m happy to report that all Fair cars come negotiation-free since the app uses artificial intelligence to make sure it only accepts cars that are priced fairly. In fact, only about 20 percent of a typical dealership’s inventory qualifies for Fair. In addition, Fair backs its prices up with a guarantee that you won’t find a comparable loan or lease with a lower monthly payment.

FAIR VS. STANDARD LEASE: A COMPARISON

For comparison’s sake, let’s take a look at a popular lease model: a 2017 Honda Civic LX. At the time of writing, Honda corporate lists a featured special lease on a 2017 Civic Sedan CVT LX at $169 per month for 36 months, with $1,999 due at signing. Fair offers a comparable version that doesn’t lock you in for 3 years. For example, as I look at the Fair app on my iOS device, I see a certified pre-owned 2017 Honda Civic Sedan LX in my area with less than 300 miles (essentially brand new) for a start payment of $1,000 and $200 per month. This represents savings of $1,000 up front. And while Honda offers a slightly lower monthly payment, you’d be locked in for 3 years—about the time it’ll take you to make back the difference in the down payments. Also, Fair’s offer includes a warranty, routine maintenance and roadside assistance. So Fair’s offer provides the benefit of being able to return the car any time along with clear upfront savings, with a trade-off of driving in a certified used or used car instead of a new one. We like that Fair has embraced price transparency and lets you see your payments with taxes and fees and a sample contract right from the get-go.

Renting a vehicle from a rental car agency with a monthly discount is, of course, another alternative. But if you’re renting for any more than a few months, Fair ends up being more economic and allows you to select any car you want that is listed in the app..

If you are intrigued about this new model for car ownership, I encourage you to take a test drive of the Fair app. It’s only available in Southern California for now, but will be expanding to dealerships near you over the next year.

DOWNLOAD THE FAIR APP START SHOPPING ONLINE NOW!

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