Used cars from dealer and Warranty

[Dave Lehnert]

I don't put many miles on a car since I always worked close to home.
Looking at used cars, at a large local new car dealership, major brands. I noticed they do not offer any kind of warranty on their used cars unless it is new enough it still has balance left of the factory warranty.
Is this normal for a dealer now? I always thought the reason to buy from a dealer you would get a car that has been inspected and offer some guarantee. Even if it was just 90 days.
I am sure they would offer you an extended warranty for more $$$$$.

[David Weaver]

Local dealers where I grew up have always been as-is unless there is a specific dealer with a used car problem (mercedes or someone near here had or still has some kind of warranty program for used cars presumably because they're so expensive to repair).

I can't imagine they won't try to sell you some sort of aftermarket warranty - which would probably yield a whole lot more money than burying the cost of the warranty in the car price and not giving you the choice. I guess some people would rather spend $10 and have the choice to add on $2 more than just spend $11 to start and get the same thing as $10+$2 gets you, if you know what i mean.

[Shawn Pixley]

Like David said, my experience is that most used cars are sold as is. Especially if the factory warranty has expired. Most factory warranties are five years these days. So, if you're looking at a used car from a dealer who carries the same brand and there is no remaining warranty, it is likely older then five years, no? Look around, I am sure you can come across a used car with warranty if that is your primary criteria.

That said, I bought a used fleet vehicle (used by the US distributer, not the dealer's loaner cars) that was one year old. I received a significant discount and the balance of the factory warranty. I was prepared to buy new because I was looking for a particular model whose buyers tend to own this car for the long haul. I just got lucky.

[Brian Elfert]

At least one major chain of dealerships locally is advertising "lifetime" warranties on all used vehicles. There has to be some sort of catch and I never looked in it as I'm not in the market for a car.

The last used vehicle I bought over a decade ago was sold with no warranty. It turned out the fuel sender was bad so I ran out of gas. The dealer was nice enough to repair it even though they had no obligation to do so.

[Matt Meiser]

Typically no warranty here unless there's some left or you buy one.

[Dave Lehnert]

Thanks,

Not looking to buy anything right now. I was just wondering because when waiting on service, I go and look around the lot.
Been a long time since I purchased used but was surprised a large major brand dealer would not offer 30 or 90 day warranty to just show they inspected the car and was confident it was in good shape.
Guess it depends on how much you trust the dealer but Do you think it is worth the extra premium you pay at a dealer for a used car if no warranty?

[John Lanciani]

Like anything, it's negotiable. I recently bought a four year old Honda from the local Subaru dealer. When I couldn't get them to the price I really wanted (we were less that $500 apart) I said that I'd take a 6 month bumper to bumper warranty and buy the car right then at their final price. Fortunately for me they bit, unfortunately for them they've done over $1000 worth of work on the car since I bought it (rear brakes and major AC work) and I still have a month to go on the warranty.

[Mike Olson]

not sure what state your in, but in NY there is a Used car Lemon law which depending on how old and how many miles are on the car you may get a 30 - 90 day warranty. You may want to do a quick search on Used Car Lemon law "your state"

[Charlie Barnes]

As has been previously mentioned, you can purchase an aftermarket warranty from many dealers/sources if the factory warranty has expired. You can also purchase a warranty extension if desired. Aftermarket warranties are a major source of revenue for many dealers, so I'm surprised they don't offer something. Just like buying health insurance, you can get a basic bare bones policy that only covers major repairs (engine, transmission, etc.) or a more complete policy that covers more. If you go this route, make sure to read and understand the fine print as to what is and is not covered. Also, confirm the process for filing a claim especially if it requires the dealer to support it in some way (repair validation, detailed work order, etc.). I'd see if the dealer would include an aftermarket warranty/extension in the deal. Also, many OEMs have some form of in-house warranty available, again because it's "easy money". So you might contact the manufacturer's customer assistance line to find out what options are available if you want to go that route.

Buy back "lemon" laws vary from state-to-state. But most are structured in a way that allows the consumer to initiate legal action with the manufacturer to have the vehicle repurchased once the dealer has had some number of unsuccessful repair attempts (typically 3) for the same issue. This is not a good substitute for a warranty in my opinion, but it is a final safety net. I work for a major auto manufacturer, so I really only deal with warranties and buy backs as they relate to new vehicles/vehicles under factory warranty. Sorry but I don't know how a buy back would work on a used car or if the factory warranty has expired.

Hope this helps.

Charlie

[Jim Becker]

For very recent models that are traded or are lease turn-backs, there is often a "certified pre-owned" program, at least on some brands at some dealers. But yes, it's typical for used vehicles to be "as is" when it comes to "warranty". As was already noted, there are service contracts available from both the manufacturers and third parties for pre-owned cars; some of the former can be quite comprehensive although they may have cutoff points for purchase based on the length of time the vehicle has been in service and/or the current mileage.

Carmax provides a short term "warranty" on their used vehicles.

Always pull a Carfax on any used vehicle you are considering. They may not have complete information on the vehicle, but they will have what's been reported for that VIN.

[Kev Williams]

Carmax is a good place to buy a car, unless you like to haggle. They won't...

As for Carfax, bah humbug... I own 2 cars that their so-called info is so screwed up on that I'll never believe anything a Carfax says.