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Clark Howard's Tips

January 9, 2008

We've all heard the term "certified used car," but what exactly does that mean?

It's really a marketing term that statistics show can inflate the price of a vehicle by several thousand dollars. But the term itself may or may not have any real meaning from dealership to dealership.

Minnesota has decided that it's heard enough horror stories about people buying certified used cars and getting lemons. The Land of 10,000 Lakes has passed a law to define what "certified used car" should mean.

There are basically 3 criteria: The certified used vehicle must have a warranty; the dealer must believe it's in good shape; and it can't have been in a bad wreck.

Clark never goes through a week of the year when someone doesn't tell him a lemon horror story about a certified used vehicle. So be Clark Smart when buying and have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle.

Consumer advice courtesy of