New vs. Used vs. Certified Pre-Owned: What's Right for You?

Car troubles are stressful enough, let alone finding yourself in need of a new car ASAP.

Sometimes, it can feel like car shopping is an endless cyclical process of research and paperwork. New vs used cars. Used vs certified pre-owned cars. What does a CPO car even mean? Are CPO cars any good? Then you have to figure out which kind of vehicle will land you the best interest rate, a high resale value, and best performance on the road. Sometimes, it can feel like the more information you receive about car shopping, the more confused you become.

Let us explain what the key differences are between new, used, and certified pre-owned cars, so you can finally answer your burning question: “Should I buy a new or used car?”

Used vs CPO: Weighing the Pros and Cons of Pre-Owned Vehicles

There are pros and cons to shopping for used cars, CPO or otherwise.

Though both used and CPO vehicles are pre-owned, only Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles come with the savings of a used car and the crisp feel of a brand-new model. Our CPO programs at Step One are intentionally designed to provide that fresh-off-the-lot feeling, despite having had a previous owner. CPO vehicles also enjoy a variety of luxurious warranty programs. While all the programs slightly differ, they usually offer a few years or 50,000-mile driver assurance warranty, whichever comes first. At which point, most CPOs provide drivers with an additional year-long warranty, covering your precious vehicle for an additional period beyond the new car warranty. Below, we explain exactly what rigorous qualifications must be met for a vehicle to earn the prestigious title of Certified Pre-Owned .

However, non-certified used cars are not to be underestimated! There are hundreds of low-mileage used vehicles for sale across several Step One dealerships, meaning that there’s something for everyone. Shopping for used vehicles will also provide you a wide range of price points, mileages, makes, models, trims, fuel types, and more. The sky’s the limit when it comes to locating the perfect used vehicle to fit your exact needs.

Looking for even more reasons to buy used ? Look no further than our series of CPO and used vehicles for sale for under $25K !

New vs Used: Incredible Quality, Incredible Value

There are lots of opinions when it comes to buying new vs. buying used cars. There are pros and cons to both decisions, though many car shoppers already have a vague bias when it comes to comparing the two. Buying new can mean incredible interest rates, buying used can mean stellar overall, upfront costs. So even when you’re hinging on finances to make your decision, some deliberation is still required.

Similarly, don’t walk onto a dealership’s car lot thinking all new vehicles are going to be out of your budget. There has been an incredible drop in new vehicle prices nationwide since they spiked several years ago. For some buyers, the time has never been better to buy new. Who knew?!

New vs CPO: Balancing Interest Rates with Overall Cost

Now let’s talk interest rates: Using the current national average for interest rates , you can expect to pay roughly 5.64 % to 14.78 % on your new vehicle, and anywhere from 7.66 % to 21.55 % for used cars. New vehicles typically have an interest rate significantly lower than that of used vehicles. This is due to the difficulty in assessing the value of a used car and the sheer number of variables that exist when someone else owned your car before you ever got the keys.

However, the value of CPO vehicles should not be underestimated! Certified pre-owned vehicles are required to face a rigorous background check, including testing of the exterior, interior, mechanical aspects, fluids, safety features, driver assistance features such as blind-spot alerts, and finally, an official road test. These CPO testing regulations are in addition to the low mileage requirements, clean accident history, and age of the car—usually also requiring the vehicle to be less than 7 years old. And, as we explained earlier, CPOs also come with an incredibly competitive warranty, and may even still fall under the new car warranty.

No Matter What Car you Choose, Choose Step One Auto Group

Any one of our many finance and sales professionals will be thrilled to walk you through the car research and car buying processes.

Visit us at one of our many dealership locations across the Greater Panhandle area, including Ft. Myers, Pensacola, and more. Because at the end of the day, we assure that you’ll love whatever car you drive off our lot in: Guaranteed. That’s the Step One Auto Group Promise !