The addition of a Carfax vehicle history report to all certified vehicles is a good place for consumers with problem credit to begin the process of choosing the right vehicle for a car loan
Understanding program improvements

Although Ford's certified used car program fails to cover vehicles from other manufacturers, the announcement late last summer that the company had partnered with Carfax to provide vehicle history reports is a step in the right direction for consumers with questionable credit searching for online car loans.

At Auto Credit Express we appreciate what Ford is doing because for over two decades we've been helping car buyers with poor credit find those new car dealers that can offer them their best opportunities for car loan approvals.

Used car choices

Once these consumers have received an approval, most will decide on a used car because they're generally more affordable. But once they've reached this decision, yet another choice must be made because over the past fifteen years or so car makers have created an entirely new used car category that slots between regular used cars market and those new cars sitting on the showroom floor.

Certified used cars

Officially called certified pre owned or CPO for short, most certified used car programs work something like this: If a vehicle from the manufacturer the dealer holds a franchise with (in most cases) comes in as a trade in, off-lease, or from an auction and meets certain mileage and age requirements, it's can be given an inspection qualifying it for that brand's certified used car program.

Following the inspection and the replacement of specific worn, broken or defective parts the dealer can then sell it with a manufacturer-backed used car extended warranty (in reality a used car service contract).

The dealer can then sell it under the manufacturer's certified used car program. In practically every case these certified used cars are then sold at a premium, because of the added costs, over similar non-certified used cars.

What is and is not covered by the used car service contract and what type of information the buyer receives about the history of a particular vehicle can vary widely. Late last summer, Ford Motor Company announced some changes to the vehicle history reports it supplies with its certified used cars.

Ford certified used cars

The announcement stated that Ford and Carfax had agreed to provide Carfax Vehicle History Reports for both Ford and Lincoln Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs. So as of January 1, 2013, Ford is providing a free vehicle history report from Carfax for every Ford and Lincoln certified pre-owned vehicle.

In the past, those Ford and Lincoln Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles that came with a Carfax Report were covered by the Carfax Buyback Guarantee. As of the first of this year, that has now been extended to all Lincoln and Ford Certified Pre-owned Vehicles.

Certified used Fords pass a 172-point inspection and are backed by a 12-month/12,000 mile comprehensive limited warranty plus a 7-year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty. Lincoln CPO cars pass a 200-point inspection and are backed by a 6-year/100,000 mile comprehensive warranty.

Buyers under both programs also get complimentary 24/7 roadside assistance.

According to John Felice, general manager, Ford and Lincoln Sales, "As sales of our new products continue to grow, so will the demand for high-quality, low-mileage pre-owned Ford and Lincoln vehicles. That's why we work very closely with our dealers to invest in our CPO program and make it even more competitive."

As we see it

By furnishing them with a free vehicle history report, Ford has given buyers with less than perfect credit even more peace of mind when choosing one of their certified used cars – which is always a good thing.

Another thing these buyers can take advantage of is the fact that at Auto Credit Express we do our best to match applicants that have experienced car credit issues with those dealers that can give them their best chances for approved car loans.

So if you're ready to reestablish your auto credit, you can begin now by filling out our online application.