Buying a car can be, and usually is, a bit of a roller coaster ride of emotions. However, buying a typical used car can bring more lows than highs as there’s much less certainty about its condition. Despite it being cheaper now that it has seen a few miles, there’s always a price to pay, so to speak.

CARSOME and its Certified cars seek to bridge that gap, ensuring the cars that have passed through its Certified Lab come out the other side offering the same kind of peace of mind and transparency that makes a showroom-fresh vehicle so tempting. Let’s run through the meticulous process by which CARSOME ‘Certifies’ their cars!

First of all, even before any reconditioning, repair or refurbishment can begin, each car is subject to a rigorous 175-point inspection to ensure they are free from flood or fire damage and hasn’t been involved in major accidents.

From this point, the inspectors will focus on a number of areas to dive deeper into, to ascertain the true quality of a particular car, using this as a basis to determine if and what needs attention during refurbishment.

Exterior:

The car’s exterior is the first point of impression anyone makes with it, but it’s important to know what to look for in order to go beyond what is merely skin deep. CARSOME’s professional inspectors will take the time to investigate and verify the car’s:

• Engine, VIN, chassis number
• Wheels and tyres.
• Body panels, bumpers.
• Door panels, bonnet, boot
• Glass – front and rear windscreen, windows, mirrors
• Exterior lights

The first stop on the list is to verify the car’s chassis and engine number are a match and are free from any tampering to ensure this isn’t a ‘clone car’ or one that has been declared a total loss, keeping a sharp eye for signs of shoddy repair work, rust, mold, joint welding marks, and other potential red flags. Again, this is to further support the conclusion that the car is free from flood and fire damage.

Undercarriage:

The undercarriage or underside, an often overlooked part of the car, can reveal so much about its true condition.

Again, the inspector will be out to find any signs of damage, paying particular attention to potential fluid leaks, as well as taking a closer look at the car’s engine, transmission, brakes, and exhaust system.

Interior:

The importance of a car’s interior functionality and condition cannot be overstated given how much time its occupants will be spending in it. The cabin’s comprehensive inspection is therefore out to ensure everything works well and all components below meet CARSOME Certified standards:

• Meters and gauges, indicator lights, warning lights
• Seatbelts
• Audio system, infotainment
• Alarm and central locking
• Air conditioning
• Carpet, trim, floor mats
• Boot and storage compartments
• Sunroof and convertible top (if equipped)

Quick Road Test:

Once the Exterior, Interior, and Undercarriage inspection has been concluded and the inspector is satisfied so far, they will move on to a quick road test. This is an important step in the process as this can help weed out previously hidden issues that might only reveal themselves during normal driving.

The aim here is to make sure the car’s engine, transmission, and brakes are indeed working well, keeping an eye on the car’s operating temperature, responsiveness of the car’s steering system, as well as for excessive noises or vibrations that need further investigation.

CARSOME Certified Cars come with a 1-year warranty!

From the meticulous full inspection to detailed refurbishment process, every car CARSOME Certified Car is protected from day one to inject that all-important peace of mind to the ownership process. To top it off, each CARSOME Certified car comes with a 1-year warranty!

Browse CARSOME’s extensive list of Certified Cars on their website or app (on Google Play or the App Store) and book a test drive today!