So my wife and I were looking for a new car and went to a dealership that my family has trusted for years. We found a used Chevy Blazer and the salesman gave us a price we thought was fair. After getting some paperwork ready, we noticed that the final price was way higher than what we discussed. We expected to pay more for sales tax, license plate fees, and some document fees, but then we saw a $1,600 charge for ‘GM Certification.’ I did some research before coming in and found out that GM Certification is what certified pre-owned cars get after passing a thorough inspection and it includes some warranty. The problem is that this Blazer wasn’t listed as certified on the dealership’s website or GM’s official site. When I asked the dealer about it, he tried to avoid the question for a bit but then said it was missing a final step for certification, which was a wheel alignment. He mentioned that they often start the certification process but don’t finish it before a customer wants the car. I told him we could wait for the certification to be completed, and he assured me it would be done by tomorrow. I’m wondering if this is a common practice at dealerships regarding certification, and I don’t want to pay extra for a certification that isn’t legitimate. Any advice or questions I should ask when we go back tomorrow?
There’s no corporate involvement in the certification process. The dealer does the inspection and necessary repairs, then submits everything to GM.
Dane said:
There’s no corporate involvement in the certification process. The dealer does the inspection and necessary repairs, then submits everything to GM.
So that means the dealer could delay the process until they sell the car, right?
@Tory
Exactly. They might not finish it until they know someone is ready to buy the car.
I’m curious, how do they complete the certification after you buy the car? Do they ask you to come back later?
Keenan said:
I’m curious, how do they complete the certification after you buy the car? Do they ask you to come back later?
Yeah, I was wondering that too. I assumed they would just have it ready when I go in tomorrow.
If everything is done when you go back, they should provide you with paperwork showing that the certification is complete.
Mica said:
If everything is done when you go back, they should provide you with paperwork showing that the certification is complete.
That’s reassuring. I hope everything is in order when we return.
What year is the Blazer and how many miles does it have?
Teo said:
What year is the Blazer and how many miles does it have?
It’s a 2023 with around 23,000 miles.
Since it’s a 2023, it should still be under the original warranty. You might want to consider getting a GM-backed extended warranty instead.
@MysticMaster
Yeah, the extended warranty often gives you more coverage for a similar price. Just make sure you get a GM warranty and not a third-party one.
If you know the VIN, you can call for a quote on the extended warranty. I used James Black Cadillac for mine.
Scout said:
If you know the VIN, you can call for a quote on the extended warranty. I used James Black Cadillac for mine.
Thanks for the tip. I’ll look into it. I appreciate all the help.