Ford is now offering a 14-day money back guarantee on certified used vehicles sold through its Ford Blue Advantage online marketplace. The automaker says the money back guarantee will offer buyers increased peace of mind and also ensure its Ford dealers remains leaders in the used vehicle space. Ford's announcement comes after GM shared that it will launch a used vehicle marketplace called CarBravo (one Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds calls a future failure.) Beginning in February, vehicles sold under the Ford Blue Advantage platform will include a 14-day/1,000-mile money-back guarantee.
What Is Ford Blue Advantage?
The Ford Blue Advantage online used car marketplace is powered by Autotrader. It allows customers search a wide selection of both Ford and non-Ford products to find their ideal vehicle. Ford says it offers a personalized shopping experience that includes a search-by-vehicle option and preference for home delivery, at-home test drive. Customers can also view a video walk-around of the vehicle.
All Ford and non-Ford vehicles listed through the program are inspected by factory-trained technicians and backed by Ford Motor Company warranties under two different certification levels – Gold Certified or Blue Certified. Ford says the money-back guarantee applies to both levels and is the best guarantee offered by any full-line automaker.
The automaker says its platform gives customers what they want - a seemless shopping and purchase experience along with dealers’ best and widest selection of used Ford and non-Ford vehicles. Ford says the marketplace has also proven to be successful. Its internal data shows that since the inception of FordBlueAdvantage.com, traffic to the site is up 500% over the prior Certified Pre-Owned site, while Ford certified used vehicle sales rose by 26% in 2021.
“The Ford Blue Advantage platform provides the opportunity to build long-term relationships with our customers by offering the peace of mind of a certified used vehicle, a comprehensive warranty and the power of FordPass Rewards points – Ford’s industry-leading loyalty program,” says Andrew Frick, Ford vice president of sales, U.S. and Canada.
Ford-backed certification, benefits
All Ford Blue Advantage vehicles include additional warranty coverage backed by Ford Motor Company. Vehicles are certified as either Gold or Blue level, which Ford says covers 90% of its participating dealers used-vehicle inventory.
- Gold Certified vehicles pass a 172-point inspection and come with a 12-month/12,000-mile (whichever comes first) comprehensive limited warranty and a seven-year/100,000-mile (whichever comes first) powertrain limited warranty. Dealers can certify Ford vehicles at the Gold level for up to six years and at less than 80,000 miles
- Blue Certified vehicles – those 10 years or newer, with 120,000 miles or less – pass a 139-point inspection and come with 90-day/4,000-mile (whichever comes first) comprehensive limited warranty coverage. This level allows dealers to certify both Ford and non-Ford vehicles up to 10 years and at less than 120,000 miles.
Both levels come with other perks, too: 24/7 roadside assistance and complimentary FordPass Rewards points. They can be redeemed for future service visits or vehicle purchases at dealerships – 11,000 points for Blue Certified and 22,000 for Gold Certified.
Ford also says it runs a CARFAX Vehicle History Report on every Gold and Blue Certified used vehicle to ensure it meets program standards.
Photo Credit: Ford