Ford has launched a new online marketplace dedicated to certified used vehicles called Ford Blue Advantage.
Ford Blue Advantage, which is powered by online car marketplace Autotrader, gives Ford dealers a place they can easily list and sell certified used vehicles in their inventories. At the same time, the site provides customers with a one-stop-shop to look for certified pre-owned Ford vehicles that are backed by the automaker’s limited warranty.
Visitors to the Ford Blue Advantage site can expect a similar user experienced to that of other popular used car buying websites like Autotrader or Cars.com, with clearly displayed pricing, vehicle mileage and other important information. The site also allows the user to take advantage of the Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor tool, which is used to signify if a vehicle is priced competitively with other similar used vehicle listings.
In addition, the site allows the user to easily sort a vehicle by model, trim level and even by the availability of certain dealership services, such as at-home test drives, home delivery or a video walkaround.
“We can now connect the right shopper to the right pre-owned Ford vehicle faster than ever,” Andrew Frick, vice president of U.S. marketing at Ford, said in a prepared statement. “Providing a great digital experience is paramount today, but we know customers still want to touch, smell and feel a vehicle before they buy it. Ford Blue Advantage offers the best of both worlds, enabling customers to shop online or come into a dealership, or a combination of both.”
General Motors has a similar service with its Shop. Click. Drive. webpage, which allows users to shop for new GM vehicles that meet their specific criteria at dealerships in their area. Ford Blue Advantage is dedicated to finding certified pre-owned vehicles, however, giving the Dearborn-based company a slight edge with regard to engaging customers on CPO vehicle sales.
Ford recently made some adjustments to its CPO program and now splits vehicles into two categories: Gold Certified and Blue Certified. Gold Certified vehicles offer the same benefits and warranty that the company previously offered under its Certified Pre-Owned program (seven year/100,000 mile Powertrain Limited Warranty) for vehicles up to six years old. The new Blue Certified level, meanwhile, extends to vehicles up to ten years old and comes with a 90-day, 4,000-mile Comprehensive Limited Warranty.
Ford implemented these changes after feeling increased pressure from major used vehicle sellers like CarMax, which have generous return policies and warranty coverage. CarMax recently implemented a 30-day return policy, which allows customers to receive a full refund on their vehicle purchase after 30 days and driving it up to 1,500 miles.
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This post was created in collaboration with our sister publication, Ford Authority.
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