Ford revamps its used-vehicle program – Roadshow

Not content merely selling new vehicles, Ford is stepping up its game in the used-car business. On Thursday, the automaker announced its new Ford Blue Advantage program, which helps drivers track down certified preowned vehicles, ones that also happen to be backed by generous warranties.

Powered by Autotrader, Ford Blue Advantage is designed to provide a personalized shopping experience, to help people find their ideal used vehicle, regardless of make or model. That’s right, it doesn’t just apply to Ford and Lincoln products.

Two tiers of vehicle are offered in this program. Gold-level cars must be newer than six years old and have fewer than 80,000 miles on the clock. Cars and trucks certified at the less stringent Blue level can be up to 10 years old and have rolled as many as 120,000 miles. Either way, these vehicles come with 24/7 roadside assistance and a free Carfax history report. They’re also eligible for FordPass Rewards points and feature a 14-day, 1,000-mile money-back guarantee, the best offered by any full-line automaker, according to Ford.

Aside from meeting age and mileage requirements, Gold-level cars must pass a 172-point inspection. After clearing this hurdle, vehicles are graced with a 12-month, 12,000-mile limited warranty and a seven-year, 100,000-mile powertrain guarantee.

Again, the Blue grade is less stringent than Gold. Applicable cars and trucks must pass a 139-point inspection, though if they do, drivers gain a 90-day, 4,000-mile limited warranty. Ford estimates 90% of its dealers’ used-vehicle inventory will fall into either the Gold or Blue levels.

For today’s motorists who are accustomed to shopping online, this program offers video walkarounds, at-home test drives and even home delivery. Ford Blue Advantage is slated to kick off in February, though the program’s website is already on a tear. Traffic is up by 500% compared to the automaker’s outgoing preowned vehicle page, Ford said.

With new cars and trucks a scarce commodity and used-vehicle prices in the stratosphere, it will be interesting to see how this program performs in today’s COVID-hampered world. Regardless of vehicle availability, consumers should appreciate Ford Blue Advantage’s generous warranty coverage and money-back guarantee.

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