Toyota Certified Program Overview
The Toyota Certified Program has been around since 1996 and helps car buyers to evaluate the quality of used Toyota vehicles. If you are in the market for a used Toyota vehicle, you’ll want to be aware of this program to help you make a better purchasing decision. The new program breaks its certified vehicles into two groups: a Toyota Gold Certified vehicle and a Toyota Silver Certified Vehicle. In order to fit within these certification thresholds, the vehicle must meet certain criteria. In this article, we will go over everything you need to know about this program so that you can be better informed before you make your purchase decision.
Toyota Gold Certified Program
The top level of certification is the Toyota Gold Certified vehicles. These vehicles have undergone extensive scrutiny and must meet the highest level of standard for a used vehicle. The Gold Certification indicates that the vehicle has passed a rigorous inspection and also meets other qualifications that provide assurance to buyers that the vehicle is in excellent condition. In order to qualify as a Gold Certified vehicle, the vehicle must meet the following guidelines.
Age and Mileage Limits: Vehicles in the Gold level must be no more than six years of age and have fewer than 85,000 miles.
Comprehensive Inspection: A thorough 160-point inspection ensures that every aspect of the vehicle meets Toyota’s highest level of standards.
If the vehicle is assigned a Gold Certification, the purchase of the vehicle will include the following coverages:
Warranty Coverage: Includes a 12-month/12,000-mile Limited Comprehensive Warranty and a seven-year/100,000-mile Limited Powertrain Warranty.
Roadside Assistance: 24-hour roadside assistance for seven years or 100,000 miles from the date of purchase.
Free Vehicle History Report: Provides a detailed vehicle history to ensure transparency.
Additional Benefits: Extended Warranty Coverage transferable at no cost for added resale value
Toyota Silver Certified Program
The second tier in the Toyota Certified Program is the Toyota Silver Certified tier. Vehicles in this tier will have a slightly broader range of acceptable conditions than the Gold Certified tier, but they still must meet stringent guidelines and pass a thorough inspection. In order to qualify as a Silver Certified vehicle, the vehicle must meet the following guidelines.
Age and Mileage Limits: Silver level vehicles can be up to 10 years old and have between 60,000 to 125,000 miles.
Comprehensive Inspection: Undergoes a 136-point inspection to verify the vehicle’s condition and performance.
If the vehicle is assigned a Silver Certification, the purchase of the vehicle will include the following coverages:
Warranty Coverage: Includes a 12-month/12,000-mile Limited Powertrain Warranty.
Roadside Assistance: 24-hour roadside assistance for 12 months or 12,000 miles from the date of purchase.
Free Vehicle History Report: Ensures the vehicle’s history is clear and transparent.
Additional Benefits: Extended Warranty Coverage transferable at no cost for added resale value
Comparing the Two Toyota Certification Levels
As we’ve discussed previously, there are some key differences between the Toyota Gold Certified Program and the Toyota Silver Certified Program. It’s important to know these distinctions so that you can be better informed about the vehicle you are looking to purchase. Let’s recap the differences between these two program levels.
Inspection Thoroughness: Gold-certified vehicles undergo a more comprehensive 160-point inspection which is more stringent than the 130-point inspection for silver-certified vehicles.
Warranty Coverage: Gold-certified vehicles offer longer extended warranty periods (12 months/12,000 miles for comprehensive and seven years/100,000 miles for powertrain) than Silver-certified vehicles (12 months/12,000 miles for powertrain).
Age and Mileage Limits: Gold-certified vehicles are typically newer and have lower age and mileage limits than Silver-certified vehicles.
Roadside Assistance: Gold-certified vehicles have a more extended roadside assistance period (seven years/100,000 miles) compared to the 12-month/12,000-mile coverage for Silver-certified vehicles.
Conclusion
The new Toyota Certified Program helps to simplify its used car certification process. The Gold and Silver tiers are easier for prospective customers to understand and help them to quickly assess the quality and condition of the vehicle they are purchasing. Whether you opt for a top tier Gold Certified vehicle or the second tier Silver Certified vehicle, you can rest assured that you are buying a quality vehicle that has undergone an extensive inspection process.
Toyota Certified Vehicles at Westside Toyota
Thanks for reading our article on the new Toyota Certified Program. Westside Toyota is proud to offer Toyota Certified Vehicles for sale. Our Toyota Sales Specialists have received extensive training on the details of this program and can help answer any questions you have. Call, click or visit our Toyota dealership in Cleveland, Ohio today!