Last year, Ford cranked over a new product called Blue Advantage. This was effectively a certified pre-owned program promising one of the largest selection of certified used Fords, but that wasn't limited to Ford products, and that aimed to provide many of the same used-car shopping services found at retailers like CarMax and Carvana. Shoppers could take test drives from their own homes, vehicles were sold with guaranteed pricing and came with warranties and roadside assistance. The program also offered a four-day, 200-mile return policy for unsatisfied customers. Ford said only one percent of buyers brought their cars back, but the automaker is improving the test phase. CarsDirect reports that as of February 1, 2022 buyers will have 14 days or 1,000 miles to return vehicles if the dealer has opted into the extended program.
As with every warranty, it pays to note the details. For comparison, one year ago, CarMax extended its return policy to up to 30 days or 1,500 miles. Carvana offers a seven-day policy like Ford, but new owners can only drive 400 miles. If a shopper trades in a car on a new purchase with CarMax and Carvana, then returns the just-purchased vehicle, CarMax and Carvana will return the trade-in to the buyer. Ford's Blue Advantage doesn't necessarily do this — returning the trade-in will be at the dealer's discretion. And obviously, vehicles need to be returned in the condition they were bought, otherwise the test driver will be on the hook for damages.
General Motors is also getting in on the used car action with a new service called CarBravo. However, as its still in the launch phase, we don't have all the details about how CarBravo's trial period and return policy will work.
If nothing else, with used cars repeatedly setting new records for average transaction price, the upgraded Blue Advantage program will extend the safety net of an extended trial period to a few hundred thousand more vehicle options.