Buying from a manufacturer-backed approved used scheme will increase your chances of finding a reliable and roadworthy car.

Here, we run through an A to Z of the major approved used car schemes in the UK, from McLaren to Mini, and Ferrari to Ford. The information below is correct at the time of writing.

Abarth Spoticar

Along with five other Stellantis-owned car brands (Citroen, Peugeot, Vauxhall, Fiat and Jeep), pre-owned Abarths can be purchased through the Spoticar scheme. This includes a 12-month warranty, breakdown cover for a year, a comprehensive pre-sale inspection and a certificate showing that mileage and history have been checked and verified. You can also exchange the car within 30 days if it develops a fault.

Alfa Romeo Certified

Like Abarth, Alfa Romeo is part of the mighty Stellantis empire, but it has its own ‘Certified’ used car scheme. You get a warranty and breakdown cover for up to 24 months, along with a 120-point pre-sale inspection. The choice of cars is quite limited, however, with only 59 available nationwide when we checked.

Aston Martin Timeless Certified Pre-Owned

Aston Martin’s Timeless Certified Pre-Owned programme is available for all qualifying cars up to 10 years old. Along with the usual mechanical and history checks, Aston Martin also offers a 12-month unlimited-mileage warranty and breakdown cover for a year, plus a subscription to its glossy in-house magazine.

Furthermore, any servicing due within three months or 3,000 miles will be taken care of, along with protection against MOT failure.

Audi Approved

Buy an approved used Audi in 2023 and you’ll be covered by a one-year warranty with breakdown cover. The offer is valid for vehicles up to eight years old and with up to 100,000 miles at the point of activation.

All approved cars must pass an ‘up to 150-point’ inspection and are covered by a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange plan. You’re also protected from the cost of MOT repairs up to a value of £750.

Certified by Bentley

A pre-owned Bentley comes with a 12-month unlimited-mileage warranty and a certificate of authenticity to establish its provenance. Owners will also receive access to the Bentley Network app, a free subscription to the owners’ magazine and invitations to dealer events, along with a tour of the Bentley factory in Crewe. It’s well worth a visit.

BMW Approved Used Cars

All approved used BMWs come with a 12-month unlimited-mileage warranty, plus breakdown cover for a year. BMW will also pay for any MOT work carried out during the period of the warranty. There is a huge number of cars on offer (circa. 11,000 as we write this).

Citroen Spoticar

Citroen is another Stellantis brand now within the Spoticar scheme. All approved used Citroens must pass a comprehensive pre-delivery inspection and come with a minimum 12-month warranty. A 30-day fault-based exchange programme is offered, too.

Dacia Approved

Dacia Approved used cars come with a 12-month warranty, the usual condition checks and a 30-day exchange promise. It’s also worth noting that if the vehicle is still covered by its new-car warranty (three years or 60,000 miles, in Dacia’s case), the used guarantee will be topped up where necessary. This applies to the majority of warranties featured here.

DS Automobiles Certified

Buy a DS Certified car and you’ll get up to 24 months of warranty, breakdown cover for a year and a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange programme. Furthermore, all cars are put through a 120-point pre-delivery inspection. Even so, does the young chap above look slightly worried to you?

Ferrari Approved

Ferrari’s Approved used car programme covers any cavallino rampante registered within the last 14 years. The package includes a 201-point inspection, 24-month warranty and breakdown cover for two years (the latter two for 12 months in the rest of the world). It offers some reassurance when buying what’s bound to be a very expensive car.

Fiat Spoticar

Coming under the Spoticar umbrella, Fiat’s approved used car scheme includes a 12-month warranty, breakdown cover for 12 months and a pre-sale inspection. If you buy a used electric car, such as the new 500e, Spoticar can also help with installing a home charger via its partnerships with British Gas, Podpoint and Octopus Energy.

Ford Approved and Ford Direct

Ford operates two approved used car schemes. Ford Direct cars are ex-management or ex-demonstrator models that come with a two-year unlimited-mileage warranty, breakdown assistance for two years, a 30-day exchange programme and insurance for three days. They are also reconditioned to as-new standard.

Ford Approved cars tend to be older (up to five years) and come with the balance of the manufacturer’s warranty, breakdown assistance for 12 months, a multi-point inspection, a 30-day exchange plan and insurance for three days.

Honda Approved

All cars sold through Honda’s Approved used car scheme are subjected to an in-depth inspection and come with a 12-month guarantee. Along with roadside assistance for a year, customers are also entitled to a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange policy. Not that you’re likely to need it; Honda is consistently rated among the most reliable car brands.

Hyundai Promise

New Hyundais are covered by a five-year warranty. Building on this, the Hyundai Promise approved used scheme guarantees at least 18 months of manufacturer-approved warranty on secondhand cars.

All vehicles come with roadside assistance for a year, a safety and condition check (which includes the batteries of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure EVs), plus a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange agreement and drive-away insurance. Hyundai calls it ‘one of the most comprehensive used car schemes on the market’.

Jaguar Approved

Jaguar offers a minimum one-year warranty, plus European breakdown cover for 12 months. All cars are subjected to a 165-point check and come with MOT cover up to the value of £750 (with a £50 excess).

There’s currently an offer that doubles the standard warranty and roadside assistance package to 24 months, and throws in a free home-charging wallbox, if you buy a used I-Pace (pictured above) via Jaguar Approved.

Selected for You Jeep

Jeep’s approved used car offering is also part of the multi-marque Spoticar scheme. It features a 12-month warranty, plus breakdown cover for the same period. There’s also a pre-sale inspection and a 30-day exchange promise.

Kia Approved Used

Kia Approved Used cars are less than 20 months old and have covered less than 20,000 miles, which means they’re still covered by the company’s seven-year new-car guarantee. You’ll also receive free drive-away insurance, a 60-day/1,000-mile exchange plan, breakdown assistance for a year, first-year MOT cover up to £1,000 and 24-hour accident aftercare.

Land Rover Approved

Land Rover offers a minimum one-year warranty with European breakdown cover for 12 months. All cars are subjected to a 165-point check and come with MOT cover up to the value of £750 (with a £50 excess). There’s a 30-day/1,000-mile conditional car exchange agreement, too.

Lexus Select Approved Pre-Owned

Buy through the Select Approved Pre-Owned scheme and you get a 12-month warranty with the same level of cover as a new Lexus. Cars are subjected to a 150-point check and you also get 12 months of breakdown cover and a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange policy.

If your Lexus is less than 10 years old or has covered less than 100,000 miles, an additional 12 months/10,000 miles of warranty can be added with every annual service at a Lexus dealership.

Lotus Approved

The Lotus Approved scheme can be applied by dealers to any Lotus up to 20 years old, provided it meets a pre-agreed set of criteria. Cars undergo an inspection and 10-mile test drive by a Lotus factory-trained technician. They also come with a 12-month warranty.

In addition, there’s 12 months of breakdown cover, a certificate of provenance and any servicing or MOT due within the next 3,000 miles will be included.

Maserati Approved

Maserati says its ‘pre-driven vehicles are selected and approved for the Maserati Approved programme based on condition and service history’. All cars are subjected to a 121-point inspection and come with a two-year unlimited mileage warranty and breakdown assistance for 24 months. Only Maseratis up to six years old are eligible for Approved status.

Mazda Approved Used Cars

The Mazda Approved Used Car scheme offers vehicles with a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty, breakdown cover for a year, £250 insurance excess return in the event of an accident, MOT protection up to the value of £750, drive-away insurance cover and a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange programme.

McLaren Qualified

If you’re lucky enough to be buying a pre-owned McLaren supercar, you’ll receive a minimum 12-month warranty (with the option to extend to 24 months), breakdown assistance for a year, all servicing due within three months carried out, tyres with at least 3mm of tread, and all the necessary provenance checks.

Mercedes-Benz Approved Used

Every Approved Used Mercedes-Benz comes with a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty. While the car is being repaired, Mercedes-Benz will also pay up to £100 per day towards the cost of a replacement vehicle.

You’ll also get roadside assistance for a year, key insurance, MOT test-failure cover, seven-day insurance cover, and a free service if one is due in the first 3,000 miles or three months of ownership.

Approved Used MG

All Approved Used MG cars come with the remainder of the manufacturer’s warranty (the balance of seven years or 80,000 miles). They are subjected to a 130-point check and come with breakdown cover for 12 months. Drivers also get seven days of insurance included.

Approved Used Mini

Following a thorough inspection, all Approved Used Mini vehicles come with a warranty and breakdown package for a minimum of 12 months. You also receive MOT test cover for at least a year (six months in Northern Ireland). Time to start your Mini adventure?

Nissan Intelligent Choice

The Nissan Intelligent Choice used car scheme includes a warranty for a minimum of 12 months, continuous breakdown cover when the car is serviced at a main dealer, a free courtesy car when the vehicle is in for servicing or repair, MOT test cover, plus a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange promise.

Electric cars are also covered by a battery warranty, with Nissan promising to replace any part of the battery causing capacity loss below nine bars (out of 12) within the battery warranty period.

Peugeot Approved Used

The Spoticar scheme for used Peugeots includes a warranty of at least 12 months, roadside assistance, a multi-point inspection and a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange programme.

If you buy an electric e-208 (pictured above), for example, you can also take advantage of the Electric Universe app: a joint venture between Spoticar and Octopus Energy. This includes one-card access to more than 300,000 EV chargers across Europe.

Porsche Approved

Porsche will provide cover for cars up to their 15th year, with each vehicle subjected to an 111-point check. The Porsche Approved warranty covers a period of at least 12 months, with any routine servicing or maintenance due within the next three months or 3,000 miles carried out as a matter of course.

The company will also fit N-rated tyres to a minimum tread depth of 3mm, with paint refinished to ‘exacting Porsche standards‘.

Renault Approved

All Renault Approved vehicles come with a warranty for at least 12 months, breakdown cover for a year, a 30-day exchange promise and drive-away insurance. There’s a wide selection of Captur, Clio, Kadjar and Zoe models available via the official website.

Rolls-Royce Provenance

An approved pre-owned Rolls-Royce will come with peace of mind for up to two years. The Provenance package includes a warranty, roadside assistance, MOT test cover and a servicing package for 24 months.

Owners also gain access to the Whispers app, a ‘private members club and digital extension of the marque, offering the world’s most rarefied products, services and ideas’. Elitist? But of course…

Seat Approved

All Approved Seat cars come with a generous 24-month warranty, MOT protection and roadside assistance for the same period, plus free insurance for five days. There’s also a 30-day/1,000-mile ‘no quibble’ exchange promise.

Approved Used Skoda

Approved Used Skodas are supplied with a warranty and MOT test cover for 12 months, plus insurance for five days. There’s also a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange policy, plus the option to upgrade to a Connected Service Plan. This works with your smartphone to monitor the car’s ‘wellbeing’ and potentially save on running costs.

Smart Approved

A Smart Approved used car will have passed a ‘rigorous’ multi-point inspection and come with a 12 months’ unlimited mileage warranty and roadside assistance. Smart will also include MOT test failure cover for vehicles more than two years old.

Subaru Proven

All Subarus sold via the Proven used car scheme come with a minimum 12-month warranty, breakdown assistance for 12 months and a 30-day/1,000-mile exchange commitment. Proven vehicles will have no more than 80,000 miles on the clock and be less than 10 years old, based on their registration date.

Suzuki Approved Used

Used cars purchased through the Suzuki Approved Used programme come with a 12-month warranty, 12 months of roadside assistance and all servicing completed if due within the next three months. You also get a 14-day money-back guarantee, backed up by consistently excellent Suzuki reliability.

Tesla

From new, Tesla electric vehicles are covered for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. If you’re buying a used Tesla outside that warranty, the company includes a ‘Used Vehicle Limited Warranty’ for one year or 10,000 miles.

Toyota Approved Used

Toyota Approved Used cars can be warrantied for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles if you get them serviced annually at a Toyota dealership. Also included are a 145-point technical check and 12 months of breakdown cover. Can you buy a used GR86 yet, we wonder?

Vauxhall Spoticar

Known for years as Network Q, Vauxhall’s used car scheme has now become part of Spoticar. The package includes includes a vehicle condition, history and mileage check, along with a 12-month warranty, breakdown assistance for 12 months and a 30-day exchange pledge. At the time of checking, there were around 2,500 used Vauxhalls on offer.

Volkswagen Approved Used

Volkswagen’s impressive Approved Used car scheme includes a 142-point check, two-year unlimited mileage warranty, two years of MOT cover and roadside assistance, a 30-day/1,000-mile ‘no quibble’ exchange policy and five days of drive-away insurance.

Volvo Selekt

Volvo’s Selekt used cars are subjected to a 150-point check and software upgrade (if appropriate). They come with a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty, along with breakdown assistance for 12 months. You’re also covered by a 30-day/1,500-mile exchange guarantee.

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