Certified Vehicles

Certified Used Car Drawbacks

What does Certified Pre-Owned mean?

CPO means whatever you think it means. In other words there is no industry standard for CPO programs.

There is no industry standard to certify a used vehicle, and there is no industry standard for the inspection process, or who performs a CPO inspection.

A CPO program is basically some type of warranty. Be sure you understand the warranty before you purchase.

Most CPO warranties cover only the drivetrain (engine and transmission). Many used car buyers believe that a CPO vehicle comes with a comprehensive bumper to bumper warranty, only to find out they are responsible for nearly all repairs. In most cases, a used car buyer can purchase the same coverage for less than the extra money spent for a Certified used vehicle.

FROM: USA TODAY
Despite the benefits associated with manufacturer-certified used cars, consumers still need to be careful. Consider these potential drawbacks:

There are no industry standards for certifying used cars.

Dealer inspections may not be comprehensive or performed by their best technicians.
While most experts will tell you that certification adds value to the retail price of a used car, it does not contribute to its eventual resale value.
Some financial institutions — outside of the dealership — won’t realize that a certified used vehicle is worth more than a standard used car, so you may need to convince the lender to loan you the additional amount.
Certification vehicles offers no guarantee that you will have fewer problems than a non-certified vehicle. Just because a car is certified, does not mean that is it better than another well maintained used car.

The #1 reason vehicles with existing problems are purchased is the buyers' inability to determine the current condition before purchase.