Join CR at to access our comprehensive ratings for items you use every day. CR is a mission-driven, independent, nonprofit organization.
If you're shopping for a car, and want to avoid the potential problems of a used vehicle and the expense of buying something brand new, a certified pre-owned vehicle could be your best bet. We explain what a certified pre-owned (or CPO) car is, and using data from CR's reliability and owner satisfaction surveys, we show why it might hit the sweet spot for price and reliability for many buyers looking for a good deal on their next vehicle.
Follow Us on Social:
TikTok:
Instagram:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Pinterest:
In this overpriced used car market a used / CPO car is not a great deal unfortunately.
That’s true, but for someone hard up for a ride, the immediate inventory of a used / cpo car might seal the deal.
I bought a 2020 CPO Subaru Forester Touring just before the giant car boom during the pandemic and I do not regret it! I got an almost perfect vehicle with less than 6000 miles on the clock and with a 7 year/ 100,000 miles powertrain warranty. I extended the warranty to a bumper to bumper for 7 years/ 100,000 miles. When it hit 16,000 miles my brake rotors had warped and the dealership did a full brake job under the warranty saving me a little over $2k. At 57,000 miles (yes, I drove it a lot) the driver side powered seat frame needed to be replaced and the engine needed the carbon build up treatment. All under warranty with a deductible of $150. Other than that, the Forester has been flawless! I do not regret the purchase and glad I did not have to overpay for it!
Fixed my mood
Is “certified pre-owned” just another name/marketing gimmick for “extended warranty” then?
I mean, yes and no. The big difference here is the “certified pre-owned” cars are covered under “extended warranty” from THE MANUFACTURER. That means, in theory, any dealership will honor/fix your car, but a third party “extended warranty” will not necessarily be honored by dealerships and/or auto repair stations.
The other nice thing about SOME CPO cars is that if you find a low mileage CPO car like Mr. Lopez did above in the comments, you can effectively get a “new” car with an even longer warranty than if you bought the same vehicle actually new. BUT…not all CPO warranties are created equally. Some are better than others!
The problem with any used car is that you don’t really know how it was treated during break in. Sure, you can ignore break in and the car will last through the warranty period. But if you want a car that really lasts, without major repairs, then a proper break in procedure is essential. Spend a little bit more to get a new model with high reliability ratings, break it in properly, follow the severe service maintenance schedule and you’ll have a car that will last decades.
The problem is that people hate going to a legacy auto dealer. You always walk out feeling cheated.
If they are selling new vehicles for thousands over MSRP what are they doing with used car prices.
Legacy auto dealers are hurting themselves and their manufacturers by scamming their customers.
I’m in the market for a CPO vehicle and I’ve seen DOZENS of dealerships claiming depreciation from the new car MSRP as some sort of dealer discount for the buyer. Clearly dishonest – and boy, let me tell you that they don’t like being called on it.