How to Buy the Best Certified Pre-owned Vehicle

A certified pre-owned car is a used vehicle that has passed a rigorous inspection from the manufacturer and as a result comes with an extension of the warranty. Certified pre-owned vehicles, CPOs for short, are usually priced higher than other used cars because they may have had new tires or brake pads installed if the vehicle needed them. To find out the exact details of what a certain manufacturer's CPO program covers, check its official website.

Instructions

1

Decide what vehicle you want: SUV, minivan, sedan, crossover, coupe or sports car. Test drive three similar models to decide which one is best for you. For example, if you want a sedan, test drive a Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima. Check with a reliability guide like Consumer Reports or Edmunds.com to be sure none of the three models has any reliability issues.

2

Look into the certified pre-owned programs the manufacturers have to offer. Although some offer different levels of coverage, programs generally include a thorough multipoint inspection and a 1- to 3-year extension of limited warranty coverage.

3

Read all the fine print on the certified pre-owned contract. The best place to find this information is on the manufacturer's website. Look for how long your extended warranty lasts and what sort of parts it covers. Many times the warranty will cover only powertrain issues, which essentially means all the oily parts in the engine and transmission. This information will also let you know if the manufacturer will replace brake pads or tires if they are more than half worn. This service is becoming more and more common in the CPO industry.

4

Search the manufacturer's website to find models in your area. Say you are looking for a BMW 328i sedan in black. You can input this into the BMW website to find out whether any dealer in your area has that in a certified pre-owned car.

5

Call ahead to talk to a finance manager about current rates and specials. Although your CPO model may be on the high end of resale value thanks to its condition and extra warranty, check the Kelley Blue Book value to make sure you aren't being overcharged. You can also use this information as a negotiating tool.