"certified pre-owned"

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: SwampDweller
Certified pre-owned is NOTHING but an extended warranty that is added to the price of the used car. The price of a CPO will vary around $1500 to a couple thousand more than a non CPO. Folks need to do their homework before buying. The IMPLICATION is that this car has been inspected end to end and had all services performed...what a loaf of *&^%$.


I have to agree with this...All our cars were certified yet none of them had their oil changed [or even washed] when we looked at them...I did check under the oil filler cap [which was clean on all of them] and oil was a dark amber...The dealer said they wait till the car is sold before changing the oil on them and inspecting them...My moms car needed a alignment immediately after she got it which they did they next day.

 

[dishdude]

A couple years ago my brother bought a CPO Acura TL with 2 of the baldest tires I have ever seen on the front!

The dealer ended up replacing them at no charge, but it was obvious at that point the CPO inspection was just a marketing ploy.

Now many times you do get an extended warranty, and for that it is likely worth it - although you still need to deal with the headache of taking it in for service.

 

[JOD]

I guess in part it depends on the dealer. I bought my car sight unseen from a Ford dealer in LA. It was CPO, 2 years old with 18K on the odometer. It was a lease return (originally sold at that dealer). It was about 3K less than anything I could find locally, not CPO.

4 oil changes were performed by the guy leasing it, the last one at 16K. They changed the oil @ 18K, when I took delivery. It was so clear on the dipstick I couldn't even read it!

I was still under the bumper-to-bumper warranty, so I wasn't too worried about anything, given the service history, but the car was definitely checked out. There was a TSB on the rear brake pads, and both front and rear pads were replaced and brand new when I picked the car, and the additional factory warranty was nice. I got the car for about 1/2 of the original sticker price. So for me, it definitely worked out well.