Not all vehicles are created equal, so it should be no surprise that the various certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicle programs are quite different from one another, too. Programs vary between brands and between vehicle segments, such as pickup trucks and luxury vehicles, so if you’re in the market for a CPO car, it’s important to start your shopping process with all the facts in hand. The next time you’re headed out to shop for a new vehicle, consider a CPO from the same brand. You’re likely to save a load of money, and you’ll still get many of the same perks that come along with buying a new car.
Let’s look at some of the best CPO programs for each type of vehicle buyer.
The Best Bang for Your Buck
When shopping for a CPO vehicle, you’ll want to consider the extras some brands offer. Whether it’s extended roadside assistance or a long warranty, some vehicle brands stand out from others. Companies like Hyundai and Kia have the longest warranties from the factory, at 10 years or 100,000 miles, the remainder of which carries over to a CPO vehicle.
On the luxury side, Lexus offers an unlimited-mileage warranty for up to 2 years after the expiration of the factory warranty, which adds quite a bit of confidence to the buying process. The company also has superior trip-interruption coverage and offers a loaner vehicle for service visits lasting longer than 8 hours. Porsche earns an honorable mention for its CPO program, which can include vehicles that are up to 8 years old. That may sound ancient, but keep in mind that Porsche vehicles tend to have much lower annual mileage figures than other vehicles.
Best CPO for Commuters
If you commute a considerable distance to work each day, you’ll need to think about the mileage limits of your CPO warranty. Fuel efficiency may also play into your decision, and selecting a vehicle with good predicted reliability ratings will help ensure that you won’t spend weeks without your car every time it needs a repair.
Again, Hyundai’s and Kia’s warranty offerings of up to 100,000 miles and 10 years stand as the longest CPO warranties, and most of both brands’ vehicles are quite fuel-efficient. They even include an up-to-60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.
Honda offers a 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty from the vehicle’s original in-service date and a 1-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty for its CPO vehicles. The company also requires that its vehicles be less than 6 years old and have fewer than 80,000 miles, which means buyers will likely get a vehicle that will be covered by warranty for quite a while.
Best CPO for Truck Buyers
New trucks can be very expensive, but buyers searching for a great deal can shop CPO pickups instead. The CPO programs that offer the best value and perks for cars tend to carry over to trucks as well. GM brands like Chevrolet and GMC come with a 6-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty from the original sale date and a 1-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.
Best CPO for Luxury Buyers
Luxury brands don’t tend to offer the length of warranty and perks that other brands do, at least not without extra costs involved. But Jaguar and Land Rover, owned by the same parent company, stand out as a true value in luxury CPO vehicles. Both companies offer coverage for up to 7 years and 100,000 miles from the original sale date. Both CPO programs also come with 24-hour roadside assistance, free loaners, and no deductibles. If you sell your vehicle, the warranty follows as well. That’s on top of the fact that Jaguar and Land Rover’s vehicles have improved greatly in reliability ratings over the years, and both companies offer very desirable luxury vehicles.
The Bottom Line
Just like shopping for any other used vehicle, buying a CPO car requires planning and research. It also helps to understand your needs, budget, and preferences before stepping foot onto a dealership lot. Research the best used cars, aim for the lowest mileage, newest-year vehicle that you can afford, and make sure that you research various models’ predicted reliability and cost-of-ownership ratings.
Take time to review the various perks and benefits each program offers. Roadside assistance, trip-interruption coverage, and other perks like free oil changes or loaner vehicles can all add considerable value to your CPO purchase.
