Certified Pre-Owned (CPO): a reliable alternative for buying used vehicles

When buying a car, we generally have two choices: a new car that’s more expensive to buy, or a used car that’s cheaper than a new one.

For people on a tight budget, buying a used car is common. A used car, as the name suggests, is a car that has already been used by someone, i.e. it is no longer new. It is usually sold when the previous owner wants to get rid of it, for a variety of reasons. The biggest fear with used cars is that you’ll end up with expensive repairs if the used car you buy has undeclared problems (engine problems, ECU problems, etc.). Fortunately, there is a solution: certified pre-owned cars (CPO).

What are Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) cars?

Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) cars are cars that are guaranteed by dealers to be in good condition, with no defects, and that meet specific criteria. Among these criteria, certified pre-owned cars have low mileage, are less than 7 years old, and are reconditioned to meet the manufacturer’s strict standards. What’s more, certified used cars undergo a rigorous inspection to obtain this certification. Such qualification reassures you of the quality and good condition of the used car.

All these factors mean that certified used cars are slightly more expensive than ordinary used cars.

We invite you to follow the video published on the CarEdge channel entitled “Why You Should Buy a Certified Pre-Owned Car”.

Other advantages of Certified Pre-Owned cars

Also, compared to used cars, CPO offers you some definite advantages. With this program, some dealers offer leasing and vehicle exchange services, for example. Most CPOs also provide you with a car history report, which is very useful.

Negative points to consider when buying a certified pre-owned car (CPO)

Considering the gains offered by the certified pre-owned option, it’s much more a choice for peace of mind and to make sure the car is in good condition. We won’t go into too much detail on the negative points, apart from the limited choice of car, the slightly higher price compared with a simple used car, and the rules to be respected to keep the dealer’s warranty (manufacturer’s maintenance schedule for services such as oil changes and tire rotation, etc.).

Finally, for our part, we’ve opted for Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) cars. Even if they cost slightly more, we think they’re the best option when considering buying a used car.