A certified pre-owned vehicle has been tested by the dealership to make sure it fits a particular set of standards set by the manufacturer. Each certified vehicle will receive repairs, inspections, service, detailing and cleaning, and thus will usually include a longer warranty.

CPO cars offered by franchise dealers are usually the better buy. CPO vehicles can only be certified by the franchise that carries that particular brand of vehicle.

Generally, certified pre-owned vehicles are under 100,000 miles and less than 5 years old. Depending on the manufacturer they probably haven�t had any major bodywork done either. Some manufacturers can even offer extended roadside service packages and low-rate financing, consumer cash incentives, and lease programs on CPO vehicles.

Buying a CPO vehicle will usually be a little more expensive than a non-CPO vehicle. Usually the higher price reflects the extended warranty that has been added to the price of the car. CPO vehicles are worth the extra money due to the added security felt by the consumer from the inspections and services performed on the auto and the warranty applied to it.

Buyers should be sure and check out the CPO warranty carefully. Some vehicles coverage begin from when the date the vehicle was originally put in service, while other CPO warranties begin when the CPO vehicle is sold.