5 Reasons to Buy Certified Pre-Owned

“When I started shopping for a used car I made a bunch of mistakes,” says Lauren, a speech pathologist in Southern California. “It was so stressful, not to mention dangerous. What if I buy a Lemon? And who knows who you're dealing with on Craigslist and those other classified websites? Stranger danger,” she says with a laugh. “Then I found out about Certified Pre-Owned programs. Easy and stress free.”

Lauren is right, buying a used car or truck doesn't have to be scary. In fact, it should be fun. Most automakers now offer Certified Pre-Owned cars and Certified Pre-Owned trucks on the very same dealer lots as their new cars. These CPO programs are designed to make the buying process easy and they only offer the best pre-owned used cars. No clunkers.

CPO programs offer a long list of advantages over buying a used car from an individual or one of those shady used car lots. And recently, many of the most informed new car buyers have bought CPO cars instead. Often buying a Certified Pre-Owned car or truck makes more financial sense than buying a new car, which will radically depreciate during the first few years of ownership.

To help you decide which process is best for you, we collected the 5 most important reasons most consumers buy a certified pre-owned car or truck. Hopefully the list makes your car buying process a little easier and more importantly, more fun.

Certified Pre-Owned Luxury Cars and Trucks are a Great Value

Certified pre-owned or CPO cars and trucks are a great value. Because these vehicles have already depreciated, they're far more affordable than equivalent brand new cars or trucks. That means your money goes further and your budget will allow you to potentially step up to a luxury brand. Instead of buying that brand new Honda Accord, you may be able to afford a certified pre-owned Mercedes-Benz.

It wasn't that long ago that only luxury automakers like Mercedes offered certified pre-owned cars, trucks and SUVs. But now most brands have certified pre-owned programs, so there are so many more options for today's car buyer. This expansion of the concept has made certified pre-owned vehicles very popular

Certified Pre-Owned Programs Offer the Best Cars and Trucks

Manufacturers certified pre-owned programs screen their cars and trucks very carefully. They specialize in only low mile examples from recent model years. For example, Mercedes CPO program only selects vehicles six years old or newer that have been driven less than 74,500 miles.

Mercedes also makes sure all of its CPO cars and SUVs have had all of their proper servicing, like oil and oil filter changes, performed according to the manufacturers maintenance schedule as well as all recall, service and/or other campaigns performed. Most importantly Mercedes also verifies that the all of the vehicles fluids, filters and engine function properly.

Aside from their model year and mileage, certified pre-owned cars and trucks must also be accident free with no severe impacts or record of major repair. A clean vehicle history report is also a must. This is extremely important. Vehicles that have experienced such trauma will be less reliable over time and depending on the quality of their repair, may be less safe than a car or truck that has never been in a considerable accident. Damaged frames and suspensions are easy to hide with a new shiny coat of paint.

According to its website, the Mercedes CPO program only accepts cars that have passed an extensive, intensive and comprehensive 165 point inspection by the selling Mercedes dealer. This rigorous inspection includes every aspect of the vehicle, including its suspension, electronics, climate system, interior, steering, engine, brakes and glass. It is then subjected to an extensive road test. It must also meet strict appearance standards for the condition of its wheels, paint, trunk, interior and engine. The Mercedes CPO entire certification inspection procedure is available for download at https://www.mbusa.com/en/cpo#certification.

Certified Pre-Owned Cars Include a Warranty, Roadside Assistance

Car repairs and maintenance are expensive, so buying a used car without a warranty can be risky. All certified pre-owned cars and trucks come with a warranty is a big advantage over other used car options. However, the extent of the coverage does vary between brands so you should check the fine print.

Mercedes CPO program offers one of the best warranties in the CPO space. Every Certified Pre-Owned Mercedes-Benz comes with an unlimited-mileage warranty for one year that can be extended for up to two additional years.

Any remaining portion of the Mercedes-Benz four-year/50,000 mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty covers every Certified Pre-Owned Mercedes-Benz. Then, the CPO Limited Warranty provides comprehensive coverage for another 12 months with unlimited miles. This means you get up to 5 years of unlimited mileage coverage, extending to the engine and powertrain, steering, suspension, brakes (excluding wear of discs and pads), electrical system, climate control system, and more.

But even the best cars can breakdown, which is why most certified pre-owned programs also include free 24-hour roadside assistance. It's a wonderful safety net when you're out on the road, but every CPO program handles its duration a little differently. Again, read the details. Is the service 24 hours? Some, like Mercedes will even pay for meals, lodging and substitute transportation if your trip is interrupted by a warranty-covered breakdown more than 100 miles from home.

CPO Special Deals, Financing and Free Scheduled Maintenance

Because certified pre-owned cars and trucks are sold at the same dealerships as new vehicles, buyers can benefit from monthly deals and special financing like low annual percentage rates. Potentially these can save you thousands of dollars during the term of your car loan. Usually these favorable deals will be listed on any dealer's website.

Owning its own credit institution allows a automaker like Mercedes to offer exceptional financing rates on Certified Pre-Owned Mercedes vehicles, which consumers should be quick to take advantage of. Financing options from Mercedes-Benz Financial can be utilized through your Mercedes CPO dealer during negotiations.

These special offers are often listed on mbusa.com. During our visit to the website Mercedes was offering a very low annual percentage rate of 1.99 percent for 36 months, plus first two month's payment credit on a long list of CPO sedans and SUVs including C-Class, CLA, E-Class, GLA, GLC, GLE and S-Class. These special offers can save consumers thousands of dollars.

Most CPO Programs will also sweeten the purchase of a Certified Pre-Owned car or SUV with additional perks including free scheduled maintenance, including oil changes, tire rotations and inspections. This can save you hundreds of dollars during the ownership of the vehicle. Some will also include a loaner car while your oil is being changed.

CPO Safety and Peace of Mind

Buying a used car the right way is exciting and fun. Do it wrong and it can be daunting and scary. Buying a certified pre-owned vehicle from a reputable car dealer in your area can be far less stressful and risky than purchasing a used car or SUV from an online classified ad or some scary Larry on the street corner.

CPO vehicles offer the peace of mind that comes with high quality cars that have received thorough inspections and the dealer will walk you through every step of the process. No scams. Just professionals selling the best cars to nice people like you.