’ “CPO”, just tells you what you already know. IT’S A USED CAR’
But…it’s not used.
It’s “pre-owned”!
This is the automotive industry’s equivalent of referring to a streetwalker as a “strolling urban entertainer”…
;-))
It's "pre-owned"
My fault I obviously misunderstood the context.
I have to agree that there is a select category where very good 2 or 3 year old trade-ins are certified by the manufacturer in that you get an additional manufacturer’s warranty. I believe Mercedes has such a program, and the car you are buying is safe, albeit expensive.
If you cannot afford a new car of that brand, such a Certified used one is a good bet. In all cases you get what you pay for; a NEW car of lesser statue (Toyota, Hyundai, etc.) will cost the same or less and actually last longer.
With all respect for @Docnick:
I’m not sure about the advice of buying one of these (luxury cars) used because you cannot afford a new one. IMHO, luxury cars are more expensive to insure, more expensive to maintain, and more expensive to repair, regardless of whether they are bought new or used. The only way in which a certified pre-owned Mercedes is cheaper than a new car is that it is cheaper to buy. Let’s not forget these luxury cars often require high octane “premium” fuel.
IMHO, too many people buy a certified used luxury car because they can’t afford a new one, and then they face sticker shock at the gas pump, and again the first time something breaks and they see how much it costs to fix it. IMHO, if you can’t afford to buy a new luxury car, you probably can’t afford to own a used one either.
@Whitey I wholeheartedly agree!!! There are those who want a Mercedes at any price and are usually clueless about the upkeep. They are also often in arrears with the country club regarding their monthly bills!
A collegue of mine drives a Toyota Avalon, which in his experience does everything it needs to do for him. He can actually afford a Mercedes and write it off on his business!
Consumer Reports long ago did an article on this subject, and concluded that a used luxury car was a poor buy compared with a new and more modest vehicle.
Having said that, my own late brother used to buy well depreciated 7-8 year old American luxo boats with low mileage, such as rear drive Cadillac, Lincolns, etc. He used them in his business and did not worry about the overall cost.
My brother has done very well with used Cadillacs and Lincolns and has driven them past 200,000 miles without problems. He checks the cars thoroughly before making the purchase, but his reasoning is that the person who bought the Cadillac or the Lincoln in the first place had the money for the maintenance. He has made the purchases from the dealer that handles the make and sees the service records or directly from the owner where he gets an impression of the person who owned the car.
You did not say what you were looking at but the 19000.00 range to maybe 23000.00 there are a lot of very nice new cars out there. You might use the manufactures web sites and you can build all kinds of cars and see what the price will be. I also think certified is a marketing tool.