Don't drink the new car dealer Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) kool-aid. Sold at premium prices, they are marketed as accident-free exhaustively reconditioned creampuffs with comprehensive warranty protection. Warranty fees, deductibles and fine print bafflegab often restrict applicability and payment to a fraction of the repair cost. Skimping and cheating are rampant. Some dealers are selling title-washed, branded, collision damaged, flood soaked cars and U.S. lemon law buybacks and lying through their teeth. A full due diligence process including an independent inspection reduces the risk.
Though I deal with supposedly reputable dealers and will pay a fair price for quality, the cold, hard, high octane fact is the car business is filled with liars, cheats, fraudsters and slimy sons of bitches. A salesman will say anything to get your signature on a contract and his commission. The truth is out there, trust no one!
The worst was a CPO car, accident free according to the sales weasel. CarProof said two repairs totaling $5,500. Just minor dents and scratches from shopping carts he purred, claiming he knew the previous owner personally and his dealership did the repairs. So splain the welds to the trunk floor! Disappointing, I have bought from this dealership previously.
I am sometimes asked to assist friends and relatives purchase cars, three in a little over a year. So far thorough due diligence and independent inspections have paid off. My purchases have all turned out well. Sooner or later, however, I will get burned. It's the law of averages. Not looking forward to it. I have little confidence officialdom will rush to my rescue.
