Autoweek did an excellent write-up here on CPO's (Certified Previously Owned ) cars......with particular emphasis on the Lexus CPO program. I've long been a proponent of CPO's myself.....next to a brand-new car or one that you KNOW is a cream puff, a CPO without question is best. They are indeed a cut above the average used car, but they are not always as perfect as the image of them tries to make out...I have seen some CPO's with big scratches in the paint, broken trim pieces, etc.....but there is no question that the warranty that goes with them can be an excellent deal.

http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=102745

 

well i think cpo car checklist has a lot of items but they do miss quite a bit of stuff. for example that a car being in an accident before, it can indeed be cpo. imho that should be one of the things they check. and of course, those normal leather and paint wear, that's not part of the program

 

That is a good read. I am a believer in CPO myself.

 

A CPO car is usually buffed, waxed, and detailed, which addresses some of the paint and upholstery wear. Leather conditioner is applied where needed, and carpets and cloth upholstery are shampooed.
A friend of mine, by the way, is the Manager of the New-Car and CPO preparation department at one of the local Toyota dealers nearby and does this for a living. I sometimes detail my own car there (doing some of the labor myself).