New/Used Car: The Choice is Yours

Okay, so we're actually talking about used cars here, but preowned does sound better and dealers like to use the term. Still, sales, while not as robust as they have been in the past, are still pretty good at some stores.

The reason has to be the Certified Preowned programs that dealers now run. Under these plans, preowned vehicles undergo inspections that can range from 100 to 150 points. Indeed, the Certified Preowned program of an automaker such as Honda is actually as good, if not better than the new-car warranty you can get.

The reason is simple: the dealer puts considerable money into making sure that a Certified Preowned (CPO) vehicle is as close to new as possible. Now, we know we are dealing with cars that are used, but by closely inspecting them and then fixing any problems the dealer is actually eliminating a potential problem down the road by making sure that the car won't break and that if it does, there's a real warranty waiting for the owner.

All of the automakers offer one for or another of the CPO program and while it may up the cost of the preowned vehicle a little, it really is worth it.

CPO cars usually are required by the auto manufacturer to have new tires installed or that the tires are in like-new condition (they cannot be heavily worn) and there's usually a lube, oil, fluid and filter check and change, if it's needed.

The interior and exterior of the vehicle are detailed by a skilled cleaning crew so the exterior and interior look new and there's likely to be a new set of mats included.

What does a CPO warranty cover? They are all pretty similar in that you are likely to get up to a year of bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage - with the exception of consumables, of course (for most models, some vehicles even cover them); consumables are such things as oil or wiper blades and such - and you are likely to get as much as 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage (no small matter when a new transmission can set you back $3,000 easily).

As some like to say in the business: "CPO is the way to go!" And they are actually very right about that it makes sense all the way around.

Now, as to whether you should buy a new car or a preowned vehicle - especially with the fire-sale pricing going on at some dealerships, the choice is entirely up to you. There's one school of thought that says the "new-car" smell is great and that's what you want, but then there's the other school of thought that says "this car is all debugged and ready for some real use!" Where you fall in this range will determined what you do. CPO is definitely the way to go, but new has some advantage, too.

Note: Forrest Stone has been an auto writer for newspapers and magazines for many years. His how-to pieces have appeared in many newspapers and on some websites and he has written for both new and antique auto publications. He is also the author of 11 auto and technical books.