Certified pre-owned, decoded: what the warranty actually covers

Certified pre-owned adds two things to a used car: a longer warranty, and an inspection checklist the dealer has to complete before the badge applies. The part buyers skip is reading which warranty they actually got — powertrain-only covers the engine and transmission; bumper-to-bumper adds electronics, climate control, and most of what actually breaks on a modern car.

The deductible matters more than the term. A five-year warranty with a $200 deductible on every visit costs more over time than a three-year warranty with $0 deductible, once you count two or three shop visits. Ask for the deductible number before comparing years.