Are certified used cars for you?

If you have been considering buying a used car with auto manufacturer certification, you're not alone. The programs have grown in prominence, and they have been the subject of both a study and an awards program by IntelliChoice, an auto cost-analysis research firm.

So who offers the best program? For the fourth year in a row, Jaguar was selected as the best Luxury program and Volkswagen received its first recognition as best Non-Luxury program. The winners are featured in the fall issue of IntelliChoice Magazine can be found online at IntelliChoice.com.

IntelliChoice initiated a certified pre-owned award program six years ago because of the steep growth of certified programs nationwide. Recently sales have doubled, jumping from 506,322 in 2000 to 1,230,000 in 2003 according to CNW Marketing Research Inc. The first CPO programs began in the early 1990s and the increasing demand has essentially created a new category in automotive sales. Most major automakers now have a CPO program, and IntelliChoice analyzes 24 of them covering 29 brands.

Programs are rated on a set of criteria that consumers identify as having the most value such as manufacturer warranties, title verification, certification inspection process, and roadside assistance in addition to special financing and return exchange policies.

The top five rated programs in the Luxury class for 2005 are Jaguar, Cadillac, Volvo, Lexus and Audi. The top five in the Non-Luxury category were Volkswagen, Honda, Mazda, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep, and Ford.

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