# CPO vs. Used?



## Jckedup616 (Apr 7, 2018)

Hi All,

I am looking to get a 2014-2015 535i and am struggling to decide if I should get a CPO or a used model from a BMW dealer. Is it worth it to spend an additional $2-$3k for a CPO, or should I roll the dice on a used model?

Notes:
1. The price difference between a CPO and good used 535i is approximately $2-$3k
2. The used models I am looking at are being sold through BMW. Each model is coming off a lease, so they have been serviced via BMW for their entire life. Each dealer I spoken with claims the cars are in generally great condition. 
3. Using a car with 30k miles as an example, the biggest wear items should I take into consideration would be tires and brakes. CPO cars typically come with new tires and brakes, whereas used models are sold as is 
4. If I buy a 2015 model today, I'll still have 6 months of so left on the factory warranty. An extended warranty would cost ~$3k which is the price difference between used and CPO
5. I'd say less than 50% of the 535s in my area (sold through BMW) are CPO and unfortunately all of the models I like (trim, options, etc) are used. 


I appreciate everyone's input and I apologize in advance if I have missed any threads that cove this (trust me, I have used the search function!)


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## Ibiza (Jun 15, 2007)

BMW Centers want to CPO every lease return vehicle due to the higher profit margin when sold, however, if the vehicle doesn't meet the strict CPO criteria, then it is sold as pre-owned. This should make you wonder what is wrong with the pre-owned vehicle as the Center usually only has to perform the CPO inspection check-off and this cost is only labor.

CPO vehicles *do not* come with either new tires or brakes. Search around this forum of Festers returning vehicles with RFT tire purchased from eBay to satisfy the tire thread depth requirement at lease turn in.

I believe that an extended coverage warranty requires the vehicle to be CPO.


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## MJBrown62 (Jun 15, 2016)

... as the Center usually only has to perform the CPO inspection check-off and this cost is only labor.

Included in the CPO cost is the cost of the warranty, which could range from $800 to $4500 depending on the model and term (1 or 2-year). The Center must bring the vehicle up to CPO standard. The most frequent is tires.​
CPO vehicles do not come with either new tires or brakes. Search around this forum of Festers returning vehicles with RFT tire purchased from eBay to satisfy the tire thread depth requirement at lease turn in.

The requirement for tires is 3mm minimum. People try to cheat and put on eBay tires, but the majority do not.​
I believe that an extended coverage warranty requires the vehicle to be CPO.
If you want to buy the BMW-backed extended service contracts, it doesn't have to be a CPO. Just within the warranty period​


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## Flyer1015 (Mar 21, 2016)

Jckedup616 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am looking to get a 2014-2015 535i and am struggling to decide if I should get a CPO or a used model from a BMW dealer. Is it worth it to spend an additional $2-$3k for a CPO, or should I roll the dice on a used model?
> 
> ...


BMW CPO specials going on for 2014 and 2015 4-series and 5-series. BMW Financial Services will pay up to $500 twice ($1000 benefit) and the APR loan 0.9% for 24 month duration. Not bad. If you take ~25k for the loan you are paying about 235 for it but getting back 1,000 dollars.


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## adam98540 (Oct 24, 2008)

You can download BMW's inspection checklist here: http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/cpo/certification.aspx

An ebay tire might meet the letter of the law on the lease return and the sales rep will likely look the other way to get that customer into a new lease, but mismatched ebay tires are not going to pass a CPO inspection.

Outside of specifying that safety related equipment like tires and brakes must be OEM quality and match and the Carfax and Autocheck have to be clean, the checklist isn't clear on other items that would disqualify a car. The maintenance history might be incomplete, interior carpets or leather might be stained, maybe one paint chip too many - who knows.

If you want a warranty of some sort, I would feel more comfortable with BMW CPO than a third-party warranty. $3k can buy you a few routine repairs at an indy mechanic, even on a BMW. But if something big goes (turbo) or you get a lemon, BMWs can drain the wallet quickly and you'll wish you had a warranty. Tough call.


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## vince in philly (Jan 4, 2014)

I went through the same shopping decision earlier this year as I was comparing CPO vs used vehicles. For a car with a good maintenance history, I didn't feel like there was a compelling reason to purchase a CPO vehicle other than the additional warranty. Since I planned to purchase an extended warranty, I ended up purchasing the car I liked better based on color, interior, options, etc., which was not a CPO car. However, it did have have about 6 months of warranty and maintenance left on the car, which I felt mitigated risk of any mechanical problems early in my ownership.


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## Jckedup616 (Apr 7, 2018)

*Update*

I ended up purchasing a used model coming off a lease from a local BMW dealer. The car still has a little less than a year of factory warranty left, but I***8217;m currently shopping around for an extended warranty. Even once I factor in the cost of an extended warranty, the all in the cost for the car+warranty is still cheaper than most CPOs.


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## Oaker55 (Mar 7, 2014)

IMO, the only thing you can depend on with a CPO is the warranty but what exactly does that warranty cover? There have been a lot of horror stories post on these forums of things not being covered by CPO warranties. 


Sent from my iPhone using Bimmerfest


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