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Subaru Certified Pre-Owned Review

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Last updated Dec 3, 2020

There are a multitude of factors that affect the value of a used car. The vehicle’s condition, any remaining manufacturer warranties, etc, etc. One way you can take the guesswork out of the used car buying process is by choosing a used vehicle that’s been certified pre-owned by the manufacturer. We put together this Subaru certified pre-owned review to help simplify the buying process so you can choose your next used Subaru with confidence.

Choosing a certified pre-owned vehicle offers the assurance that the car or truck you’re considering meets the specifications set by the manufacturer. With Subaru, used cars that meet these company specifications have passed a 152-point inspection and are covered by the Subaru Certified Pre-Owned Warranty.

Subaru’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Information

Subaru vehicles have a reputation for quality, with 97% of the models sold over the past 10 years still on the road today. In addition to a solid reputation for quality, Subaru Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles offer you a number of assurances about what you can expect when you buy one of these pre-inspected vehicles. 

Technicians who have been trained by Subaru inspect and recondition these used vehicles to like-new condition. If the technicians find anything that doesn’t meet safety specifications during the inspection, it either gets repaired or replaced before hitting the showroom floor.

For a full list of items checked in the 152-point inspection, you can click here

What does Subaru’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?

The CPO warranty extends the original 36,000 mile/3-year warranty. When you choose a Subaru that’s backed by the company’s certified pre-owned warranty, you’re provided with a CARFAX vehicle history report, full documentation for the vehicle, and two sets of keys and remotes. 

This coverage includes:

  • 24/7 Roadside assistance
  • 7-Year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage, $0 deductible
  • $500 Subaru owner-loyalty coupon
  • 152-Point inspection
  • 3-MonthTrial Subscription to SiriusXM
  • CARFAX vehicle history report
  • One-year trial subscription to the STARLINK Safety Plus Package, including automatic collision notification

Powertrain Components That Are Covered

  • Cylinder heads and the valve trains
  • Engine
  • Engine block and all internal engine parts
  • Flywheel
  • Intake and the exhaust manifolds
  • Oil pan
  • Oil pump
  • Oil seals and the gaskets
  • Timing belts or timing gears and covers
  • Water pump

Transaxle, Transmission and Differential Parts That Are Covered

  • Axle shafts and the constant velocity joints (minus the boots)
  • Electronic transmission control unit
  • Propeller shaft
  • Seals and gaskets
  • Transaxle and transmission case, plus the internal components
  • Torque converter
  • Wheel bearings

Hybrid System Subaru Warranty

For hybrid Subaru vehicles, hybrid system parts that are covered include:

  • Battery control module
  • Charge cable
  • Electric motor assembly
  • High voltage battery pack
  • Hybrid system control module
  • Hydraulic booster
  • Onboard charger
  • Power control unit
  • Transmission

How long does Subaru’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Last?

The certified pre-owned warranty from Subaru protects your investment in your vehicle with coverage for up to seven years and 100,000 miles on the powertrain, beginning at the date the vehicle was purchased new. It additionally comes with a $0 deductible on all-wheel-drive components, the engine, and the transmission when repairs are performed by a covered Subaru dealership.

Things That Aren’t Covered by the Subaru CPO Warranty

  • Parts that are covered through other warranties, such as tires
  • Regular maintenance
  • Deterioration from normal use
  • Damage from unauthorized repairs
  • Damage from abuse, accidents, negligence, and fire
  • Damage caused by using the vehicle for a competitive event
  • Environmental damage, such as the effects of flooding or hail
  • Damage resulting from commercial use of the vehicle

We hope this Subaru Certified Pre-Owned information helps simplify your car-buying experience. We know there’s a lot of information to process when you’re buying a car, and we’re here to help with plenty of details!

Other Subaru Certified Pre-Owned Perks

Choosing a vehicle from the Subaru CPO inventory offers buyers some extra perks. Special finance rates as low as 0.99% for well-qualified buyers and no down payment is the first of these perks. The company also offers additional coverage for buyers who choose a vehicle from the Subaru certified pre-owned selection. 

The additional coverage is available in two package plans, the CPO Classic Plan and the CPO Gold Plus plan, both of which include roadside assistance. 

The CPO Classic plan covers towing and rental reimbursement plus approximately 1,000 parts in the major component areas of a vehicle, including: 

  • Brakes
  • Cooling system and AC
  • Drivetrain
  • Electrical system
  • Engine
  • Fuel system
  • Front suspension
  • Steering
  • Transmission

The CPO Gold Plus plan covers towing and rental reimbursement plus hundreds of parts that aren’t covered by the CPO Classic plan. This plan reimburses for meals and lodging if your Subaru breaks down when you’re traveling out of town. Travel assistance, such as trip routing and a retailer location service are also included with this plan. 

Under these warranty plans, you aren’t charged for covered repairs, including parts and labor. That protects you from the cost of repairing or replacing defective parts. Your Subaru dealer will choose between remanufactured and new Subaru parts when performing repairs under the CPO warranty.

CPO Warranty Claims

If you need to file a claim under your Subaru CPO warranty, it’s important to file it as soon as you discover a defect, and before the warranty period ends. Subaru of America recommends that you take your car to the dealer who sold it to you for repairs, but if that isn’t an option, you can take it to any authorized Subaru dealer. 

If you are unable to drive your vehicle to the dealership for repairs, Subaru of America pays the towing cost under the terms of the CPO warranty. In some cases, Subaru will cover the cost of emergency repairs at non-dealer facilities, and the terms regarding this are found in the warranty information that’s linked above. 

2 Comments

  1. Bryan S.

    I’m looking at a few 2017 & 2018 Forester XTs and some dealers have the CPO logo clearly shown on their website while others may only have it mentioned in the car’s description or not at all. One dealer is selling two Foresters, one with somewhat higher miles (44K) and a CPO logo on the car’s page, while the other has a few less miles (32K) but the CPO is not listed anywhere. I asked the dealer if the lower mile car is CPO and they said it was and said they have the documents to prove it. I’m confused why would a dealer not show that a car is CPO but not have it clearly posted on the website? If I decide to buy the lower mile car from that dealer, is the an official CPO document that Subaru has that I can ask for?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  2. MTG

    Zach and Ray:
    Keep up the good work! I do wish there was a numerical rating for this CPO review, like there are for your Toyota and Honda CPO reviews.
    Thanks for all you do.

    Reply

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