MINI Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles

What Does MINI Certified Mean?

A MINI Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle is one that has passed an inspection process agreed upon between MINI and the dealer. The criteria vary between manufacturers. It typically consists of 100+ point visible and mechanical inspections. Certified cars are often ones with lower miles that needed little dealer reconditioning. Extended warranties and service plans are often included in the purchase price of a CPO vehicle.

Why Does a Certified MINI Cost More?

A MINI Certified Vehicle is almost always more expensive than a similar non-certified auto. The bulk of this extra cost is the extended warranty, which usually backed by the manufacturer. Some CPO programs include limited scheduled maintenance items and even roadside assistance. The remaining amount is essentially pure profit to the dealer.

Is it Worth Paying Extra for a Certified MINI?

Maybe. The CPO upcharge might only be a few hundred dollars on popular models, but thousands on luxury vehicles. The CPO program was created in part to provide consumers some peace of mind when buying a used car. But, ultimately this program exists to help dealers sell cars. Dealers inspect and recondition nearly every used car, certified or not, before offering them for sale. In most cases, an extended warranty from a third party would be cheaper than the difference between a regular "used" car and one labeled as CPO. Be sure to shop around and read the fine print on what is actually included in the CPO program.