| name | CPO Eligibility Check |
| description | Use to check Certified Pre-Owned eligibility, coverage, and embedded value for a specific vehicle (VIN/year/mileage) against the brand's CPO program. Covers Subaru, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, GM, Mazda, Stellantis (Ram/Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge/Fiat), Lexus, Genesis, Acura. Triggers include "is this car CPO eligible", "CPO program details for X", "embedded CPO value", "should I pay for CPO", "factory CPO vs dealer certified", "Subaru CPO" / "Honda Certified" etc., and Spanish phrases "es un auto certificado por el fabricante", "vale la pena pagar por la certificacion CPO". |
CPO Eligibility Check
Caveat: this skill is one author's playbook + 5-scenario stress test. Verify state fees / CPO terms / EV credits / dealer practices against current sources before quoting numbers to a dealer or making financial decisions. Not tax, legal, or financial advice.
last_verified: 2026-05-18 (Phase 2C sub-skill split from orchestrator)
Quick lookup for factory CPO eligibility, coverage terms, and embedded dollar value across 12 brands (8 mainstream + Stellantis SPOTiCAR + 3 luxury exceptions: Lexus, Genesis, Acura). Use this skill when a dealer claims "Certified" or buyer is deciding whether the CPO premium is worth paying.
When To Use
- Buyer asks "is this car CPO eligible" with VIN/year/mileage
- Dealer listing shows "Certified" and buyer needs eligibility verification
- Buyer wants brand-specific CPO program details
- Buyer is comparing CPO premium vs paying out-of-pocket extended warranty
- Buyer suspects "fake CPO" (dealer-house program masquerading as factory)
When NOT To Use
- Luxury / heavy commercial brands (BMW, MB, Audi, Porsche, RAM HD, F-250+) - see
../orchestrator/references/vertical_playbooks.md#part-2--heavy--commercial--luxury. Exceptions: Lexus L/Certified, Genesis CPO, and Acura Precision Certified/Used ARE documented factory programs in this skill — see their per-brand reference files below and the Luxury exceptions table.
- Closing-day paperwork verification - delegate to
close-day-checklist
- General OTD math - delegate to
otd-calculator
Quick Decision Matrix
Given (brand, model year, odometer), determine eligibility in one pass:
ELIGIBLE if:
(current_year - model_year) <= brand_max_years
AND odometer < brand_max_miles
AND sold by authorized brand dealer
AND passes brand inspection
If ineligible, the "Certified" badge is either dealer-house (not factory) or fraud - always demand the factory CPO certificate PDF before accepting any CPO-related price premium.
12-Brand Comparison Table
Mainstream (9 brands)
| Brand | Max Age | Max Miles | Inspection | Powertrain | Embedded $ | Market Premium |
|---|
| Subaru | 5 yr | 80k | 152 pt | 7yr / 100k | $2.0-2.5k | $1.0-1.5k |
| Honda | 5-7 yr (tier) | 80k | 182 pt | 7yr / 100k | $1.8-2.4k | $1.0-1.5k |
| Toyota | 6 yr | 85k | 160 pt | 7yr / 100k + 10yr/150k hybrid | $2.5-3.0k | $1.2-1.8k |
| Hyundai | 7 yr | 80k | 150 pt | 10yr / 100k + 10yr/100k EV batt | $2.5-3.5k | $1.0-1.5k |
| Kia | 7 yr | 80k | 165 pt | 10yr / 100k ($50 B2B deductible) | $2.5-3.5k | $1.0-1.5k |
| Ford (Gold) | 6 yr | 80k | 172 pt | 7yr / 100k | $2.0-2.5k | $1.0-1.5k |
| Ford (Blue) | 10 yr | 120k | limited | 90 day / 4k only | $200-400 | marketing-grade |
| GM | 6 yr | 75k | 172 pt | 6yr / 100k + 2 maint visits | $1.5-2.0k | $800-1.2k |
| Mazda | 7 yr | 80k | 160 pt | 7yr / 100k + CarPlay (2018+) | $1.8-2.5k | $800-1.4k |
| Stellantis SPOTiCAR (Ram/Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge/Fiat) | 10 MY (top tier 5 MY) | 120k (top tier <75k) | 125 pt | 7yr / 100k from in-service + 3mo/3k Maximum Care | $1.0-1.8k top / $0.3-0.8k CPO Go | UNVERIFIED pin |
Stellantis SPOTiCAR is one program covering 5 brands (Ram, Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat). It is two-tier: Certified (top) = <=5 model years AND <75,000 mi; CPO Go = 6-10 model years AND 75,001-120,000 mi. Outer bound for both tiers: <=10 MY AND <=120,000 mi, clean title, pass the 125-point inspection. Powertrain runs 7yr/100k from the original in-service date (so CPO Go units are often largely exhausted). Certified Upgrade warranty plans available only on units <=74,999 mi.
Luxury exceptions (3 brands)
These three are documented factory programs (not routed to the luxury vertical playbook). Genesis and Acura are luxury-tier; Lexus is the luxury exception with an unlimited-mileage comprehensive edge.
| Brand | Max Age | Max Miles | Inspection | Powertrain / Comprehensive | Embedded $ | Market Premium |
|---|
| Lexus (L/Certified) | 6 yr | 80k | 161 pt | 2yr / unlimited B2B (stacks to up to 6yr total); no separate long-tail powertrain term | $1.5-2.5k | varies (UNVERIFIED pin) |
| Genesis (luxury) | 5 MY | 60k | 191 pt | 10yr / 100k powertrain + 6yr/75k comprehensive ($50 PT deductible) | $2.5-3.5k | <$1.0-1.5k target |
| Acura - Precision Certified | 6 yr | 80k | 182 pt | 7yr / 100k powertrain + 2yr/100k limited B2B | $1.8-2.8k | $1.0-2.0k |
| Acura - Precision Used | 10 yr | none | 112 pt | 6mo / 7.5k limited + powertrain (NOT transferable) | $0.3-0.7k | $0.3-0.7k |
Lexus L/Certified has NO 7yr/100k powertrain figure by design — its benefit is a 2yr/UNLIMITED-mile comprehensive B2B extension stacking onto the factory 4yr/50k to reach up to 6yr/unlimited. Genesis CPO reinstates the 10yr/100k powertrain for the 2nd owner (non-CPO used Genesis drops to 5yr/60k). Acura is two-tier: Precision Certified (top) vs Precision Used (lower, not transferable, no mileage cap). Acura/Genesis/Lexus embedded $ are brand-specific (NOT cross-applied from Subaru/Honda/Toyota).
Numbers reflect 2026 program terms. Powertrain term measured from original in-service date, NOT CPO sale date.
Standout Facts (one-line cheat sheet)
- Subaru: 152-pt inspection, 7yr/100k powertrain from in-service, $0 deductible, transferable. Strongest mid-tier program.
- Honda: Dual-tier - Standard (5yr/86k) vs HondaTrue Certified+ (7yr/100k). CR-V eligibility commonly cited.
- Toyota: 10yr/150k Hybrid Component coverage is the killer perk - huge embedded value on RAV4 Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, Prius.
- Hyundai: 10yr/100k powertrain AND 10yr/100k EV battery - longest term in non-luxury. Best for Ioniq 5/6, Kona EV.
- Kia: Same 10yr/100k as Hyundai but $50 B2B deductible (Hyundai is $0). Cheaper certification fee at some dealers.
- Ford: Gold Certified is real factory CPO. Blue Certified is 90-day / 4k-mile dealer-house marketing - do NOT pay a premium for Blue.
- GM: 6yr/100k is shortest non-luxury powertrain. Partial offset: 2 included maintenance visits (oil + tire rotation).
- Mazda: 7yr/100k plus guaranteed CarPlay/AndroidAuto on 2018+. Solid 24/7 roadside.
- Stellantis SPOTiCAR (Ram/Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge/Fiat): one program, 5 brands, two tiers. Certified (top) = <=5 MY / <75k mi; CPO Go = 6-10 MY / 75-120k mi. 125-pt inspection, 7yr/100k powertrain from in-service ($0 deductible) + 3mo/3k Maximum Care. Powertrain runs from in-service, so CPO Go value is age-sensitive. Mopar extended warranty hard ceiling at 80,001+ mi.
- Lexus (L/Certified): luxury exception in this skill. 161-pt inspection, 2yr/UNLIMITED-mile comprehensive B2B stacking to up to 6yr total, $0 deductible, + 4-service/2yr/20k complimentary maintenance. Unlimited-mileage is the edge vs a self-bought (mileage-capped) Lexus Platinum VSA (~$1,955 for 6/100k).
- Genesis (luxury): 5MY/60k, 191-pt inspection (deepest in Hyundai group). CPO reinstates 10yr/100k powertrain for 2nd owner (non-CPO used Genesis drops to 5yr/60k) + adds 6yr/75k comprehensive. $50 powertrain deductible. Luxury repair = 2x-4x Hyundai/Kia, so embedded value is the highest in the group on a dollar basis. Negotiate premium below ~$1,000 (KBB guidance).
- Acura (Precision Certified / Precision Used): two-tier Honda luxury division. Precision Certified = <=6 MY / <80k mi -> 182-pt, 7yr/100k powertrain + 2yr/100k limited B2B, $0 deductible, transferable. Precision Used = <=10 MY / no mileage cap -> 112-pt, 6mo/7.5k only, NOT transferable. Acura Care VSC separate-buy runs $1,500-$3,500+.
Out-of-CPO Options
If the car is ineligible OR the CPO premium is wider than $2k, consider:
- Factory extended warranty (sold by authorized brand dealer, backed by OEM): typically $1.5-3.5k for 7yr/100k bumper-to-bumper. Negotiable - never pay sticker. Best value.
- Independent extended warranty (Endurance, Carchex, CARCHEX, olive): $1.8-4k for similar term. Watch claim-denial rates and authorized-repair networks. Read fine print on wear items.
- Self-insure: bank the $2-3k CPO premium and pay repairs as they come. Best for 1-2 owner cars with full service records under 60k miles.
See ../orchestrator/references/vertical_playbooks.md#part-2--heavy--commercial--luxury for luxury extended warranty notes (BMW/MB factory programs run $3-6k).
Fake CPO Label Detection
Red flags that a "Certified" sticker is dealer-house (NOT factory CPO):
- Listed at independent dealer (not authorized brand dealer)
- No factory CPO certificate PDF when requested by email
- Warranty paperwork shows third-party administrator (Endurance, CornerStone, etc.) not OEM
- Term offered does not match brand's published program (e.g., "5yr/60k powertrain" on a Subaru - real Subaru CPO is 7yr/100k)
- Vehicle age/mileage exceeds brand's eligibility (see matrix above)
- Charges a "certification fee" but cannot produce inspection report
Full red-flag list: ../orchestrator/references/vertical_playbooks.md#part-2--heavy--commercial--luxury section "Fake CPO Label Detection".
Verification Checklist (before paying CPO premium)
- Factory CPO certificate PDF in buyer's hand (not just "we'll email it")
- Authorized brand dealer confirmed via OEM dealer locator
- Warranty registered in brand's CRM - call brand 1-800 with VIN to verify before signing
- Inspection report PDF (Subaru 152pt, Honda 182pt, etc.) - check date, technician signature, pass status on each line
- CPO start date = vehicle in-service date (not today) - confirm in writing
Per-Brand Full Detail References
For full program details (warranty granularity, transfer rules, deductibles, exclusions, model-year cutoffs):
- Subaru:
../orchestrator/references/subaru_cpo_program.md
- Honda:
../orchestrator/references/honda_cpo_program.md
- Toyota:
../orchestrator/references/toyota_cpo_program.md
- Hyundai:
../orchestrator/references/hyundai_cpo_program.md
- Kia:
../orchestrator/references/kia_cpo_program.md
- Ford (Gold + Blue):
../orchestrator/references/ford_bluecert_program.md
- GM:
../orchestrator/references/gm_cpo_program.md
- Mazda:
../orchestrator/references/mazda_cpo_program.md
- Stellantis SPOTiCAR (Ram/Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge/Fiat):
../orchestrator/references/stellantis_cpo_program.md
- Lexus (L/Certified):
../orchestrator/references/lexus_cpo_program.md
- Genesis:
../orchestrator/references/genesis_cpo_program.md
- Acura (Precision Certified + Precision Used):
../orchestrator/references/acura_cpo_program.md
Cross-Skill Handoffs
- CARFAX / service records on the candidate vehicle: hand off to
carfax-pdf-review
- OTD impact of CPO premium: hand off to
otd-calculator
- Drafting an email asking dealer "is this factory CPO certified": hand off to
dealer-reply-drafter
