General Motors, which is the parent company for the Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC brands, has one of the largest product lines of any automaker in North America and offers certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles at most of its branded dealerships. (Cadillac is the General Motors luxury brand and is covered separately in our Cadillac CPO Guide.)
At a corporate level, General Motors does not publicly share the age and kilometre requirements for vehicles to qualify for the CPO program. However, GM does publicize that vehicles must meet the following requirements:
- Have no unresolved recalls
- Pass a 150-plus-point inspection and reconditioning process
GM | GMC, Buick, and Chevrolet Certified Pre-Owned: The CarGurus CPO Guide
- Warranties
- Perks
- Roadside assistance
- Trial Subscriptions
- Vehicle Exchange Privilege
- Student Discount Program
- Welcome to Canada Program
- Advice when choosing your CPO GM | GMC, Buick, or Chevrolet
- How good is the GM | GMC, Buick, and Chevrolet CPO program?
- Canadian CPO Programs by Automaker
Warranties
All General Motors CPO vehicles are covered for the remaining duration of the new car's limited manufacturer's warranty period based on the original vehicle date of purchase, or for a minimum of 3 months or 5,000 kilometres, whichever comes first, by the included Used Vehicle Limited Warranty. In Quebec, there is a slightly longer warranty period as standard, since models up to six years old come with coverage for 10,000km or six months, provide they have fewer than 100,000km on the odomoeter.
An extended Comprehensive Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Protection Plan is offered for an additional fee. Existing warranties are transferrable to a subsequent new owner.
Perks
Roadside assistance
All Buick, GMC, and Chevy CPO vehicles come with 24-hour roadside assistance, covered for either the duration of the remaining New Vehicle Limited Warranty or for 3 months or 5,000 km, whichever comes first, under the Used Vehicle Limited Warranty. If less than three months is remaining on the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, the 3-month period is provided in full at the end of that coverage.
Winching service for removal from mud or snow is covered for up to $100 per occurrence.
Trip interruption reimbursement is included, provided the owner is a minimum of 150 kilometres from home when the vehicle becomes disabled. An allowance is included to cover reasonable expenses for meals and lodging of up to $195 per day and/or alternate transportation up to a combined maximum of $500 per incident.
Trip routing service is provided at no charge, which includes suggested travel routes, points of interest, and maps.
These services do not apply if vehicles are operated off-road, any laws have been violated, snow tires or chains or other traction devices need to be mounted, the disablement results from physical damage to the vehicle, the vehicle is stolen, or these expenses are otherwise covered by another program.
Trial Subscriptions
Certified preowned vehicles from General Motors in Canada come with a 1-month trial subscription to OnStar. OnStar is a connected service for GM’s vehicles that includes automatic crash response, emergency services, and the ability to summon roadside assistance. The service also comes with the ability to remote start, lock, and unlock the vehicle from a mobile phone and can perform basic vehicle diagnostics. There are different tiers of OnStar services depending on the vehicle’s model year, so not all services are available for all models.
A three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio is included with GM Certified Pre-owned vehicles.
Vehicle Exchange Privilege
Vehicles sold under the GM certified pre-owned program can be exchanged for another eligible CPO vehicle within 30 days or 2,500 kilometers, whichever comes first, provided the vehicle is in materially the same condition with no modifications. If the price of the replacement vehicle is lower, buyers will be credited for the difference. If it is higher, the buyer must pay the difference.
Student Discount Program
Part- and full-time students, along with recent graduates, may qualify to receive $1000 towards the purchase of eligible CPO GM vehicles.
Welcome to Canada Program
New Canadians holding a Permanent Resident Card, as well as temporary foreign workers, may qualify to receive $500 towards the purchase of eligible GM CPO vehicles.
Advice when choosing your CPO GM | GMC, Buick, or Chevrolet
Get the best deal you can
Although CPO vehicles do offer more guarantees in terms of quality and condition, you should still seek to get the best selling price when negotiating for the purchase. For example, a larger down payment might help lower monthly payments if you’re buying on finance.
You should also get the dealer to to go through a finance example versus a lease example with you.
You could also use the spec of the car to help negotiate a deal. For example if you wanted a car with foglights, a sunroof, a roof rack or a specific style of alloy wheels but the dealer couldn’t supply a car to that precise spec, it’s potentially a lever for negotiation—especially if it’s approaching the end of the month and the dealer has targets to hit...
Double-check the car is right for you
It’s wise to take the car for a test drive if at all possible – because although the assurances you’ll get from buying a car that’s approved by a CPO program mean the vehicle should be dependable, you still need to know if it suits you. For example, does it have desirable on-board tech such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility or premium audio? Does it have power seats or memory seats? How easy is it to use the navigation system, the cruise control or the steering wheel controls?
You should also to check you are happy with how well other gadgets. work, such as the rearview camera or reverse sensing system, or rear air conditioning, if the car has it.
How good is the GM | GMC, Buick, and Chevrolet CPO program?
The GM CPO program is extensive and comprehensive – and the 2,500km exchange privilege is particularly noteworthy, as is the roadside assistance offer. There is a good variety of other incentives, too, including the Welcome to Canada Program and the Student Discount Program. The warranty length isn't overly generous, however.
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Canadian CPO Programs by Automaker
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