Buick & GMC Mahwah, New Jersey
What “certified” means in 2026
In June 2026 General Motors retired the Certified Pre-Owned programme most shoppers grew up with and replaced it with CarBravo. This page explains what that actually changes, because signing day is the wrong time to find out.
Quick answer
A certified Buick or GMC at Mahwah now comes through GM's CarBravo programme rather than the old CPO programme. The Bravo tier covers vehicles up to 10 model years old with under 100,000 miles, includes a 126-point inspection and a 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, roadside assistance and a 10-day/500-mile exchange. The trade-off: the old 6-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is no longer part of a new certification.
126-pointInspection on
the Bravo tier
the Bravo tier
12/12kMonth / mile
bumper-to-bumper
bumper-to-bumper
10 daysVehicle exchange
window, 500 miles
window, 500 miles
3,800+Certified service
centres nationwide
centres nationwide
01
What a certified Buick or GMC gets you today
Certification is a manufacturer-backed process, not a dealer promise. A used Buick or GMC either passed GM's inspection and carries GM's warranty, or it does not.
Inspected126 points
A documented multi-point inspection before the vehicle is listed, covering the interior, exterior, underbody and engine bay.
Warranted12 mo / 12k
A bumper-to-bumper limited warranty backed by GM, which begins after any remaining factory warranty expires rather than running alongside it.
ClearedZero recalls
Every open safety recall is resolved before the vehicle is sold. Branded titles are not eligible for certification at all.
Reversible10 days
A 10-day, 500-mile vehicle exchange window if the vehicle turns out to be the wrong one for you.
02
What changed in 2026
In June 2026, GM moved Chevrolet, Buick and GMC retailers off the traditional Certified Pre-Owned programme and onto CarBravo for factory-backed used coverage. Most published guidance online still describes the old programme, which is why the terms you read elsewhere may not match what you are offered.
Until June 2026 — CPO
- 172-point inspection
- 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty
- 6-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty
- GM vehicles only, generally under six model years
- Mileage cap around 75,000 miles
From June 2026 — CarBravo
- Up to 10 model years and under 100,000 miles on the Bravo tier
- Non-GM models can now be certified, not just Buick and GMC
- Warranty doubled from six months/6,000 miles to 12 months/12,000 miles
- A second BravoBudget tier for older, higher-mileage vehicles
- The 6-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is no longer part of a new certification
If you already own one
Your coverage does not change
A vehicle certified under the old programme keeps the terms it was sold with. The change applies to vehicles certified from June 2026 onward, not retroactively to yours.
If long powertrain cover matters
Ask about it directly
The honest answer is that extended powertrain protection is now a separate conversation rather than something bundled into certification. Raise it early with our team and price it alongside the vehicle instead of after.
03
Two tiers, and they are not interchangeable
The single most useful thing to establish about any certified vehicle is which tier it sits in. The gap between them is large.
| Bravo | BravoBudget | |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle age | Up to 10 model years | 10 to 15 years |
| Mileage | Under 100,000 miles | 100,000 to 150,000 miles |
| Inspection | 126-point | 62-point |
| Warranty | 12 months / 12,000 miles bumper-to-bumper | 30 days / 1,000 miles powertrain |
| Roadside assistance | For the warranty period | For the warranty period |
| Branded titles | Not eligible | Not eligible |
The practical read
Bravo is the one to shop
If you are cross-shopping a certified vehicle against a new one, Bravo is the tier that competes. A 126-point inspection and a year of bumper-to-bumper coverage is a genuinely different proposition from an uncertified used car.
Where BravoBudget fits
A floor, not a warranty
BravoBudget covers older, higher-mileage vehicles with a 30-day/1,000-mile powertrain warranty. Treat it as a basic assurance that the vehicle was inspected and the recalls were cleared, not as long-term protection.
04
Certified, used or new
Depreciation is the argument for certified, and it is a stronger one than most sales copy makes it. A new vehicle sheds roughly 15 to 20 percent of its value in the first year. A certified two- to four-year-old vehicle has already taken that hit on someone else's behalf.
| New | Certified (Bravo) | Uncertified used | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer warranty | Full factory coverage | 12 mo / 12,000 mi after any factory cover | Whatever factory cover remains, if any |
| Inspection | Factory build | 126-point, documented | Dealer discretion, not standardised |
| First-year depreciation | Roughly 15 to 20 percent | Already absorbed by the first owner | Already absorbed by the first owner |
| Open recalls | None | Cleared before sale | Not guaranteed |
| Exchange window | Not typical | 10 days / 500 miles | Not typical |
| Price | Highest | Between the two | Lowest |
The sweet spot for certified value is usually a two- to four-year-old vehicle with 20,000 to 50,000 miles — past the steepest part of the depreciation curve, with meaningful coverage still attached. Our priced-to-sell pre-owned and just-arrived used inventory pages are both worth checking, since certified stock moves quickly.
05
What a certification actually includes
In the order it happens, from the vehicle arriving on our lot to the coverage you drive away with.
- 01Eligibility screen
Age and mileage determine the tier. Any vehicle with a branded title is rejected outright and cannot be certified at either level.
- 02The inspection
126 points on the Bravo tier, 62 on BravoBudget, covering the interior, exterior, underbody and engine bay. Anything failing is repaired or the vehicle does not certify.
- 03Recall clearance
Every open safety recall is closed out before the vehicle is listed for sale, not flagged for you to handle later.
- 04GM-backed warranty attaches
A 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty on Bravo, honoured at more than 3,800 certified service centres nationwide — not only at the dealership that sold it.
- 05Roadside assistance and courtesy transport
Roadside assistance runs for the warranty period. For a covered mechanical breakdown, transportation expense reimbursement is available up to $40 per day for a maximum of 10 days.
- 06The exchange window
10 days or 500 miles to exchange for another CarBravo vehicle. It exists because a 20-minute test drive does not always reveal whether a vehicle fits your life.
—
Buying certified on Route 17
Buick GMC of Mahwah sits on Route 17 in northern Bergen County. Both marques share one roof here, so a certified Buick and a certified GMC can be compared in a single visit rather than across two trips.
Ask
Three questions per vehicle
Which tier is it, how much factory warranty remains, and what did the inspection find. Any certified vehicle should have all three answers on hand. Ask our team before you drive out.
Plan
Trade and finance
A trade-in valuation changes the maths on certified more than on new. Run it before you shop, then take it to the finance centre.
After
Service where you bought
Warranty work and maintenance both happen here. Schedule service online, and check the current service and parts specials.
06
Certified pre-owned questions, answered
Including the ones the programme change has made harder to answer from a search result.
Does GM still have a Certified Pre-Owned programme?
Not in its original form. In June 2026, General Motors moved Chevrolet, Buick and GMC retailers from the traditional Certified Pre-Owned programme to CarBravo for factory-backed used vehicle coverage. Certified vehicles are still inspected and still carry a GM-backed warranty, but the terms are set by CarBravo rather than the former CPO programme.
What warranty comes with a certified Buick or GMC now?
On the Bravo tier, a 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty that begins after any remaining factory warranty expires. On the BravoBudget tier, a 30-day/1,000-mile powertrain limited warranty. Roadside assistance is included for the warranty period on both. Terms differ in California.
Is the 6-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty still included?
No. The 6-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty that formed part of the old Certified Pre-Owned package is no longer included with a new certification. If long-term powertrain protection matters to you, treat it as a separate item to discuss and price rather than assuming it comes with the vehicle.
What is the difference between the Bravo and BravoBudget tiers?
Bravo covers vehicles up to 10 model years old with under 100,000 miles, includes a 126-point inspection and a 12-month/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty. BravoBudget covers vehicles 10 to 15 years old with 100,000 to 150,000 miles, includes a 62-point inspection and a 30-day/1,000-mile powertrain limited warranty.
Can I return a certified vehicle if it is not right?
There is a 10-day, 500-mile vehicle exchange programme that lets you exchange for another CarBravo vehicle. It is an exchange rather than a refund, and the window is short, so use the first week deliberately.
Does my existing CPO coverage change?
No. A vehicle certified under the previous programme keeps the coverage it was sold with. The 2026 change applies to vehicles certified from June 2026 onward and is not applied retroactively.
Are non-GM vehicles eligible for certification?
Yes. Unlike the old programme, which was limited to GM vehicles, CarBravo allows dealers to certify non-GM models as well, provided they meet the age, mileage, title and inspection requirements for the tier.
Is a certified vehicle worth the premium over an uncertified used one?
It depends on how long you intend to keep it and how much risk you want to carry. Certification buys a documented inspection, cleared recalls, a manufacturer-backed warranty honoured at more than 3,800 service centres, and an exchange window. On a two- to four-year-old vehicle with 20,000 to 50,000 miles, that combination is usually where certified makes the most sense.
Ask which tier before you fall for the car
It is one question, it takes ten seconds, and it tells you more about what you are buying than the mileage does.
Programme terms, warranty coverage, inspection point counts and eligibility requirements are drawn from General Motors' published CarBravo information and are subject to change. Coverage begins after any remaining factory warranty expires, and terms differ in California. Depreciation figures are industry averages and vary by model, mileage and condition. Certification tier, coverage and remaining factory warranty differ from vehicle to vehicle — always confirm them for the specific vehicle you are considering. Full programme detail is on our certified pre-owned page.