I've seen a number of CPO's that didn't impress me, but, of course, my inspection standards are very high. If there's a scratch a half-an-inch long on the paint/trim, a couple of seat-fabric threads out of place, or a tiny crack in the window glass, I'll probably catch it. So, my opinion is probably not the best one here on an issue like this, because many people probably would be satisfied with a typical CPO example that I would find fault with. Still, having said that, even over and above small cosmetic things, I have noticed things that clearly were stated in the CPO "inspection" process that weren't done (shimmies, wheel balance, steering pulls, etc...) although they usually get the important stuff like excessively worn tires or brakes.

Well, one reason why the trim quality of Toyota/Lexus CPO's has gone down is because the trim quality of some NEW Toyota/Lexus models has gone down, especially in the last 4-5 years (the new RX350/450H, fortunately, is an exception). Several Toyota and Lexus models are now using thinner glass, sheet metal, interior plastics, vinyls, etc....and lighter-weight parts. So, if you start out with a new model having thinner, lightweight parts that are more easily worn, chipped, or broken, it is not surprising that, after a few years, those vehicles will have more noticeable deterioration than older-generation models. This is especially noticeable on newer Camrys, Tundras, and ES350 models.

Not just the old ones.. my '04 LS430 chips like the paint was an eggshell finish. I have no less than 20 tiny to coffee straw sized chips on the hood. It's really bad.

As for CPO, there are plenty of "just passed" CPO vehicles out there I'm sure. When shopping, I had seen two that I thought they were mistaken that it was CPO. The paint was scratched, there were big dropping solar system paint wear, paint discoloring, etc.

If 30 cars get returned in a month offlease, and only two pass solidly, then there has to be a handful more that just pass.

Good point. My fav dealer Hennessy Lexus of Gwinnett has only a few CPO on the lot, its not every Lexus.

Funny my 98 GS 400 with 12, 622 miles was not sold CPO b/c it had low miles and had much of the factory warranty left.

I wouldn't have expected that people here were under the impression that all used Lexus sold by a Lexus dealer are CPO, otherwise they wouldn't have enough sense to find this forum.

But many Lexus dealers CPO most of their cars that are eligible. For example, my local Lexus dealer (Jacksonville) has 20 used Lexus vehicles on offer and 19 are CPO.

A quick check of a larger dealer's web site -- Sewell Lexus in Dallas -- shows 153 vehicles on offer, with 93 being CPO. And this total includes the 1990's models, the ones with 100+K miles on them, and all. If you drop down to more recent years, it's more like 70% are CPO, and several of those that are not CPO are 2008 models with ~10K miles on them, so they have a lot of OE warranty remaining.

I suppose some certify a smaller percentage, or use it as an upsell offering at the time of sale, but the 6 or 8 dealers I've happened to shopped have certified most of their cars.

There are many used cars that can meet those conditions and still have mechanical problems. Bottom line is, its up to the customer to be beware. I would not trust the Lexus CPO inspection to fix everything before they selling you the car. It is up to you to point things out and have it check by a mechanic. I have heard too many stories about Lexus CPOs, needing brake or mechanical repair shortly after ownership.

Absolutely, and the point here is that the "165 point inspection" that they tout is worth exactly squat unless they actually FIND things that need to be fixed and FIX them. My personal experience shows that they often do not do a thorough job beyond checking the tire tread, looking for cracked glass, and some of the more glaring things. Beyond those kinds of things that almost every shopper will notice, it gets pretty lax. It's largely a marketing tool without much substance other than the actual warranty, and the likelihood that if YOU find something wrong, they'll probably correct it, IME.

Its also ralated to the economy. Say if the CPO spec for brake pads are 5mm. When the dealer is doing good and making tons of money, a CPO car comes in and the pads are 5.5 mm, they dealer would replace the pads. If that same dealer is losing money, the pads will stay.