In the auto industry, the name of the game has always been to sell cars. No ifs, ands, or buts. A car sold puts a smile on the company's collective face and every car that’s left collecting dust is money straight down the drain.

Over the years, automakers have taken to great lengths to come out with different ways to sell a vehicle, and one particular option has proven to be a successful avenue in which to do so. That, of course, is through certified pre-owned used car programs.

A lot of automakers that have chided the notion of selling pre-owned vehicles are already picking up on the trend and some brands that have yet to dive into the program are beginning to see the rosy outlook that it provides. One such automaker that’s getting ready to jump into the bandwagon is Mazda->ke53. The Japanese automaker is beginning the process of offering its own CPO plan for prospective customers.

The Japanese automaker is set to begin offering a CPO program for all of its 2006 to 2010 model units that have registered less than 60,000 miles on its odometer. Naturally, provisions are being set on the availability of these cars to prospective buyers. Every Mazda vehicle that falls under the CPO will offer either the remaining balance of the factory warranty or an additional 12-month/12,000-mile comprehensive warranty and a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

On top of that, Mazda will also be offering roadside assistance on its CPO vehicles, which covers a host of services including flat-tire changing, battery-jump, lockout, and fuel delivery.

As it stands now, Mazda’s CPO program is already being offered at a number of participating Mazda dealerships in the US with more dealerships slated to be added in the near future.

Press Release after the jump.

Mazda North American Operations today announced the launch of a NEW Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program designed to maximize the value of a pre-owned Mazda, ease customers' pre-owned vehicle buying experience and lower customers' cost of ownership. Under the program, Mazda dealers will follow a rigorous multi-point inspection and reconditioning program to ensure that Certified vehicles are as close to the quality of a new car as possible, and Mazda will offer warranty protection over and above any existing factory warranty.

All 2006-2010 Mazda cars, SUVs and trucks with less than 60,000 miles are eligible for the program, as long as they meet the rigorous standards for quality.

"Mazda's new Certified Pre-Owned program is designed expressly to make the process easy and affordable for customers shopping for a high-quality pre-owned vehicle," said Ron Stettner, VP, Sales, for MNAO. "As Mazda was recently recognized by ALG for holding one of the highest residual values in the industry, our new CPO program allows us to provide a never-before-offered level of warranty security that goes with the value for money already packaged into every new Mazda."

CPO vehicles will be identified on dealers' lots by point-of-sale materials which will outline the warranty details and program benefits. Every Mazda CPO vehicle will offer either the remaining balance of the factory warranty or an additional 12-month/12,000-mile comprehensive warranty, as well as a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. As with all new-car Mazda warranties, there is no deductible or co-pay for warrantable repairs.

Additionally, all CPO vehicles receive roadside assistance at no extra cost, for the balance of the powertrain warranty period, which covers flat-tire changing, battery-jump, lock-out and fuel delivery. The Mazda CPO program is offered at participating Mazda dealerships in the United States.

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in North America in 2010, Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario; and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.