So what exactly does it take to qualify a phone as "Certified Like-New"?

Question

...verify the phone turns on and then ship it out?
I've had a Droid since launch...its been in a case and screen protector since day one and I take pride in keeping it (and all my other electronics) in mint condition. When I installed 2.2 last month, something went wrong and it corrupted my phone. It freezes 2-3 times daily, requiring a battery pull. I've done factory resets, OS reinstalls...nothing fixed it, and Verizon told me I'd need to get it replaced. 
I already had a poor experience with refurbished verizon replacements with my last phone, taking 3 tries to finally get one that wasn't physically beat up....and that one died literally 2 days before the warranty expired (thank god). I figured maybe the Droid being an expensive smartphone would have some better quality control, but unfortunately I know now thats not the case. First replacement came with a slider that would fall open when turned sideways. Second phone's proximity sensor didn't work. Third phone that I just received is similar to the first, with a loose headphone jack and peeling keys.
I've had many conversations with reps regarding my options (or lack there of) and their replacement policies. At one point a rep stated Verizon has one of the best replacement policies because they don't ever charge you for a warranty replacement, whereas many other carries do. I agreed that was nice, but also commented that it seemed pretty clear the money they're spending to ship/replace for free was just made up in reduced labor costs. Rather than have an employee evaluate and QA the phones, they make it the responsibility of the customer to have to complain about this issues that would have otherwise been found. There's no upfront customer cost, but instead a lot of time and frustration. He had no comment on that.
What I want to know is how a phone gets recertified and earns a like new status. Reading these forums, its clear I'm not the first to have this problem. People might say I shouldn't be so critical of the replacements, but its frustrating to keep your phone in great condition, only to have a Verizon update ruin all of that in an instant, followed by repeated replacements that are sub par. I'm not looking for a free upgrade, I just want a phone that is equal to the one I had...and it seems like Verizon's strategy is to just keep sending me phones until one is good enough, or I get sick of trying. My fear, however, is that even if the replacement looks good up front, whats to say it won't die months later when I am out of warranty. Then I'm stuck tacking on another two years onto my contract to get a discounted phone, buying one at full price, or buying one second hand.  Either way, more money out of my pocket that I shouldn't have to spend.

Answer 1

They basically make it look new (take out scratches, etc)
It also has to turn on and radio functions are tested to turn on (not connect).
This includes cell radio, wifi and GPS.
That is the basis of what gets release. They do not check the sliders past the point of opening and closing. They do not have a basis for release in regards to the "stiffness" of the slider.
In essence, the phone will look good, but may not be just like new.