chico
Club Champion
Looking at buying a second hand car. Seen one I liked low mileage etc, but it's had three owners in three years. Is this a warning sign, makes me nervous for some reason.
Car buying advice
- Thread starter chico
- Start date
CliveW
Tour Winner
Is it from a main dealer? If it is then it should have a warranty and possibly manufacturer's warranty.
chico
Club Champion
It's not, that's one of my worries seems to be an all round garage sell, buy, repair that sort of thing.
CliveW
Tour Winner
If you're not happy, walk away. There are plenty cars out there. Have you looked any of the online car dealers?
Courtesy of the pandemic, and travel restrictions, I’d expect the vast majority of 3 year old cars to have relatively low mileage.
3 owners? First owner might have been a main dealer registering it to keep their sales figures up. Give it a good test drive, and if it drives well… why not. Equally, if you’re wary walk away.
3 owners? First owner might have been a main dealer registering it to keep their sales figures up. Give it a good test drive, and if it drives well… why not. Equally, if you’re wary walk away.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
What make and model is it???
Some cars lend themselves to a large number of owners....
Some cars lend themselves to a large number of owners....
spongebob59
Journeyman Pro
Can always get an independent inspection if worried, RAC do them , others may also be available.
Got to say, depending what car you’re after, there is not plenty from my own recent experience.
AliMc
Well-known member
And prices seem to be creeping up steadily too, I bought my xc60 when it was about 6 years old with 3 previous owners and have had no issues at all, has done 120k miles now and runs great, as previously mentioned first owner was dealer and then 2 more at roughly 2 year intervals so I reckoned it was just folk who like to change cars regularly
2nd hand car prices are certainly increasing but don't let that cloud your mind. Better to have no car than have a car with problems. If it doesn't feel right then walk away.
chico
Club Champion
Thanks for the advice, going to have a look today if first reg keeper was dealer that would make sense. Its a Peugeot 308sw and seems to be cheap in comparison to others around same year and mileage.
I still had to compromise on colour as well.
A lot of people like to change their cars every 3 years as that’s when most warranty’s run out.
They can’t be bothered with the hassle if something goes wrong.
Your instinct will probably tell you straight away.
GreiginFife
Money List Winner
Bear in mind the impact of the pandemic as well. It could be that owners got rid because the didn't need a car during the lockdowns, or they couldn't afford it.
Equally it could be that the value and demand of the car reached a point where it just made sense to sell/trade it in.
I've just done the same recently, and event though I love my car, the increased equity in it made it sensible to trade it in. It will be just shy of two years old at the point of exchange. So there's many reasons these days for possibly shifting cars quickly and early in ownership.
Equally it could be that the value and demand of the car reached a point where it just made sense to sell/trade it in.
I've just done the same recently, and event though I love my car, the increased equity in it made it sensible to trade it in. It will be just shy of two years old at the point of exchange. So there's many reasons these days for possibly shifting cars quickly and early in ownership.
D
Deleted member 29109
Guest
I'd be more worried about it being a Peugeot than the number of owners ?.
With car buying. If there is any doubt. There is no doubt. Walk away and find something else. But buying second hand, you have to compromise somewhere.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
Proof, if any were needed, that you do not know what the hell you are talking about.
sunshine
Well-known member
I just can't imagine ever buying a French car. They all look so rubbish.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
GreiginFife
Money List Winner
Not sure if that’s meant to prove or disprove the quoted statement.
Looks like lazy design to me. Appears to be based on a previous gen 1 series 135i. Bit like the 2008 seriously “borrowing” looks from the Evoque.
I get that you do or have worked for them so have love for them. But not the most aesthetically gifted of cars and haven’t ever really been since the GTi models of old.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
I don't have love for them, but in the four years I have been selling them I've realised what a good range of cars Peugeot now have.
I'd have never considered selling them 10 years ago, but the design of the newer stuff together with their reliability has made me look at them in a totally different light.
