Paranoia? HPI shows previous owner acquired car 5 wks ago?
Discussion
Hi,
Just come across a merc c63 which seems mint, so did a HPI check just for protection and whilst everything else looks clear - there's a couple of things.
Firstly it has 4 previous owners on a 58 plate car - seems relatively high. (40k miles, so relatively low)
But more so; Previous owner acquired on 31st Oct this year. I assume that can't be the garage, he said he got it on on Friday. So thats a bit weird? Who only keeps a car for 5 weeks? It also doesn't quiet tie in with what the garage said - he said previous owner was 18 months, strange.
Paranoia? Or walk away?
Dan
Just come across a merc c63 which seems mint, so did a HPI check just for protection and whilst everything else looks clear - there's a couple of things.
Firstly it has 4 previous owners on a 58 plate car - seems relatively high. (40k miles, so relatively low)
But more so; Previous owner acquired on 31st Oct this year. I assume that can't be the garage, he said he got it on on Friday. So thats a bit weird? Who only keeps a car for 5 weeks? It also doesn't quiet tie in with what the garage said - he said previous owner was 18 months, strange.
Paranoia? Or walk away?
Dan
codek said:
Who only keeps a car for 5 weeks? It also doesn't quiet tie in with what the garage said - he said previous owner was 18 months, strange.
Two options, then.The keeper changed a month ago to somebody who was punting it on, so "doesn't count"...
The keeper changed a month ago to somebody who bought it, got it home, found his missus/fuel budget didn't agree with it...
Either way, the last "real keeper" kept it a year and a half - fair enough.
AGK said:
Maybe they shat them self after a week when they realised that it doesn't run on fresh air.
You are not wrong. A rather naive young chap at our work bought a used Audi S5 (the V8 one) - "cost the same as a 320d you see.."The running costs kicked him in the nuts. He traded it in within 3 months... and which point he got properly kicked in the nuts again. He drives a 116d now.
I just bought a Fiat 500 someone had had for 2 days. She'd traded in a big auto 4x4 and thought she wanted something small and manual. By the time she got it home she realised she'd made a mistake. The supplying garage wouldn't give her money back and didn't have anything suitable so she chopped it in against a Juke from her local independent at a loss of £600. I bought it at his cost as it wasn't in his normal profile (Porsche, 4x4) and had the profit in the Juke. I eyeballed it and the garage, checked what I could and figured my saving covered some surprises. I don't have V5 yet but providing that comes through OK I'm happy.
comes with a 3mth warranty so hopefully that would cover any lemon-itus.
he also gave a lame excuse for a test drive - said yes, but only once we've agreed a deal - i.e. wasnt willing to either take me out in it or let me go out unless i showed moo-la. (Reasoning being he'd have to valet it again due to the weather - true - but so what, thats what happens!)
Hmm.
he also gave a lame excuse for a test drive - said yes, but only once we've agreed a deal - i.e. wasnt willing to either take me out in it or let me go out unless i showed moo-la. (Reasoning being he'd have to valet it again due to the weather - true - but so what, thats what happens!)
Hmm.
codek said:
he also gave a lame excuse for a test drive - said yes, but only once we've agreed a deal - i.e. wasnt willing to either take me out in it or let me go out unless i showed moo-la. (Reasoning being he'd have to valet it again due to the weather - true - but so what, thats what happens!)
Hmm.
I don't blame him re the test drive as that type of car attracts a lot of test pilots and wannabees. Looking at it from his side, what's the point in letting you drive it if haven't agreed a deal and aren't in a position to pay for it? Hmm.
As someone who usually keeps cars from between a month and a year I wouldn't be overly concerned. As soon as I buy a car it normally goes up for sale for more than I paid. If It achieves that amount and I have seen something else I like it goes, if not I keep it longer. As others have said performance cars seem to change hands more. People whose circumstances change are more susceptible to this than those in sensible saloons etc.
The only thing to be worried about with multiple owners on performance cars is whether all of those owners have moved it on when servicing/work required. As long as service history looks good I wouldn't be worried. The only other rider to add, if multiple owners more chance that one of those wasn't an enthusiast ie sympathetic with warming engine and not red lining it etc. Service history is also normally a good indicator of sympathetic ownership
The only thing to be worried about with multiple owners on performance cars is whether all of those owners have moved it on when servicing/work required. As long as service history looks good I wouldn't be worried. The only other rider to add, if multiple owners more chance that one of those wasn't an enthusiast ie sympathetic with warming engine and not red lining it etc. Service history is also normally a good indicator of sympathetic ownership
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