How do you think the previous owner drove your car?
Discussion
How do you think the previous owner drove your car, and did you ever go out for a test drive, and be put off by buying it by the way they drove?
I have never met anyone who previously owned my cars, all except a Honda Prelude that I bought from family years ago - where my nan (who insisting on moving the car), drove it into the side of her house, where it knocked down a pillar, and plenty of roof tiles smashed on to the bonnet.
Fortunately, the car was perfect after being repaired, because it was mostly driven, by an old woman.
My latest car must have been driven by someone who only took it out on sunny days, and, well, didn't use it very often. AmD said that it was running lower than expected BHP on the rolling road, it was spotless, hardly used - and probably never taken above 3,000 rpm.
Since I've been abusing it, it has loosened up nicely
This is probably the main reason why I would never buy an ex-rental car, no matter the discount offered.
I have never met anyone who previously owned my cars, all except a Honda Prelude that I bought from family years ago - where my nan (who insisting on moving the car), drove it into the side of her house, where it knocked down a pillar, and plenty of roof tiles smashed on to the bonnet.
Fortunately, the car was perfect after being repaired, because it was mostly driven, by an old woman.
My latest car must have been driven by someone who only took it out on sunny days, and, well, didn't use it very often. AmD said that it was running lower than expected BHP on the rolling road, it was spotless, hardly used - and probably never taken above 3,000 rpm.
Since I've been abusing it, it has loosened up nicely
This is probably the main reason why I would never buy an ex-rental car, no matter the discount offered.
I suspect the last 9k / year since I bought it was the hardest miles on my M5. I also suspect how previous owners treated it doesn't really matter that much now it's done 169k miles.
I went out for a drive with the guy I bought the M3 off and he wasn't scared of the accelerator, so I think it's safe to say that was always well used.
I knew the guy I bought the S3 off and it would have done lots of short journeys which I'm pretty sure is down to why the engine was borked at 63k miles.
I went out for a drive with the guy I bought the M3 off and he wasn't scared of the accelerator, so I think it's safe to say that was always well used.
I knew the guy I bought the S3 off and it would have done lots of short journeys which I'm pretty sure is down to why the engine was borked at 63k miles.
I believe my car was owned by a cheap skate female just using the car to commute.
How can I tell? The clutch is pretty crap and they weren't interested in purchasing car mats so there's a nice hole where here heel has been for the previous 3 years. Also the fact 2 tyres were different to standard tyres.
But then it's one of those things I'd worked all that out before I'd purchased the car so was able to rectify everything other than the clutch as it still has a decent life left just a s
t one 
How can I tell? The clutch is pretty crap and they weren't interested in purchasing car mats so there's a nice hole where here heel has been for the previous 3 years. Also the fact 2 tyres were different to standard tyres.
But then it's one of those things I'd worked all that out before I'd purchased the car so was able to rectify everything other than the clutch as it still has a decent life left just a s
t one 
)Benbay001 said:
Whilst we are on the subject, i can see it will be a pain in the ass trying to sell my S Type R. Everyone will see a 20 year old male and assume the poor car has been to hell and back.
Yep that was my concern when looking at TypeR's ultimately my circumstances changed and needed better economy so went for the TypeS 
soon after getting it I no longer had to do 600miles each weekend and could have got one. However if you sell via enthusiast websites most understand its been driven hard but treated like a baby that's when receipts for literally everything pay off as it shows its been looked after
ecsrobin said:
Benbay001 said:
Whilst we are on the subject, i can see it will be a pain in the ass trying to sell my S Type R. Everyone will see a 20 year old male and assume the poor car has been to hell and back.
Yep that was my concern when looking at TypeR's ultimately my circumstances changed and needed better economy so went for the TypeS soon after getting it I no longer had to do 600miles each weekend and could have got one. However if you sell via enthusiast websites most understand its been driven hard but treated like a baby that's when receipts for literally everything pay off as it shows its been looked after
I think my car was probably thrashed but taken good care of mechanically and bodywork wise. I saw it at a classic car show shortly before buying it, which implies that the owner was proud of it (even though it's worth less than 1k) - and that's always a good thing.
It's an Elise, with a naturally aspirated engine and an 8500rpm rev limit and peak torque at 6800rpm. You don't have to drive it hard, you don't have to drive anything with 220bhp/ton hard, but if you never do, you probably bought the wrong car.
One can draw conclusions.
On the other hand, like the Honda Type-R engines, it does raise the question of how one could actually thrash an engine designed to to do that day in and day out.
One can draw conclusions.
On the other hand, like the Honda Type-R engines, it does raise the question of how one could actually thrash an engine designed to to do that day in and day out.
Raize said:
He means a Jaguar S-Type R, not a Honda lol.
I think my car was probably thrashed but taken good care of mechanically and bodywork wise. I saw it at a classic car show shortly before buying it, which implies that the owner was proud of it (even though it's worth less than 1k) - and that's always a good thing.
Hangs head in shame I think my car was probably thrashed but taken good care of mechanically and bodywork wise. I saw it at a classic car show shortly before buying it, which implies that the owner was proud of it (even though it's worth less than 1k) - and that's always a good thing.
ah well same rules apply lolLike I'd expect a 100,000+ mile run-around/commuter car to be. Saying that, looking at the old MOT history it only averaged about 7,000 miles a year before I bought it. One MOT record shows failure points for the horn not working, bushings on one of the rear shock absorber badly deteriorated and no life left in the brakes amongst a couple of other small things, but this was in the hands of the owner before the guy I bought the car from.
Guy I bought it from said he just used it to go up and down the M62, but I don't think he really cared either, there were small interior trim pieces missing (guessing he attempted to fix something, but only got as far as removing trim and never put the trim back on), four different tyres on it and a dent in the passenger side rear wing which I'm guessing he (or his wife) managed to hit on a low wall.
I wouldn't say it was driven hard, probably quite normally, but there was no inclination to get things fixed/sorted properly, and there was definitely some lack of care.
However, it's coming up to 140,000 miles three years later and I've not really had to fix anything out of the ordinary. Fitted a new timing belt and aux belt plus pulleys and water-pump for piece of mind, two new tyres on the front, new discs and pads all round, two rear shock absorbers and three self-services. Only things I have had to buy which are slightly out of the ordinary are the small interior trim pieces.
The engine feels so smooth that it makes me laugh considering the mileage it has done. Not bad for an old Frenchie.
Guy I bought it from said he just used it to go up and down the M62, but I don't think he really cared either, there were small interior trim pieces missing (guessing he attempted to fix something, but only got as far as removing trim and never put the trim back on), four different tyres on it and a dent in the passenger side rear wing which I'm guessing he (or his wife) managed to hit on a low wall.
I wouldn't say it was driven hard, probably quite normally, but there was no inclination to get things fixed/sorted properly, and there was definitely some lack of care.
However, it's coming up to 140,000 miles three years later and I've not really had to fix anything out of the ordinary. Fitted a new timing belt and aux belt plus pulleys and water-pump for piece of mind, two new tyres on the front, new discs and pads all round, two rear shock absorbers and three self-services. Only things I have had to buy which are slightly out of the ordinary are the small interior trim pieces.
The engine feels so smooth that it makes me laugh considering the mileage it has done. Not bad for an old Frenchie.
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