I'm a newbie car buyer, and need help asap please
Discussion
Hello
I guess I sound silly, I feel it, but I'm new to car buying. Please bear with me
I've found a used car that suits my needs, and it test drove well, but a relative has pointed out that 3 times over 4 years the MOT mileage is reduced by a total of 104,000 miles.
(the car is advertised at 94,000 miles)
This is what the online car check shows:
Mileage Issues
The odometer reading reduced by 45,792 miles between 23/11/2020 and 17/11/2021.
The odometer reading reduced by 36,497 miles between 09/05/2018 and 13/05/2019.
The odometer reading reduced by 22,337 miles between 04/05/2016 and 12/05/2017.
The small dealership is AA Approved (verified)
I've asked the dealer for a response on this, and he says the mileage on the car is fully genuine 94000 miles as advertised, and the reason for the different readings on some of the mots is because you can change the speedo to read in kilometers.
He says he thinks someone has clearly changed it at some points (maybe been to europe) and not changed it back.
He added he has converted the readings on the mots into miles which tally up with what the equivalent would be in kilometers.
It's a shame, as any issues have been fixed and I'd get a 6 month warranty in the purchase.
I'd move along, but I've been searching for a car that'll suit my needs for weeks, and there's none without a 1.5 hr drive minimum for my budget of £5,000 (the car is £4,700)
This problem will really devalue the car upon resale I guess? I only plan to keep it 1.5 years.
I guess I sound silly, I feel it, but I'm new to car buying. Please bear with me
I've found a used car that suits my needs, and it test drove well, but a relative has pointed out that 3 times over 4 years the MOT mileage is reduced by a total of 104,000 miles.
(the car is advertised at 94,000 miles)
This is what the online car check shows:
Mileage Issues
The odometer reading reduced by 45,792 miles between 23/11/2020 and 17/11/2021.
The odometer reading reduced by 36,497 miles between 09/05/2018 and 13/05/2019.
The odometer reading reduced by 22,337 miles between 04/05/2016 and 12/05/2017.
The small dealership is AA Approved (verified)
I've asked the dealer for a response on this, and he says the mileage on the car is fully genuine 94000 miles as advertised, and the reason for the different readings on some of the mots is because you can change the speedo to read in kilometers.
He says he thinks someone has clearly changed it at some points (maybe been to europe) and not changed it back.
He added he has converted the readings on the mots into miles which tally up with what the equivalent would be in kilometers.
It's a shame, as any issues have been fixed and I'd get a 6 month warranty in the purchase.
I'd move along, but I've been searching for a car that'll suit my needs for weeks, and there's none without a 1.5 hr drive minimum for my budget of £5,000 (the car is £4,700)
This problem will really devalue the car upon resale I guess? I only plan to keep it 1.5 years.
Xenoous said:
If you have any doubt what so ever then walk away. There's thousands of cars for sale, why settle for a dodgy one?
ThisThere's always another car for sale that'll suit your needs. It's a lot of money to be buying something you're not 100 percent convinced about, and it's guaranteed to come back to bite you when you come to sell it on. If you found the mileage discrepancy off-putting, the next buyer will too.
I'd move on and keep looking.
Xenoous said:
If you have any doubt what so ever then walk away. There's thousands of cars for sale, why settle for a dodgy one?
At the bottom of my post...I'd move along, but I've been searching for a car that'll suit my needs for weeks, and there's none without a 1.5 hr drive MINIMUM for my budget of £5,000 (the car is £4,700)
There is nothing here seriously and I've been looking for over 7 weeks. I'm at the base of the UK.
So many I've looked at have been very mechanically 'dodgy' so at least if I buy a car closer to home, then returning back to a dealer to resolve issues is more doable.
I hope that makes sense.
Honestly mate, if it sounds like a duck, and looks like a duck....
Many years ago when I enthusiastically started investing in a few properties, I took one or two rather bum ones to my conveyencer, who quickly pointed out to an eager me, that they probably weren't a good idea.
I will never forget the time he removed his glasses, looked at me, and said 'honestly, there's ALWAYS another house...'
And in all the years since, that's been one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received. I apply it to everything - ebay purchases, cars, everything. And you know what? There's always another one. It's saved me a lot of grief and money sticking to that.
Many years ago when I enthusiastically started investing in a few properties, I took one or two rather bum ones to my conveyencer, who quickly pointed out to an eager me, that they probably weren't a good idea.
I will never forget the time he removed his glasses, looked at me, and said 'honestly, there's ALWAYS another house...'
And in all the years since, that's been one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received. I apply it to everything - ebay purchases, cars, everything. And you know what? There's always another one. It's saved me a lot of grief and money sticking to that.
TarquinMX5 said:
Do you have a link to the advert, or the regn no so that somebody can look at the mot history. Changing to kilometres would obviously increase the reading, so unless somebody was continually changing it over, I don't quite follow how the figures you've quoted might have been arrived at.
Mileage errors on Mots aren't common but are not unheard of, though three-years of 'errors' is odd and warrants further checks. Any service history with car?
Hi. I hope this helps. Mileage errors on Mots aren't common but are not unheard of, though three-years of 'errors' is odd and warrants further checks. Any service history with car?
It's from an online car check, and exactly matches up with DVLA MOT history says...
Date Mileage +/-
09 Apr 2014 23998 miles +23998
05 May 2015 44629 miles +20631
04 May 2016 87045 miles +42416
12 May 2017 64708 miles -22337
09 May 2018 112088 miles +47380
13 May 2019 75591 miles -36497
21 Nov 2020 133985 miles +58394
23 Nov 2020 133999 miles +14
17 Nov 2021 88207 miles -45792
22 Nov 2022 92486 miles +4279
28 Mar 2023 93761 miles +1275
06 Apr 2023 93762 miles +1
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
Honestly mate, if it sounds like a duck, and looks like a duck....
Many years ago when I enthusiastically started investing in a few properties, I took one or two rather bum ones to my conveyencer, who quickly pointed out to an eager me, that they probably weren't a good idea.
I will never forget the time he removed his glasses, looked at me, and said 'honestly, there's ALWAYS another house...'
And in all the years since, that's been one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received. I apply it to everything - ebay purchases, cars, everything. And you know what? There's always another one. It's saved me a lot of grief and money sticking to that.
Thank you, I know you are right. Many years ago when I enthusiastically started investing in a few properties, I took one or two rather bum ones to my conveyencer, who quickly pointed out to an eager me, that they probably weren't a good idea.
I will never forget the time he removed his glasses, looked at me, and said 'honestly, there's ALWAYS another house...'
And in all the years since, that's been one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received. I apply it to everything - ebay purchases, cars, everything. And you know what? There's always another one. It's saved me a lot of grief and money sticking to that.
I'm so damned stuck months on, and can't get to see family who aren't nearby.
I wish the car hadn't been so neat and drove so well. I do car searches for hours on end every day, but being situated base of the UK, there's just nothing down here.
Looking at your list, 112,088 km = 69,600 miles and 133,985 km = 83,200 miles so it would seem correct. If it is a car that can be switched between km and mile displays, it is seem quite often on MoT histories, especially on grey imports from Japan.
Clocking like that is pointless since 2007 when MoT tests were entered on a public access database. Now in the first 3 years on lease before any MoT test, that's different.
Clocking like that is pointless since 2007 when MoT tests were entered on a public access database. Now in the first 3 years on lease before any MoT test, that's different.
This is approximately correct:
09 Apr 2014 23998 miles +23998
05 May 2015 44629 miles +20631
04 May 2016 54087 miles +9458
12 May 2017 64708 miles +10621
09 May 2018 69648 miles +4940
13 May 2019 75591 miles +5943
21 Nov 2020 83254 miles +7663
23 Nov 2020 83263 miles +9
17 Nov 2021 88207 miles +4994
22 Nov 2022 92486 miles +4279
28 Mar 2023 93761 miles +1275
06 Apr 2023 93762 miles +1
Not what you'd do if you were actually clocking it, unless you were grossly incompetent.
09 Apr 2014 23998 miles +23998
05 May 2015 44629 miles +20631
04 May 2016 54087 miles +9458
12 May 2017 64708 miles +10621
09 May 2018 69648 miles +4940
13 May 2019 75591 miles +5943
21 Nov 2020 83254 miles +7663
23 Nov 2020 83263 miles +9
17 Nov 2021 88207 miles +4994
22 Nov 2022 92486 miles +4279
28 Mar 2023 93761 miles +1275
06 Apr 2023 93762 miles +1
Not what you'd do if you were actually clocking it, unless you were grossly incompetent.
Edited by trashbat on Sunday 9th April 20:02
bluey100 said:
I'd move along, but I've been searching for a car that'll suit my needs for weeks, and there's none without a 1.5 hr drive minimum for my budget of £5,000 (the car is £4,700)
What is this unicorn car specification you seek that means there is no other cars available?Or do you live on Orkney or something?
Gordon Hill said:
Perhaps if you mentioned what particular things you need from a car it would help more. Why this car in particular? What model is it? What are your requirements from a vehicle? We can better steer you in the right direction then.
It's the largest model Berlingo - a Multispace with up to 3000 litres of cargo space, which would have been amazing for my needs when the kiddies aren't being carried.I'm also looking at smaller MPV's and large estate cars with half the luggage space with seats down - with a list here of 30+ models, so I'm not being too restrictive. This car was perfect. Ho hum.
It looks like I'm going to have to get a loan and massively increase my budget :-(
Buy it. Send a deposit now to secure it. This sounds like a fantastic car. Do not miss out.
bluey100 said:
At the bottom of my post...
I'd move along, but I've been searching for a car that'll suit my needs for weeks, and there's none without a 1.5 hr drive MINIMUM for my budget of £5,000 (the car is £4,700)
There is nothing here seriously and I've been looking for over 7 weeks. I'm at the base of the UK.
So many I've looked at have been very mechanically 'dodgy' so at least if I buy a car closer to home, then returning back to a dealer to resolve issues is more doable.
I hope that makes sense.
I'd move along, but I've been searching for a car that'll suit my needs for weeks, and there's none without a 1.5 hr drive MINIMUM for my budget of £5,000 (the car is £4,700)
There is nothing here seriously and I've been looking for over 7 weeks. I'm at the base of the UK.
So many I've looked at have been very mechanically 'dodgy' so at least if I buy a car closer to home, then returning back to a dealer to resolve issues is more doable.
I hope that makes sense.
A quick google suggests it’s quite simple to change between miles and kilometres on the odometer on many Citroens, including Belingos. Not sure why anyone would want to do this mind unless using abroad perhaps.
Why don’t you ask the dealer if he can provide service history to corroborate the true mileage?
Why don’t you ask the dealer if he can provide service history to corroborate the true mileage?
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