Very low mileage used car - good or bad?

lemon26

Hi all,

I'm in the process of repalcing my 5-year old Citroen C4 with a newer Citroen, probably a C5. For economy I'm probably going to make the switch to diesel and will probably go for the C5 1.6HDi VTR+.

I've seen a 57 plate C5 that I like, with all the extras, at a price I can afford but it's only done 1500 miles - are there any potential pitfalls? It's from a main dealer so would get a year warranty from Citroen but, like all warranties, doesn't cover brakes and so forth.

The dealer said that it had been bought by Citroen to be used for the launch of the C5 but I can't figure out where it has been since then and now - obviously on the road, but not much!

Any tips as I've only ever bought new before so what could be wrong with this car because of the low mileage? Don't want to waste my time as it'd be a 1200 mile round trip to get it!

darich

Does the dealership have a chain and would they be able to move it one closer to you for viewing/purchase?
Arnold Clark and Douglas Park both move cars for customers - might make it more feasible.

lemon26

Hi darich, the garage is in a chain but only in the south east of england - the way Citroen approved works is if I went to my local Citroen dealer they'd have to buy it from the selling garage and then sell it to me - adding their cut to the price too. I don't mind fetching it - for all the extras and low mileage it'd be worth the petrol down and diesel back up.

I'd be buying it blind, I've looked at pictures on the internet and the garage have said that it's immaculate - just curious if only doing 1500 miles since Oct 07 is a cause for concern?

EDIT: Just been looking on the DVLA vehicle check at this car and it says that it was first registered on 18 Oct 07 but then goes on to say that date of first registration with DVLA was 29 Oct 09 - what on earth does this mean? The car is a UK model and not an import I've been told.

Ian_W

lemon26 wrote: »

EDIT: Just been looking on the DVLA vehicle check at this car and it says that it was first registered on 18 Oct 07 but then goes on to say that date of first registration with DVLA was 29 Oct 09 - what on earth does this mean? The car is a UK model and not an import I've been told.

A few years ago a dealer around us used to sell 2-3yr old ex-Channel Island hire cars with low mileages (openly advertised as this), downside - lots of different drivers who probably didn't give too much of a !!!!!! about their driving style and close proximity to lovely salty sea air.
I'd ring the garage again and find out where it was, what it was doing for the 2yrs prior to DVLA first registration. If they don't have a good explanation, walk away - or at least - don't drive south!

DistortedVision

Surprisingly, very low mileage is more often than not a bad thing.

Its spent all is life stop starting and cold runs, that no way to run an engine in properly.

Its also spent time sitting around staying damp underneath and not having and time drying on the road so components start rusting prematurely underneath the car.

A very experienced mechanic once told me that he's seen loads of cars with very low mileage for the ages and most of the time these cars are in worse condition than a car thats done normal mileage and has been serviced regularly.

Shimrod

I bought a car in a similar situation - three years old - had done 38,000 miles, but had only done 100 miles in the last 12 months before I bought it. The dealer had taken it in part exchange, and as it was the current model it had spent 12 months in the showroom as the model people look at, prod and poke. Yours could have been used for the same purpose. I've had no problems with my car - both interior and exterior were spotless. I'm not so sure I would buy the car unseen though.

lemon26

Hi gents, the garage said yesterday that it had been used by Citroen when the new C5 was launched - sounds like it was used at shows and showrooms for people to look at etc. I will call them back later to attempt clarify.

Maybe what the DVLA are saying is that it has been driven since Oct 09 and static before that? I wouldn't know where to find that information out though.

DCFC79

lemon26 wrote: »

Hi gents, the garage said yesterday that it had been used by Citroen when the new C5 was launched - sounds like it was used at shows and showrooms for people to look at etc. I will call them back later to attempt clarify.

Maybe what the DVLA are saying is that it has been driven since Oct 09 and static before that? I wouldn't know where to find that information out though.

maybe it was used as a demo

harveybobbles

If the DOR is in 09 then it could be imported from Southern Ireland or somewhere not classed as mainland UK.

lemon26

I've just got off the phone to the dealer and their HPI check shows the car as having been a UK car all it's life, used by Citroen UK for motorshows etc promoting the launch of the C5. Then, in 2009 it was registered for road use, gaining the 57 plate.

Think that makes sense!

harveybobbles

If it was reg'd in 2009 then it would have a 2009 number plate...?