Would you buy a 5 year old car with 3 previous owners?

Monkey_B

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007020772637?
Toyota Avensis Estate. It seems to tick all the boxes I need, but the fact it has three previous owners concerns me.

I subscribe to the "buy an old car, then run it until it dies" philosophy, so my hope is that a 5 year old Toyota would run for a relatively problem free 5 years at least.

Another option is this Hyundai i40. Only one previous owner with this one.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011085920967?

I'm not very knowledgeable about cars, so any thoughts/comments on either of these would be very welcome!

AdrianC

I don't see why it should be an issue.

Remember, it's RKs, not "owners".
Perhaps...
1st RK = dealer, pre-reg
2nd RK = 3yrs
3rd RK = 2yrs

Or maybe there was a transfer of keepers within a family? Or...?

For me, the bigger question mark is why that Avensis has been on sale since July. If you like the car, it's nothing to be concerned about - it may suggest they're willing to cut a good deal on it. Autotrader URLs include the date the ad went live - YYYYMMDD - so your ad is the 2nd July  - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007020772637

You may also want to trim those URLs to remove your home postcode from the search. Only the bit before the question mark is needed to identify the ad.

tacpot12

The Avensis dealer has been in business since 1988 so this suggests that the dealer is not a fly-by-night operator.
I agree that three RKs in five years sounds like one too many, but if the first RK was a dealer who pre-registered the car to meet their sales targets, there is less of an issue. Lots of people were in financial trouble in June/July so it may have been sold earlier than anticipated by the previous owner. Always worth being wary though. 

Grumpy_chap

Of the two, I'd go for the Hyundai.

JustAnotherSaver

Admittedly i haven't read the post, only the thread title because that's all i'd need to know tbh as the answer would just be no and then move on.

Just like when i see the term "sold as seen" in an advert. I think ... well at least they have the balls to tell you in a roundabout way they're going to con you, so i don't entertain it.

Just like when you see a car road side with a bit of paper in the window that ONLY says ... For Sale, telephone this number. No info on it, no idea of mileage, no price. Again, no matter how nice the car may look, i'll move on. Lazy advertising.

Each to their own.

cymruchris

Grumpy_chap said:

Of the two, I'd go for the Hyundai.

Of the two - I'd rather a Toyota (even if it wasn't the one listed here) - they feel better made with better quality of interior trim and finish. I drove a Hyundai from Enterprise rent a car - and found it very plasticky and cheap compared to any Japanese car I've ever driven. Ever. 

There's a similar spec and year 1 former keeper one here with similar mileage and cost:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Avensis-D-4D-ICON-BUSINESS-EDITION/133533574942?hash=item1f1738a71e:g:bjEAAOSwqphfeFp-

AdrianC

JustAnotherSaver said:

Admittedly i haven't read the post, only the thread title because that's all i'd need to know tbh as the answer would just be no and then move on.

You would automatically and totally rule out a 5yo, 3-keeper car, solely because of three keepers?

Even if it'd been pre-reg?
Even if they'd been family members who'd simply shuffled the keepership for some reason best known to themselves? Perhaps a bereavement?

Why?

NottinghamKnight

AdrianC said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

Admittedly i haven't read the post, only the thread title because that's all i'd need to know tbh as the answer would just be no and then move on.

You would automatically and totally rule out a 5yo, 3-keeper car, solely because of three keepers?

Even if it'd been pre-reg?
Even if they'd been family members who'd simply shuffled the keepership for some reason best known to themselves? Perhaps a bereavement?

Why?

It's surprising, I'd expect him to buy it, numerous issues arose and post continually on here about what was wrong, how they could get fixed, how it was very complicated etc etc

JustAnotherSaver

AdrianC said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

Admittedly i haven't read the post, only the thread title because that's all i'd need to know tbh as the answer would just be no and then move on.

You would automatically and totally rule out a 5yo, 3-keeper car, solely because of three keepers?

Even if it'd been pre-reg?
Even if they'd been family members who'd simply shuffled the keepership for some reason best known to themselves? Perhaps a bereavement?

Why?

You never quoted the most important part of my post though which actually answers your question. 

I also note NK's attempt at humour but they're still wrong. 

AdrianC

JustAnotherSaver said:

AdrianC said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

Admittedly i haven't read the post, only the thread title because that's all i'd need to know tbh as the answer would just be no and then move on.

You would automatically and totally rule out a 5yo, 3-keeper car, solely because of three keepers?

Even if it'd been pre-reg?
Even if they'd been family members who'd simply shuffled the keepership for some reason best known to themselves? Perhaps a bereavement?

Why?

You never quoted the most important part of my post though which actually answers your question. 

Except none of the rest did explain why.

Just like when i see the term "sold as seen" in an advert. I think ... well at least they have the balls to tell you in a roundabout way they're going to con you, so i don't entertain it.

Just like when you see a car road side with a bit of paper in the window that ONLY says ... For Sale, telephone this number. No info on it, no idea of mileage, no price. Again, no matter how nice the car may look, i'll move on. Lazy advertising.

...simply applies the same "I'd walk away instantly" attitude to several unrelated situations.

Which leaves...

Each to their own.

"Because I say so" wasn't an adequate explanation when I was at primary school, and it still isn't nearly half a century later.

forgotmyname

NottinghamKnight said:

It's surprising, I'd expect him to buy it, numerous issues arose and post continually on here about what was wrong, how they could get fixed, how it was very complicated etc etc

Are those the common faults that are easy to spot and just as easy to fix cheaply?

I would not buy a car from the Hyundai seller. "£149 Buyers Fee. If you are not paying a buyers fee at another dealer, question yourself as to the quality of the vehicle preparation and aftercare package"

I would question them as to why they need to add a Buyers Fee and why is it not included in the screen price.