Sold a misdescribed used car by a franchised dealer

Stubod

I fully understand the OP's concern, particularly if it's not that old.

For me the number of previous owners is something I would always ask, and I would simply not consider buying a (new'ish) car if it was advertised as having 4 previous owners for the reasons already stated. So if a car has been specifically advertised as "1 owner", and I found out it had 4 I would consider this a deliberate deception and I would want my money back.

jimjames

Bradden said:

Marvel1 said:

Keep_pedalling said:

What difference does it matter if it was owned 1 previous owner or 3? It won’t effect the value of the car.

Depending on age of car, too many owners in short space makes me think what is wrong with it.

Surely that's what a test drive is for though? From my experience it's the only real way to assess a car.. mileage, number of owners, service history etc are all factors to take into account but nothing beats a physical check.

Some faults are not easily visible or apparent on a test drive. Especially ones that could lead to a car being got rid of prematurely.

Grey_Critic

How many previous owners? - Really. You buy a car that shows one previous owner and it has 3 miles on the clock. Obviously registered by the dealer to make a target and get a bonus. You buy and for some reason reject - does not matter why - could be the wife decides she would like the LX model instead of the L (it has a vanity mirrow - so you do as told reject and buy the one the wife wants.

So now the car shows Two previous owners and 500 miles on the clock. Nothing wrong with the car but only a couple of months old - the next guy along now wonders what is wrong with the car.

In these days of people rejecting cars the number of prior owners is starting to become meaningless.

prowla

Car_54 said:

prowla said:

Are the previous owners customers or dealers?

There is no way of telling.
The V5C shows only 'number of previous keepers' (NB not owners). They no longer give names, for data protection.

Ah; I previously had a used car where the sales operation had registered it.

I think I also once had a new one which had been pre-registered by the dealership, so I was the 2nd owner when it rolled out onto the tarmac.