how many previously driven miles is reasonable on a new car? | FerrariChat

how many previously driven miles is reasonable on a new car?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by scycle2020, Mar 30, 2005.

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  1. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,477
    potomac
    i have often wondered about this when buying a new car or a when with a friend buying a new car- how many miles should the "new" car have on it...at what point do you say this is too many miles, i dont want this car? especially with sports car, where people tend to drive hard during test drives, this could be an issue...20-50miles is ok...but what about 100? 200? in a camary, this would not be an issue...but what about every day sports cars like vettes, porsches, s2000s,vipers, m3, z4, etc? your thoughts..
     
  2. robgct

    robgct Karting

    May 1, 2004
    172
    Full Name:
    rob
  3. rob

    rob F1 Rookie

    May 22, 2002
    4,130
    Vt
    When I ordered my S2000 I told the dealer and got it in writing that if the car had more than 11 miles on it upon delivery that I reserved the right to refuse the car and receive my deposit back. I did this as I didn't want to end up with a car that they got on a swap that had some test drive miles on it.
    I previously worked at a car dealer checking new cars in and most came off the truck with 3 or 4 miles on them. The most I ever saw on a car fresh off the truck was 10 and the least was 1 mile.
     
  4. triXXXter

    triXXXter Formula Junior

    Nov 11, 2003
    652
    Ft. Worth TX
    Full Name:
    Steven G. Ogden
    This is a good question. I wondered this looking for a new S2000. 11 sounds about right. Less chance of those being real hard miles.
     
  5. TigerAce

    TigerAce Formula 3

    May 29, 2003
    1,793
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Yoshi Ace
    I haven't paid much attention on cars I buy for original mileage. I guess I should.

    Cars w/ very few mileage (less than 20 miles?) could break down next day as no kinks are realized by dealers. If the car is a lemon, it is usually discovered w/in 200 miles according to a friend, who's Honda engineer.

    Cars w/ too much mileage (more than 500 miles?) could went through too many drivers. But is that really affect the car? Sales person usually ride along, so it shouldn't be driven recklessly, right?

    I wonder is there any restriction for dealers to sell car as a new based on mileage?
     
  6. scycle2020

    scycle2020 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2004
    3,477
    potomac
    ..great point, i never though of that but potential faults maybe found with a few extra miles on it...also it has a chance for rattles to show up...
     
  7. Teenferrarifan

    Teenferrarifan F1 Rookie

    Feb 21, 2003
    3,098
    Media, PA
    Full Name:
    Erik
    In PA after the Car has 500 miles on it it has to be sold with a federal buyers guide. Its like saying it is a used car. If you ever see a sticker in a new car that says warranty yes or no and says what the warranty is it means the car is either used or a "new" demo. 500miles makes it a demo in PA. I have seen cars with as low as 1 mile as well but for chevs the usual is around 4.
    Erik
     
  8. scott61

    scott61 F1 Rookie

    Feb 11, 2004
    2,606
    North of Boston
    Out of the couple dozen new cars I bought over the years the lowest was 1 mile, most was 21 on delivery. When I picked up my Maserati it had about 100 miles on it which I was told is their norm. Read that after car is completed it is driven around Modena then when it gets here they drive it around a track for more testing
     
  9. Artherd

    Artherd F1 Veteran

    Jun 19, 2002
    6,588
    Bay Area, CA
    Full Name:
    Ben Cannon
    GHASP, you mean, someone may have driven my SPORTS CAR, which was designed to be driven hard fast and wet, kinda hard for a day before I get to drive it really hard?! HOLEY CRAP!!!

    Short of putting it in second at 110mph, what could they do exactly on a modern vehicle with a rev limiter?
     
  10. MarkPDX

    MarkPDX F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Apr 21, 2003
    15,111
    Gulf Coast
    When I was shopping around and looking at new Vettes most of them were had ~4 miles on the clock.
     
  11. smg2

    smg2 F1 World Champ
    Sponsor

    Apr 1, 2004
    15,476
    Dumpster Fire #31
    Full Name:
    SMG
    the least i have ever had on a new car was 3/10ths of a mile. right off the truck to me at the dealer, no prep i did it myself. the most was a "demo" at 5k.
     
  12. 911Fan

    911Fan Formula 3

    Apr 15, 2004
    1,294
    Southern California
    Every Ferrari arrives with at least 60-70 miles on it. That's the length of the test drive before the car is shipped. However, if any problems are discovered during the test drive, they get fixed and then another 60-70 mile test drive follows. So the cars have some multiple of 60-70 miles, depending on how many fix-it cycles they've gone through.

    If you wind up with a 200 miler, it's probably going to be a lemon!
     
  13. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Full Name:
    Neil
    100,000 miles? Geeze I would at least ask for a full tank of gas with the car, maybe even new brakes ans a tune up!
     
  14. 62 250 GTO

    62 250 GTO F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
    7,765
    Nova Scotia Canada
    Full Name:
    Neil
    I've gone on test drives alone. I drive it like I would if someone came along. Fast, rough and sideways.
     
  15. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    Technically speaking.....the manufacturer's that I have worked for (Mercedes...Porsche) state that if the vehicle has 200 kms accrued on the odometer that it must be registered and classified henceforth as a used car.

    Most of the cars I have seen arrive from the manufacturer have between 50-75 kms on the clock. Then again......the manufacturer puts in odometers with 999,XXX kms showing so they can drive the car and then sell it to you with "delivery" mileage once it rolls over the zeros......bet yah didn't know that little tidbit. Seen it first hand.

    But I do agree with Artherd on this one........and will only state that what's acceptable is directly linked to the bottom line on the bill of sale.
     
  16. robert biscan

    robert biscan F1 Veteran

    Jan 17, 2003
    5,066
    Nashville and Palm b
    Full Name:
    robert s biscan
    I was offered a new expedition the first year they came out. Only dealers had cars then and the car had 600 miles on it and I said no way. When I buy a new car I want to have Min mileage. I bought 3 F cars new and they had under 100 miles . I bought a Corvette new with 3 miles on it. New means not a demo in my opinion. New car dealers should have demo cars for miles to pile up and not use new cars.
     
  17. cobramadness

    cobramadness Karting

    Feb 27, 2005
    104
    GA
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    I know cars are different, but when I bought my 03 GSXR 600, I took it off the lot with 0 miles on the clock.
     

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