I've heard that some dealers manipulate the discount arrangements between Manufacturers and Hire companies to supply massivley discounted cars to the public, the only catch being you will end up being the 2nd owner of what is essentially a brand new car.

IE: they order the car and register it to Joe Bloggs Rent-a-car, on delivery to the dealer the car registration is then transfered to the actual buyer.

Hey presto, the dealer buys the car for peanuts, and sells it for quite a few more peanuts to a customer who is still getting a bargain compared to current list prices.

Probably not the casse in this instance but a possibility.

Edited 14 April, 201115 yr by AD07881

I've heard that some dealers manipulate the discount arrangements between Manufacturers and Hire companies to supply massivley discounted cars to the public, the only catch being you will end up being the 2nd owner of what is essentially a brand new car.

IE: they order the car and register it to Joe Bloggs Rent-a-car, on delivery to the dealer the car registration is then transfered to the actual buyer.

Hey presto, the dealer buys the car for peanuts, and sells it for quite a few more peanuts to a customer who is still getting a bargain compared to current list prices.

Probably not the casse in this instance but a possibility.

Till I have finished any further discussion's with the stealer I have kept details brief but certainly not a bargin in view of the fact it was a hire/ lease car.

Surely most of these cars <1 year old will have no service history and as you said the V5 won't necessarily tell the whole story.

Furthermore by the time the V5 is in sight you've probably already paid for the car and certainly paid a deposit.

I take your point though - where else would nearly new cars come from?

But the unwary are being misled a little by the dealers terminology I think.

It will amaze you how many times a car that is less than 1 year old has been in to a dealer for warranty work / recalls / accident damage etc.

The dealer should have the V5 - if they can't produce it then leave a deposit and tell them you won't pick car up until you have seen the V5. It is illegal for a dealer to sell a car if they don't have a V5 (I think).

The dealer probably DID get the car from Skoda UK, they will have a field full of them for dealers to call off - this is how Vauxhall used to operate with Network Q cars - punter walks in and asks if you have a Corsa VXR in red, dealer searches the Vauxhall stock and can get one in direct from Vauxhall without having much of a clue about the history, just a condition description and photos to go on.

It will amaze you how many times a car that is less than 1 year old has been in to a dealer for warranty work / recalls / accident damage etc.

The dealer should have the V5 - if they can't produce it then leave a deposit and tell them you won't pick car up until you have seen the V5. It is illegal for a dealer to sell a car if they don't have a V5 (I think).

The dealer probably DID get the car from Skoda UK, they will have a field full of them for dealers to call off - this is how Vauxhall used to operate with Network Q cars - punter walks in and asks if you have a Corsa VXR in red, dealer searches the Vauxhall stock and can get one in direct from Vauxhall without having much of a clue about the history, just a condition description and photos to go on.

No guarantee accident damage has been repaired by Skoda and recorded on their system of course but I take your point that its worth asking for the info.

It is perfectly legal to sell a car privately without a V5. It does not prove title. Not sure if dealers are covered by different law, but I think the point is when you approach the dealer to get the car he does not have it.

You seem to be contradicting your earlier point a bit in your final para...when the dealer gets you this VXR he has no clue about its history? So at what point does he gain access to the recall/service/repair info that we should all be asking for?

Its pretty clear that the dealers could be more honest and open about where nearly new cars are sourced from. Its no real surprise to me that they're not.

Punters need understand that "from Skoda UK" means in this context: "Ex fleet return, quite probably ex daily hire" and not to listen to any sales blarney that indicates otherwise and is easily denied later.

Edited 15 April, 201115 yr by juan27

Hi Mellyboy

it happened to me (full story here and other examples here) It happens all the time. That does not make it right or acceptable, however ultimately my Alfa was no more trouble over the 75000 miles and 3 years that i had it and used it for business miles. Being owned by Mr Hertz - the well known German business man - never affected my resale.

All in all it never changed the car, however i was furious at being lied to before i purchased it.

To conclude, if you are happy with the car and feel it is a 'goodun' then enjoy the car and give the garage no further business and let everyone who is likely to visit know the customer care you have had.

DK

Hi Mellyboy

it happened to me (full story here

give the garage no further business and let everyone who is likely to visit know the customer care you have had.

DK

I looked at a 1 year old 159 at Meridian and decided against it because it had less paint on its bonnet than my 5 year old Volvo. I wonder....

Edited 15 April, 201115 yr by juan27

You seem to be contradicting your earlier point a bit in your final para...when the dealer gets you this VXR he has no clue about its history? So at what point does he gain access to the recall/service/repair info that we should all be asking for?

Not contradicting at all. What I meant is they don't necessarily know if it has been a hire car, lease car etc. They can always get access to main dealer history, but won't bother unless someone asks.

Positive and negative points with buying any kind of car, dealer, ex-rental, ex-fleet, private etc etc etc could go on! I bought a 6 month old Vectra a few years ago, very well specc'd and a great price, went and checked the car when it arrived at the dealer, went round the car, checkedfor dents, scratches, scuffs etc everything that I found was repaired, repainted etc with no fuss, and overall was extremely pleased with the car, couldnt complain, if anyone keeps there wits about them when buying cars if they think a 6 month old car with 10-12k on it is anything but ex-rental, ex-management etc then they are sadly dilluded! Just do the background work, keep your eyes open and you will be happy as there are some good buys out there, nothing cheap car wise, just sensible buys!

Positive and negative points with buying any kind of car, dealer, ex-rental, ex-fleet, private etc etc etc could go on! I bought a 6 month old Vectra a few years ago, very well specc'd and a great price, went and checked the car when it arrived at the dealer, went round the car, checkedfor dents, scratches, scuffs etc everything that I found was repaired, repainted etc with no fuss, and overall was extremely pleased with the car, couldnt complain, if anyone keeps there wits about them when buying cars if they think a 6 month old car with 10-12k on it is anything but ex-rental, ex-management etc then they are sadly dilluded! Just do the background work, keep your eyes open and you will be happy as there are some good buys out there, nothing cheap car wise, just sensible buys!

Exactly the way to do it - inspect the car, look at all the paperwork and history and get a AA or RAC check done if you aren't mechanically minded.

Remember, a dealer is out to make a profit. Every penny they spend on a car is a penny out of their pocket. I am not saying they will cut corners, but some things that aren't right will not be fixed out of the dealers pocket. They will let you collect the car then claim it back a week later as warranty work. Probably more true on older cars than ones under manufacturers warranty.

Every day a dealer has a car in stock it costs them money (1% per month plus depreciation) so the name of the game is to get them prepped, on the forecourt and sold as quickly as possible. The longer they spend preparing a car the more it costs them in the cost of capital and depreciation.

I don't think the dealer has deliberately misled or deceived you, this is how the game works. The dealer will have got the car from Skoda UK, and that is what they told you. What you always need to ask is has this car been a taxi/rental/loaner/driving instructor/fleet/lease/demo car, not where it came from.

At the end of the day, there will be absolutely mint ex-rentals and fleet cars, and ones you wouldn't touch with a barge pole. The same applies to privately owned vehicles.

What is more important is if you didn't know what it was used for for 8 months does the condition, paperwork and price stack up????

Exactly the way to do it - inspect the car, look at all the paperwork and history and get a AA or RAC check done if you aren't mechanically minded.

Remember, a dealer is out to make a profit. Every penny they spend on a car is a penny out of their pocket. I am not saying they will cut corners, but some things that aren't right will not be fixed out of the dealers pocket. They will let you collect the car then claim it back a week later as warranty work. Probably more true on older cars than ones under manufacturers warranty.

Every day a dealer has a car in stock it costs them money (1% per month plus depreciation) so the name of the game is to get them prepped, on the forecourt and sold as quickly as possible. The longer they spend preparing a car the more it costs them in the cost of capital and depreciation.

I don't think the dealer has deliberately misled or deceived you, this is how the game works. The dealer will have got the car from Skoda UK, and that is what they told you. What you always need to ask is has this car been a taxi/rental/loaner/driving instructor/fleet/lease/demo car, not where it came from.

At the end of the day, there will be absolutely mint ex-rentals and fleet cars, and ones you wouldn't touch with a barge pole. The same applies to privately owned vehicles.

What is more important is if you didn't know what it was used for for 8 months does the condition, paperwork and price stack up????

I WILL SAY AGAIN WHY NOT TELL THE CUSTOMER THE TRUTH WITH REGARD TO THEIR NEARLY NEW CARS, THE STEALER TOLD ME THE CARS WERE FROM SKODA UK AND WOULD HAVE BEEN USED BY THEIR STAFF, RANG SKODA UK AND WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT INDIVIDUAL SKODA UK CARS WOULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR, IF THIS HOW THE GAME WORKS I THINK THE RULES SHOULD BE CHANGED.CONSUMER DIRECT HAVE INFORMED ME THEY WILL BE VISTING THE STEALER WITH REGARD TO THIS MATTER ,MAYBE THEY HAVE NOT PLAYED THE GAME BY THE RULES. IF TRUSTING THE DEALER IS A CRIME THEN I AM GUILTY.

I WILL SAY AGAIN WHY NOT TELL THE CUSTOMER THE TRUTH WITH REGARD TO THEIR NEARLY NEW CARS, THE STEALER TOLD ME THE CARS WERE FROM SKODA UK AND WOULD HAVE BEEN USED BY THEIR STAFF, RANG SKODA UK AND WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT INDIVIDUAL SKODA UK CARS WOULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR, IF THIS HOW THE GAME WORKS I THINK THE RULES SHOULD BE CHANGED.CONSUMER DIRECT HAVE INFORMED ME THEY WILL BE VISTING THE STEALER WITH REGARD TO THIS MATTER ,MAYBE THEY HAVE NOT PLAYED THE GAME BY THE RULES. IF TRUSTING THE DEALER IS A CRIME THEN I AM GUILTY.

Firstly, stop shouting. I understand this is upsetting you but don't take it out on me. I am offering you an insight in to how the motor trade works.

Secondly, this is the FIRST TIME in this entire thread that you have mentioned that the dealer "TOLD ME THE CARS WERE FROM SKODA UK AND WOULD HAVE BEEN USED BY THEIR STAFF"

That unfortunately is likely to be a lie and changes the picture very much. Did you get that statement in writing? If not, it is your word against the dealers.

Thirdly, the fact that you insist on repeatedly calling the dealer "STEALERS" shows that you already had/have a preconception. If you thought you were buying a car from an disreputable source, what do you expect?????

To me, the answer is simple. You are not happy with the car for whatever reason - condition, lack of preparation, loss of faith in the dealer, history of the vehicle etc. Take it back, ask for a full refund as you feel that you have been misled at the point of sale and that you are reporting them to Trading Standards, Watchdog, Honest John, Local Papers, Skoda UK etc. for their distinctly dubious selling practice of misinforming customers as to the history of the vehicle.

I feel that no matter what the dealer is willing to offer you in the way of compensation it will not compensate you, and you will be left with a sour feeling about this car whilst you still own it.

Go find another one you are happy with from a reputable source, plenty of people can recommend dealers on here, do your homework before your heart leads your head, and get a car you are 100% happy with.

See all the paperwork and ask for printouts of every time it has been near a dealer, look in to the history, ring the previous owner, get an AA check, whatever will help put your mind at ease.

As I said in one of my earlier posts, buying a car is the second largest purchase most people make in their lives, plus there is a lot of emotion involved for some people. To others it is just a means to get from A to B. The fact that you are posting on here shows there is an emotional element to your car purchase as you obviously have an interest.

Caveat Emptor!

Firstly, stop shouting. I understand this is upsetting you but don't take it out on me. I am offering you an insight in to how the motor trade works.

Secondly, this is the FIRST TIME in this entire thread that you have mentioned that the dealer "TOLD ME THE CARS WERE FROM SKODA UK AND WOULD HAVE BEEN USED BY THEIR STAFF"

That unfortunately is likely to be a lie and changes the picture very much. Did you get that statement in writing? If not, it is your word against the dealers.

Thirdly, the fact that you insist on repeatedly calling the dealer "STEALERS" shows that you already had/have a preconception. If you thought you were buying a car from an disreputable source, what do you expect?????

To me, the answer is simple. You are not happy with the car for whatever reason - condition, lack of preparation, loss of faith in the dealer, history of the vehicle etc. Take it back, ask for a full refund as you feel that you have been misled at the point of sale and that you are reporting them to Trading Standards, Watchdog, Honest John, Local Papers, Skoda UK etc. for their distinctly dubious selling practice of misinforming customers as to the history of the vehicle.

I feel that no matter what the dealer is willing to offer you in the way of compensation it will not compensate you, and you will be left with a sour feeling about this car whilst you still own it.

Go find another one you are happy with from a reputable source, plenty of people can recommend dealers on here, do your homework before your heart leads your head, and get a car you are 100% happy with.

See all the paperwork and ask for printouts of every time it has been near a dealer, look in to the history, ring the previous owner, get an AA check, whatever will help put your mind at ease.

As I said in one of my earlier posts, buying a car is the second largest purchase most people make in their lives, plus there is a lot of emotion involved for some people. To others it is just a means to get from A to B. The fact that you are posting on here shows there is an emotional element to your car purchase as you obviously have an interest.

Caveat Emptor!

sorry for shouting, The Dealer who supplied the car is a very good dealer, My car was serviced their today ,I had complete trust in the people I was dealing with,so yes there is emotional element when you feel that trust has been betrayed, when I had six faults with the car I dealt with this in a slightly annoyed but friendly way, When discussing these problems at the dealers the whole discussion seem to centre around the car came from Skoda UK , i agreed on a reduced price service as a goodwill gesture and was quite happy with that. When I checked the V5 and found the keeper was a ex hire car company I was bloody angry as i felt when i had a clear the air meeting with the dealer that the true history of the car should have been revealed, If i have wanted a ex hire car I would have gone to a local dealer who is totally up front that his cars are ex hire cars and bought a nearly new car for several thousand pound cheaper. I did ask in my first posting if iam over reacting to this situation,I would welcome your views ,Cheers MB

sorry for shouting, The Dealer who supplied the car is a very good dealer, My car was serviced their today ,I had complete trust in the people I was dealing with,so yes there is emotional element when you feel that trust has been betrayed, when I had six faults with the car I dealt with this in a slightly annoyed but friendly way, When discussing these problems at the dealers the whole discussion seem to centre around the car came from Skoda UK , i agreed on a reduced price service as a goodwill gesture and was quite happy with that. When I checked the V5 and found the keeper was a ex hire car company I was bloody angry as i felt when i had a clear the air meeting with the dealer that the true history of the car should have been revealed, If i have wanted a ex hire car I would have gone to a local dealer who is totally up front that his cars are ex hire cars and bought a nearly new car for several thousand pound cheaper. I did ask in my first posting if iam over reacting to this situation,I would welcome your views ,Cheers MB

What outcome are you looking for?

I would guess you've paid about 5k less than the list price of a new car and now the six faults have been sorted the car is to your satisfation. The issue is now that the dealer has been 'economic with the truth' regarding the cars history.

Buying a used car from a Skoda dealer should give you full backup and a 30 day / 1000 mile exchange offer. As others have said the vast majority of nearly new cars from any manufacture have arrived on the forecourt through this method. If the V5 stated the previous owner as Skoda UK you would still have no idea how the car had been treated.

Ignore the fact it was probably a rental for now.

Are you happy with the mechanical and physical condition of the car?

Did you pay a reasonable price comparable to other cars on the market at the time?

My car has had 2 previous owners, one private for 3 years and was a lease/rental/god knows what for the first two years of its life.

So, I bought a 5 year old Octy with 115K on the clock from a main dealer, knowing it was likely to have been a lease car for the first two years.

Am I happy with it - yes.

Has it had problems - yes, but the dealer sorted them, that is why I bought from a main dealer and paid slightly more than a private sale.

It doesn't detract from driving experience that it was originally a lease car. A high proportion of medium/large family cars will have been lease etc vehicles as new, as private buyers don't want to stand the depreciation on a 30K motor from new. It is different on 10K small hatchbacks, the majority of these will have been bought privately from new. When you get to £60K+ motors, they are also mostly private from new.

I understand why it is upsetting as you feel they have been economical with the truth, but what do you want out of this? If you are happy with the car are you just after a gesture of good will? If so, you have already accepted a discounted service so may struggle to get much more out of them.

I think you have two choices - if you are not happy with the car just hand it back and ask for your money back and start again, or hold out for some compensation/gesture of good will if you are happy with the car.

If the salesman told you it was a car that would have been driven by Skoda employees then he lied to you. Take this up with the dealer principal and demand a further gesture of good will.

In 3 years time when you come to sell the car it won't make any difference as to who the 1st owner was price wise and desirability wise, it will be more about how you have looked after the car and its current condition and mileage.

I know you have a bad taste in your mouth and have had a bad experience, but if you like the car try and put it behind you and start enjoying the car.

Ignore the fact it was probably a rental for now.

Are you happy with the mechanical and physical condition of the car?

Did you pay a reasonable price comparable to other cars on the market at the time?

My car has had 2 previous owners, one private for 3 years and was a lease/rental/god knows what for the first two years of its life.

So, I bought a 5 year old Octy with 115K on the clock from a main dealer, knowing it was likely to have been a lease car for the first two years.

Am I happy with it - yes.

Has it had problems - yes, but the dealer sorted them, that is why I bought from a main dealer and paid slightly more than a private sale.

It doesn't detract from driving experience that it was originally a lease car. A high proportion of medium/large family cars will have been lease etc vehicles as new, as private buyers don't want to stand the depreciation on a 30K motor from new. It is different on 10K small hatchbacks, the majority of these will have been bought privately from new. When you get to £60K+ motors, they are also mostly private from new.

I understand why it is upsetting as you feel they have been economical with the truth, but what do you want out of this? If you are happy with the car are you just after a gesture of good will? If so, you have already accepted a discounted service so may struggle to get much more out of them.

I think you have two choices - if you are not happy with the car just hand it back and ask for your money back and start again, or hold out for some compensation/gesture of good will if you are happy with the car.

If the salesman told you it was a car that would have been driven by Skoda employees then he lied to you. Take this up with the dealer principal and demand a further gesture of good will.

In 3 years time when you come to sell the car it won't make any difference as to who the 1st owner was price wise and desirability wise, it will be more about how you have looked after the car and its current condition and mileage.

I know you have a bad taste in your mouth and have had a bad experience, but if you like the car try and put it behind you and start enjoying the car.

Yes time to move to on, SHMBO likes the car , pulled the caravan excellently, which was the reason I changed it. Have to have a CIT scan on Tues possibility my prostrate cancer is active again, now that will give something else to think about, been a interesting discussion and I have learnt a lot with regard to how the used car market works. Thank to all for all the information, Cheers MB

Ignore the fact it was probably a rental for now.

Are you happy with the mechanical and physical condition of the car?

Physical condition is one thing, we can all check for dents and scratches.

Mechanical condition is another, a 1 year / 15,000 mile car, even one that has had a hard life will still drive like new.

It's not until the car is out of warranty that the repeated red lining from cold and varying driving abilities from 100+ different drivers will rear its ugly head.

The fact of the matter remains, ex-rental cars are less desirable and this should be reflected in their screen price.

True, the question of why such a young / low mileage car is on a dealers forecourt should automatically alert a potential buyer to its origins, but not all of us think the same, hence for the delaer / Skoda to be honest from the beginning, V5 availability or not, would mean this thread wouldn't even exist.

Well, I got an excellent price for my old ex. rental when I bought the superb to replace it. Does not matter where the car is from at the end of the day, you have no way of knowing how a secondhand car was treated before buying so we all take a chance. Saying that, my old Octy was regularly driven all the way round to the rev limiter and as I said before never went wrong in 100K miles. The Octy vRS I had before that was bought new by me and had completed more than 70 laps of the Nurburgring before being sold with 54K miles on it at 5 years old. It lived a hard life but had one private owner.

You have no way of knowing how a secondhand car was treated before buying so we all take a chance.

Very true, I'd still like to know if a car I was about to buy is an ex-rental or not.

For me there is a second hand car with one or two previous private owners and the same car with 100+ drivers.

I've often thought, would I be better buying an older private car with higher mileage or a newer younger ex-rental / lease / management car.

As it happened I bought a 1 year old 8,000 mile Scout, the previous owner? Yep, Skoda UK. I have no idea who or how my car was driven for that 8,000 miles.

Like you say, sometimes you just have to take a chance.

Well, I got an excellent price for my old ex. rental when I bought the superb to replace it. Does not matter where the car is from at the end of the day, you have no way of knowing how a secondhand car was treated before buying so we all take a chance. Saying that, my old Octy was regularly driven all the way round to the rev limiter and as I said before never went wrong in 100K miles. The Octy vRS I had before that was bought new by me and had completed more than 70 laps of the Nurburgring before being sold with 54K miles on it at 5 years old. It lived a hard life but had one private owner.

Makes sence, but If you ask guys in the motor trade you will be told that ex hire cars should retail for much less than one owner ptivate cars, many are sold in closed auctions for very low prices.

Makes sence, but If you ask guys in the motor trade you will be told that ex hire cars should retail for much less than one owner ptivate cars, many are sold in closed auctions for very low prices.

And end up on forecourts at the same price as everything else!

Remember, some rentals go out on long term rentals so you never know how it has been used.

Good luck with the car and your scan, I would still pressure the dealer for more compo if I were you as you sound happy with the car but feel cheated.

I've recently acquired an 18 month old Skoda Octavia Elegance 2ltr TDI, with 13,500 miles on the clock, from a Seat dealer. It was a very good price and beautifully presented.

I was also offered what I considered a fair price for my pre FL Octavia Elegance so the whole deal was doable for me.

I had a nagging suspicion that the car was going to be ex-rental. But then my wife has rental cars for work and they are always delivered in very clean condition. The ex-rental Octavia I have bought also has a sticker on it saying it has been valeted by Motorclenz(?). Furthermore, I looked up Paragon's website as I spotted their name in the service book. They clearly prepare the cars very thoroughly.

With 18 months remaining on the warranty I decided to take the risk. The car drives very well and so far I have had no problems other than trying to arrange some mods I would like to have!

Might I add that I know of a couple of drivers locally who change the car every three years, one is female a lovery bubbly intelligent hard working girl, who never but never takes her foot off the clutch and is generally otherwise a poor driver, mostly due to lacking confidence, possibly due to being a late & reluctant learner.

So her car will at the very least be due a clutch.

I also know of an older male driver who cannot even establish if the car is low in oil or coolant?

My car whilst kept pigging dirty and looking neglected is still on the origional clutch and exhaust at 233,000 & counting.

So a second hand car is always a guessing game.

Cheers

M

Physical condition is one thing, we can all check for dents and scratches.

Mechanical condition is another, a 1 year / 15,000 mile car, even one that has had a hard life will still drive like new.

It's not until the car is out of warranty that the repeated red lining from cold and varying driving abilities from 100+ different drivers will rear its ugly head.

That argument fundamentally says "do not ever buy a used car".

If you consider all of the "could-have-beens" and stereotypes:

1. Never buy a used VRS cos its been thrashed to within an inch of its life on track days

2. Never buy from a middle aged bloke cos his teenage kids will have been on the insurance and they will have thrashed it to impress their mates.

3. Never buy one owned by a woman cos none of 'em ever check the oil

4. Don't buy one cos its been in a massive smash and had a botched repair

5. Don't buy one cos the previous owner only got rid of it cos he found a major fault

6. Don't buy one cos its been stolen and cloned

7. Never buy a diesel cos some idiot will have put petrol in it and damaged the pump and injectors

8. If my neighbour is anything to go by, never buy an ex-demo Mercedes cos its been redlined from cold every morning

etc etc etc

EVERY used car carries at least one of these risks but not everyone is able (or willing) to fork out for a new one so they have to balance the risks against the saving.

Until last year I never had a new car in 36 years of car ownership. My previous 3 were nearly new ex-rentals and they were all fantastic cars.

This idea that ex-rental cars are an especially risky buy is pretty much like saying that Skodas are unreliable, cr4ppy eastern european rust buckets. Times have changed - things have improved!

That argument fundamentally says "do not ever buy a used car".

And for some of us that makes us sleep better at night. I would rather buy a new Octavia 1.4 than a used VRS at the same price a few years old.

I bought a new VRS, but I guess I could have got a used Audi/BMW/Merc or even an old Boxster for the same money. I didn't even consider that option to be honest.

Of course each to their own etc.

EVERY used car carries at least one of these risks but not everyone is able (or willing) to fork out for a new one so they have to balance the risks against the saving.

Although even if you buy a new car, there's no guarantee that it's been built properly or won't develop a fault later in life as a result of material defect.