Alright guys, im waiting for confirmation that my MkI Octy VRS has been written off. I have started looking at a few older MkII VRS' due to finances all of them at the 2006/56 age.

 

One is a private sale, middle aged couple who look to have taken good care of it,and has sub 40,000 miles on it! immaculate inside and out and nice to drive when I took it for a test, albeit its the base VRS interior spec. Current owner has explained the low mileage (they have a diesel mini-van they use for everything) but that it does get a run out every few days on the nearby NSL A-Road and is garaged at night. They have also explained the reason for sale (no longer practical for elderly relative, not using it enough to justify keeping it).

 

HOWEVER they have virtually no service history/receipts for the car, there are the first two service stamps up to 2008, the current owner bought it thereafter and since has only put 15k miles on the car. He has seen fit to service it himself however only on the mileage intervals and not time. As such it he did an oil and filter service about 12 months ago and has a receipt for the ABS sensor repair, other than this there is no further paperwork/history whatsoever.

 

I have always gone for cars with low miles in the past - never bought a car with more than 45,000 on it and always been wary of anything with over 60,000miles on it however ive always had cars with history as well. Despite the immaculate condition I cant help but feel a little put off by the lack of history and documentation, and am wondering is 40,000 miles TOO low on a 9 year old car?

 

Just wondering what importance other people place on history, mileage, condition when looking at cars?

 

Cheers

This is the sort of car that I run a mile from.

 

A car that has only done around 2000 miles a year for the last 7 years, probably rarely got the engine fully up to operating temperature for any length of time.

Combine this with unknown service history, and latterly DIY servicing at lengthy intervals.

 

There are plenty around, walk away from this one, 

Choice is yours myself I would go on condition alone and anything else is a bonus.

 

I don't know why you would worry about any car with over 60,000 on the clock. Well apart from an RX8.

 

Most cars with big miles and only a few years old will have been looked after and can be a bargain.

Yep same here, on an older car, the seller is everything. A FSH doesn't really mean that much (given that a franchise dealer can put semi synthetic in your engine) once a car is older than 5 years. The potential problem might be oil consumption - the TFSI doesn't respond to pootling about, it needs to be thrashed within an inch of its cam belt. (or chain tensioner if more recent). A quick check with a skoda garage or SKUK will confirm if it's had all of the service recall work undertaken.

Edited 29 January, 201511 yr by stever750

History and condition over age and mikes for me. I'd rather a car with 80k and full service (genuine) history than one with 40k and huge gaps.

Currently Octavia has 170k on it, full service history, 90% from Unit 18. Perfect, hasn't cost me a penny aside from a set of brakes in a year and a half.

If it's a genuine car I wouldn't be too worried about the service history if the current owner is genuine and the car is in as good condition as you say. How long have they had it? You could always get it inspected if you're unsure by paying a local garage to check it over or use the RAC/AA etc. I'd have this rather than a high miler with a fsh. Each to their own I guess

My wife's 1.4mpi fabia mk1 is an 02' and only done 50k miles there's plenty out there

That sort of use will be hell on parts like the air con pump, exhaust, tyres, brakes etc.

The 10 mile trip up the bypass can be worse than not, creating condensation which sits in all the places it would be better it wasn't.

 

Mine was bought  as a ex leasing car at 60,000 mile. I've nearly doubled that with no problems.

I was shown the entire service history,  and it drove like a brand new car.  Apart from the drivers seat it probably was brand new.

 

One of the most durable cars I've owned did my 50 mile commute without complaint for a decade.  It was still willing to take me to Frankfurt 4 or 5 times a year - a 600+mile blatt at 80/90+, as quick and non stop as I could make it.

 

While many responders are maybe a little wary, none of us know, so it could be your best purchase ever. 

Good Luck.

I wouldnt dismiss this car,however the 1st thing i would do if i bought it is give it a full service & change the timing belt & water pump as it sounds like that hasnt been done,can i ask the price the seller is asking for it? it sounds like its been looked after ref keeping in a garage etc,it just needs a good service & it should be fine.Its had the abs pump repair,as for the air con issue even cars with full service history can have them fail. 

Personally in the past I looked for a full dealer service history and the overall condition of the car, then mileage last.

 

My line of thought is that I'd rather have a high mileage car that's been well looked after than a low mileage car that hasn't. As a company car driver I realise that a car like mine that spends most of its life on the motorway in top gear, with little brake, clutch, suspension or anything else wearing, but with a high mileage on it is better than a town or local car that's had lots of gear changes, clutch, brake, suspension wear etc, but on a low mileage. 

 

Yesterday for example as I rolled up on my drive way after work the days mileage read exactly 365 miles, but most of that was on the motorway. Compare that to 365 miles of town, country and local driving, which is quite different.

 

The highest mileage car I've personally purchased was one of my ex company car Passat's which had done 115k miles. Full VW service history, motorway miles etc. I kept it for another 100k on top of that, and at 215k it was still on the original battery, clutch, exhaust, suspension etc and everything still felt tight and a really good drive. Plus the book price for that mileage meant I saved a small fortune when I purchased it off the company.