HI all

 

I've been offered the following from my local Skoda dealer

April 2015 Octavia Estate DSG 1.6 TDI Elegance

Gun Metal Grey/Black Interior

34 000 Miles

£14 250.00 (Excluding £49.90 on road fee)

 

The dealer has confirmed its an ex-rental car.

 

I dont object in theory to it being an ex rental/hire car but It does seems a bit on the pricey side when the average mileage is approx 10/12k pa. 

 

Im new to this car buying lark, my last car came from my mum when she upgraded hers, and i find the high mileage is making me a bit nervous (plus the wife did want it in blue though im pretty sure she'll live with the disappointment). 

 

Apparently it does have a full service history and ive asked the dealer to let me have the details. I've also been told that the cam/timing belt is usually changed after 4 years of ownership rather than after a certain number of miles.

 

My question is would this set up make any, more experienced car buyers nervous? 

 

I suppose ultimately this is another version of the age old younger car/higher mileage Vs older car/lower mileage, with the extra ex-rental car issue thrown in for good measure

 

Many thanks

 

Dan

 

 

Hi Dan,

 

i think someone may be ripping you off there! £14K plus for an elegance sounds a bit high.

 

Try this! same spec except "silver" and no mention of it being a hirecar!

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201608257118412?search-target=usedcars&make=skoda&model=octavia&year-from=2014&fuel-type=diesel&minimum-badge-engine-size=1.6&maximum-badge-engine-size=1.6&transmission=manual&page=1&radius=1500&postcode=l238sb&sort=default&searchcontext=default&keywords=elegance&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&body-type=estate&logcode=p&adPos=6

 

 

But Id recommend something much more fun, for not much more.. like this!

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201608237051907?search-target=usedcars&make=skoda&model=octavia&year-from=2014&fuel-type=diesel&minimum-badge-engine-size=2.0&maximum-badge-engine-size=2.0&transmission=manual&page=1&postcode=l238sb&radius=1500&sort=default&keywords=VRS&searchcontext=default&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&body-type=estate&logcode=p&adPos=2

Over Priced, look on the Skoda Wed Site " Used Cars "  

 

Lookers Harrogate are doing the same spec car, less than 6k Miles for less money. Sorry it's a Hatch

 

http://www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=605772817

 

 

 

"" Other Dealers are Available ""

 

 

AG

Edited 6 September, 20169 yr by Auric Goldfinger

Sounds like a motorway cruiser to get that mileage so should be OK, also DSG cars can not be over abused as the S/W stops over revving and controls in gear revs. Ex lease is always an issue but a careful examination of the car, shut lines, tyre ware, does it drive straight, is the interior worn - if a motorway car then only the drivers seat should show any signs of wear.

 

Are the carpets as new - except the drivers, if the drivers is perfect then new mats may have been fitted.  Check the pedals for wear.

 

If the car is straight and clean and drives well and the service history is genuine - ensure it is serviced before delivery and check the price against others on sale and decide for yourself if the mileage is really an issue as this is a personal thing, the 1.6 TDI should be good for 200K if serviced regularly.

 

Your will still have the remainder of the original 3 year warranty for piece of mind and can always extend that through Skoda when it expires

 

 

Try this! same spec except "silver" and no mention of it being a hirecar!

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201608257118412?search-target=usedcars&make=skoda&model=octavia&year-from=2014&fuel-type=diesel&minimum-badge-engine-size=1.6&maximum-badge-engine-size=1.6&transmission=manual&page=1&radius=1500&postcode=l238sb&sort=default&searchcontext=default&keywords=elegance&onesearchad=new%2Cnearlynew%2Cused&body-type=estate&logcode=p&adPos=6

 

A 2015 Skoda with only a 6 month warranty?  What happened to the original Skoda 3 year warranty, which would still be valid until at least the very end of 2017 and most likely at least some way into 2018.

Thanks all, that's very useful stuff, particularly the hatch, less than 6k miles at £13,650. When i first spoke to the dealer he said that there wasnt any significant difference in price between a hatch and estate when buying second hand so it definitely seems overpriced. 

 

As Octavia5 said, assuming it looks ok and the service history checks out, i think i could live with the mileage, though they'd have to do move a fair way on the price.  Maybe to the £12,500 ish range. Although maybe that's asking a bit much.

 

Does their comment on the timing/cam belt sound right - changed every 4 years rather than on a mileage figure?

 

I also thought the 6 month warranty on the Autotrader one looks a bit odd.

cambelt is based on age and milage, i am not sure what it is on the octavia but usually its something like every 60k miles or 6 years old whichever comes first.

 

i really would not be put off by a car on 34k i certainly would not consider it a high milage car - the octavia is a fleet car suited perfectly to racking up high milage, that why you see so many of them used as taxis.

 

ex fleet / hire car can sometimes put people off but on the flip side think if it this way it will have maintained perfectly in line with guidelines and regardless of cost so its probably better maintained then some private sales.

 

that being said i would look to haggle on the price as it does look a little on the high side - i would certainly push for the 12.5k as you suggest they can only say no and its not like there us a shortage of them on the market if they do

Edited 6 September, 20169 yr by anthmcm

A new ones only £18k and with 0% finance.

If you spec down to the SE its even less.

SEL replaced Elegance by the way.

https://broadspeed.com/CarView/Skoda/Octavia/36202/TDI_1.6_110PS_Diesel_SE_L_Automatic_5_doors

If you do pursue this car I'd ask for clarity on its origins.

 

There is no way a hire car from any of the mainstream rental companies would let one of their cars get anywhere near 34,000 miles.

 

Mileage is carefully monitored and cars are almost always taken off fleet somewhere around the 10,000 mile mark, rarely more than 15,000 miles.

Very overpriced.

 

Are you buying on finance? It might actually be cheaper to get a new one on PCP or PCH!

Was planning on paying cash.

 

The broadspeed site is interesting, i hadn't come across that one before. Only had a brief look but it does seem considerably cheaper than Carwow (which is the only one id seen so far). i'll look around in more detail tonight. 

 

silver1011 - those were my thoughts as well, from some fairly brief internet research it does seem particularly high mileage for a hire/rental car

silver1011 - those were my thoughts as well, from some fairly brief internet research it does seem particularly high mileage for a hire/rental car

 

Having said that, Many moons ago I bought a Volvo S80 2.4 Auto from a Volvo Dealer. The car was loaded with extras and more, lovely car but it was very thirsty. The car was less than a year old when I bought it.

 

It was an Ex rental, rented by Virgin Airlines, they used the car to ferry 1st/Business Passengers to and from home to the Airport The car served Heathrow and Gatwick.  I bought it with 30.000 Plus miles on the clock and it was like new and ran like a dream. I ran it for 2 years and sold it for about £3k more than I paid for it.

 

There are bargains out there.............

Edited 6 September, 20169 yr by Auric Goldfinger

I guess the hire companies simply lease the cars direct from the manufacturers.

 

Mileage can vary on lease deals, they are easily tailored for different customer needs.

 

I used to drive for Avis and National and we were always told to monitor mileage closely, we even had stickers on the dashboard "Mileage not to exceed XX".

Had a bit more info in from the dealer. The car was with Enterprise and was set to a long life servicing (every 18,000) so has only had one service so far (standard routine lube, oil and filter change) 

 

Apparently as they are only acting as the middle man (buying it in from somewhere else) and just receiving a handling fee, there is no room to move on the price.

 

Well, based on the above, it doesnt feel like a great deal to me, particularly if they are not able to move on the price. 

If you lot are like me, you drive rentals like you stole them. For that reason, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole .

Over Priced, look on the Skoda Wed Site " Used Cars "  

 

Lookers Harrogate are doing the same spec car, less than 6k Miles for less money. Sorry it's a Hatch

 

http://www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=605772817

 

 

 

"" Other Dealers are Available ""

 

 

AG

That's the same place i got mine from.

Price and mileage are similar (i managed to haggle a bit more off).

Same model too. Only difference is the colour.

Edited 7 September, 20169 yr by AlleyCat`

If you lot are like me, you drive rentals like you stole them. For that reason, I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole .

Some people do, some don't.

My company cars always bent back in very good condition.

It still would show up as a fleet rental with the associated registration.

Over Priced, look on the Skoda Wed Site " Used Cars "  

 

Lookers Harrogate are doing the same spec car, less than 6k Miles for less money. Sorry it's a Hatch

 

http://www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=605772817

 

 

 

"" Other Dealers are Available ""

 

 

AG

 

 

That's the same place i got mine from.

Price and mileage are similar (i managed to haggle a bit more off).

Same model too. Only difference is the colour.

 

I can walk to Lookers/Benfield Skoda in about 10 minutes but unfortunately I have to go to Rainworths in Mansfield to buy my Skoda's

 

We have had several cars off Benfield, ( as it was then ) but there are just not Intrested anymore 

I can walk to Lookers/Benfield Skoda in about 10 minutes but unfortunately I have to go to Rainworths in Mansfield to buy my Skoda's

 

We have had several cars off Benfield, ( as it was then ) but there are just not Intrested anymore 

It was still Benfield when i got mine (just).

Oddly enough i had to deal with a guy in Newcastle to haggle the price down.

The gent in Harrogate was nice enough but seemed to have very little say in anything.

 

I was intending, originally, to buy from Rainworth but they were trying to lift my legs on my trade in and the numbers didn't work.

The dealer keeps saying that as they are only acting as the middleman, they cannot move at all on the price as they are only receiving a handling fee for the transaction. I then asked if i could speak to the person with the car and negotiate with them as then my dealer would still be receiving his handling fee, but of course their sources are not open to the public.

 

This doesnt sound right to me at all and he's probably trying it on.

 

I may need to look at other places, away from the authorised dealers if this is the way they all tend to operate.