Picked up a Fabia vRS about a month ago - so far so good.

Very impressed with performance, comfort/handling balance, economy and value for money.

One question though: When i bought the car from a main dealer i specifically asked and was told it was a one private owner vehicle.

The V5 has recently come through and shows 2 former keepers. How much will this affect the value of the car and resale? Should i pursue this with the dealer?

Its an 04 20k miles

Cheers,

Rich

It sounds like it was a dealer registered car, check with the previous owner & ask him to clarify this, if it was it shouldn't affect any resale value.

Depends how the people looking to buy it feel - at face value, some people might say that 3 owners on such a new car is strange and walk away (what hidden problems has the car got, etc?). Others will understand it's a dealer pre-reg and know that it wasn't really owned.....

Chris

Depends how the people looking to buy it feel - at face value' date=' some people might say that 3 owners on such a new car is strange and walk away (what hidden problems has the car got, etc?). Others will understand it's a dealer pre-reg and know that it wasn't really owned.....

Chris[/quote']

Its the people who walk away that i'm worried about, as you say 3 owners on an 04 might frighten a few off.

The price i agreed to was for a one owner - bit annoyed really and dealer doesn't seem too interested.

at the end of the day if the car is pukka i doubt no one cares. if it looks and feels in good working order they aint gonna ask for money off cos it's had 2 owners. IMO

would people be bothered? IMO i doubt it.

But if the car has done the same amount of miles then it doesn't matter who drove it? 20k miles is 20k miles whoever drove it.IMO

Who cares if a car has hads 10 owners if it only has 20k or so miles on the clock. Atleast 15 people must of driven my car now at some stage, not including garages and the previous owner.

if there was 2 identical cars both excellent condition, 2 years old , 20k miles. 1 has 3 owners and the other 1 owner. which one would you buy if the same price?

my answer is any 1 of them. they are both identical in condition, age and mileage.

would the car come under more scrutiny than the one with 1 owner? (if you know what i mean?)

Who cares if a car has hads 10 owners if it only has 20k or so miles on the clock.

Because the likelihood is that those 10 owners have all wanted to get shot of it within approx 2k miles of motoring - ie. it's a lemon.

There is quite a difference between 10 and 2 though, more so than between 2 and 3 (which I suspect would be negligible, esp. if part-ex'ing).

Rob.

at the end of the day if the car is pukka i doubt no one cares. if it looks and feels in good working order they aint gonna ask for money off cos it's had 2 owners. IMO

would people be bothered? IMO i doubt it.

But if the car has done the same amount of miles then it doesn't matter who drove it? 20k miles is 20k miles whoever drove it.IMO

I disagree with that. 20k miles done by me, someone who really looks after their car, no expense spared, likes to go fast but is sensible and has a dedicated track car for the silly stuff

Or 10k miles done by salesmen, mechanics and anyone they feel like giving the car to, who give it a kicking everytime they drive it.

I kno which car I would buy

but you would know if the car has been driven into the ground or not! that would be taken into account of the condition of the car? like I said if the cars were in similar working and aesthetic condition you wouldnt be bothered surely?

what about 3 sensible caring drivers like yourself. If you were bothered that much about how many people owned the car before you then you would buy new. I think its worth the extra cost esp. FABIA VRS, or other hot hatches.

When are you thinking of selling? If a few years down line then won't make any differance. People, particularly dealers recognise that sporty models tend to change hands more often than run o the mill, due to higher insurance servicing etc, wouldn't worry too much, but press stealer for a free service quoting car misrepresented when sold etc, might save you a couple of hundred quid.

but you would know if the car has been driven into the ground or not! that would be taken into account of the condition of the car? like I said if the cars were in similar working and aesthetic condition you wouldnt be bothered surely?

what about 3 sensible caring drivers like yourself. If you were bothered that much about how many people owned the car before you then you would buy new. I think its worth the extra cost esp. FABIA VRS' date=' or other hot hatches.[/quote']

A lot of damage can be done in 10k miles and the overall condition of the car can be ok.

If I was looking at a car with 20k miles and it had 3 owners, I would instantly think there was something up with it. I'm a bit like that though.

It all depends who is buying it. I have a 10month old ibiza Cupra with 46k miles on the clock. I've owned it from new and I will quite easily say that its in every way as good as one with 4k miles on it. But if I were selling it, a buyer would disagree.

The other thing - why are you worrying about how it will affect its resale value if you have only just got it. You could get a refund, as the dealer has told you one thing and its not true.

Although it would seem like a lot of hassle to me. I would suggest, as above, you push for a free service or satnav or something

at the end of the day if the car is pukka i doubt no one cares. if it looks and feels in good working order they aint gonna ask for money off cos it's had 2 owners. IMO

I would care. How much confidence would you have in a car that the current owner had only covered a few thousand miles in? Why is he getting rid of it so soon? Did everyone who owned it get rid of it for the same reason?

There's a big difference between looking and feeling in good working order, and actually being so

Chris

I would care. How much confidence would you have in a car that the current owner had only covered a few thousand miles in? Why is he getting rid of it so soon? Did everyone who owned it get rid of it for the same reason?

There's a big difference between looking and feeling in good working order' date=' and actually being so

Chris[/quote']

BUY new if you care

I'm not looking to sell it, its a great car, there's nothing wrong with it (touch wood) and i'm really pleased i changed - just a bit annoyed that the dealer miss sold it to me.

Prior to buying the skoda i had a part ex value on my 306 from peugeot. At the time i wasn't sure on the number of owners, i was either number 3 or 4 - the peugeot dealer said they would take worst case and assume 4 when giving the valuation - Hence the number of owners must make a difference to the part ex value.

Just trying to quantify the amount

BUY new if you care

Why waste my money buying new, when I can buy a practically new car for 1000's less? :confused:

Chris

Well if the dealer told you the Vrs had one owner and you have found out it has in fact had 2 then you have been mis sold a car . I had this done to me by a Volkwagon main dealer who told me the car I bought was two owners and the V5 told me different it had three. I had words with a very friendly car dealer I know who told me to return the car as the money I paid was over book price for the amount of owners the car had. I took the car back and within a hour I had a full refund with a mountan of appoligies from the sales manager. But that was me If you like your car then so be it..

I was in a similar situation when I bought a 2nd hand Seat Ibiza, The dealer said it was a one owner car, when the V5 turned up after a couple of weeks, it had two previous keepers. The last one being ERAC. Did a search on the net. turns out ERAC was Enterprise rent a Car !!.

Well I plaid F**k up at my local Seat Dealer who sold it me, stating they had said it was a one owner ( straight from Seat ) car. I could have asked for my money back, and my trade in vehicle returned.

We struck a deal though, and the manager got the mechanic to take the Ronal 16inch alloys off his Cordobra 2.0L16v and fit them to my car.

How happy was I :-)

So go and kick some *** down that dealer.

It kept me sweet and I bought my next car from them too.

Why waste my money buying new' date=' when I can buy a practically new car for 1000's less? :confused:

Chris[/quote']

Only my opinion. Atleast you know where the car has been. I personally think that warm/hot hatches could be thrashed from day 0. I like to know where my car has been. :confused:

I doubt ill buy second hand again after my second new car, it would seem like a step backwards IMO(depending what car of course).... cant beat getting into a brand new one tho. Bottle that from the factory smell!

My Fabia Brand new is similar price to one with 10k on clock after 12mnths. Bargain. :rofl:

Only my opinion. Atleast you know where the car has been. I personally think that warm/hot hatches could be thrashed from day 0. I like to know where my car has been. :confused:

And how many people do you think have driven it (and thrashed it!) before it reaches you and the dealer resets the mileage?

You sure your car is worth the same as a one year old one with 10k on the clock? I think Mr McBunny may disagree with you

Chris

And how many people do you think have driven it (and thrashed it!) before it reaches you and the dealer resets the mileage?

You sure your car is worth the same as a one year old one with 10k on the clock? I think Mr McBunny may disagree with you

Chris

I beleive it to be correct, and cos you don't know what i payed i suppose you arn't in a position to say!:eek:

From when the car reaches the shores of England I know who has driven it, and I know it won't be thrashed. Which in a year old one you can't be so sure!.

it's not what you know it's who you know!

Peace of mind...... to me it is worth lots!

anyway.. i may have taken your comments wrong but.... put your dummy away.:P its only my opinion.

From when the car reaches the shores of England I know who has driven it' date=' and I know it won't be thrashed. Which in a year old one you can't be so sure!.

it's not what you know it's who you know![/quote']

Are you saying you get to pick who drives you car off the boat and onto the transporter, and also who unloads it at the dealership and drives it prior to delivery? How did you swing that?! :eek:

Rob.

Are you saying you get to pick who drives you car off the boat and onto the transporter, and also who unloads it at the dealership and drives it prior to delivery? How did you swing that?! :eek:

Don't forget who drives it from the factory onto the boat I've watched them moving cars around at Southampton docks as well as the guys climbing on the cars/running across the bonnets as the cars are so tightly parked together! A true eye-opener :eek:

Chris

I beleive it to be correct, and cos you don't know what i payed i suppose you arn't in a position to say!:eek:

A tad over 12k if my memory serves me correctly. I'd be surprised to find anyone who'd pay that for a 1 year old Fabia vRS with 10k miles on it, but maybe there are people out there who would. Would you?

Also advertised price and actual price seem to differ massively as well

Chris

End of the day it's owners not drivers.

Even if they had a mandatory declaration of number of drivers the car has had, you still don't know how each has driven it. So short of having a mandatory log of every driver and their style of driving that vehicle at that time, it don't matter one cotton-picking bit.

The only thing I'd read into them declaring one driver, is that they lied to you. If they lied about that, what else have they mislead you with? Personally, if you've had a look around it and its in good nick, for an 04 plate you shouldnt have any trouble. They have to guarantee it for 3+months (ish?) now anyway by law, so if you find a problem you can take it back anyway. Don't worry, go with the flow!