car buying advice, Does this look right?

[Greyspoiler]

First off i don't know if i've posted this in the right section, but here goes anyway.

I am currently looking to buy a Seat Ibiza and have just come across one on autotrader here: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...w&make=SEAT&sort=relevance&radius=1500&page=1

The only problem is the mileage is quite worrying, the seller has described it as:
"ITS ONLY DONE AN IMAZEING 3800 MILES WITH SERVICE HISTORY TO BACK IT UP."

When they say "BACK IT UP" with service history i am still struggling to see how a car of this age, 2009 could have only done 3800 miles - seems odd?

Should i walk away or ask them for "Proof"

 

[hilly81]

First off i don't know if i've posted this in the right section, but here goes anyway.

I am currently looking to buy a Seat Ibiza and have just come across one on autotrader here: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201910012818025?price-from=4000&advertising-location=at_cars&model=IBIZA&postcode=s253pj&maximum-mileage=30000&year-to=2013&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&make=SEAT&sort=relevance&radius=1500&page=1

The only problem is the mileage is quite worrying, the seller has described it as:
"ITS ONLY DONE AN IMAZEING 3800 MILES WITH SERVICE HISTORY TO BACK IT UP."

When they say "BACK IT UP" with service history i am still struggling to see how a car of this age, 2009 could have only done 3800 miles - seems odd?

Should i walk away or ask them for "Proof"

The online MOT history ties in with what they have put on the advert. You could always contact the garage in the letter they have a photo of about the millage and ask a few questions. There looks to be plenty of history there.

 

[Legojon]

You can check here: https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

But this looks dodgy:

 

[Maypack]

The choice is entirely yours. However it has had two owners, is on a 59 plate and has covered only 3800 miles even though the MOT centre “accidentally” started 8700 miles and then wrote a letter detailing what they did wrong...hmmmm

Personally I wouldn’t be interested in it as it just seems too good to be true.

A friend of mine had an Audi RS3 that was three years old with only 3000 miles on it, full service history etc but it was used as a dry weather car and only on special occasions and he had it from new.

The fact that this car has had two owners and only covered 3800 miles may be feasible but I’d be wary.

Get all the proof you can and if possible get the last owners details of the log book and contact them to see how long they had it etc before committing.

There are others out there.


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[Maypack]

You can check here: https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

But this looks dodgy:
View attachment 10689

So in one year it has only covered 51 miles or so??? Seems unlikely.


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[Legojon]

I think the other thing is... and some may jump in and disagree. Do you want a car that's done 200 miles a year? I know the answer is yes, of course I do! But I bought a Leon that the last 5 years of it's life were really low mileage. But because it had sat idle so much, the brake discs, pads, calipers had all rusted. The tyres were all cracked from age (yet had nearly 7mm of tread on them).

 

[Legojon]

So in one year it has only covered 51 miles or so??? Seems unlikely.

And safe to say the oil/engine have never been up to working temperature if it is true.

 

[Maypack]

I think the other thing is... and some may jump in and disagree. Do you want a car that's done 200 miles a year? I know the answer is yes, of course I do! But I bought a Leon that the last 5 years of it's life were really low mileage. But because it had sat idle so much, the brake discs, pads, calipers had all rusted. The tyres were all cracked from age (yet had nearly 7mm of tread on them).

True. Sometimes little or no use is worse than heavy use.

Looking at the history it appears to have done very little mileage each year since 2014

2014 - 1898 miles
2015 - 2142 miles
2016 - 2649 miles
2017 - 3058 miles
2018 - 8700 miles
2019 - 3749 miles

So disregarding the 2018 figure, that’s approx 300 to 700 miles per year.


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[Legojon]

I guess it depends on the distance really. If you can "pop" to see it. Have a look over it, check for rust on the wheels, discs, pads, under the arches. Have a look at the engine bay, try and get underneath and inspect the exhaust. While your under, have a look at the dampers / springs and look for rust / leaks. Get it started up and check for smoke. Take the oil cap off and have a look and see how that makes you feel. Give it a drive. It might have been a motability thingy they just use to go to the co-op for a paper on Sunday.

 

[Greyspoiler]

The choice is entirely yours. However it has had two owners, is on a 59 plate and has covered only 3800 miles even though the MOT centre “accidentally” started 8700 miles and then wrote a letter detailing what they did wrong...hmmmm

Personally I wouldn’t be interested in it as it just seems too good to be true.

A friend of mine had an Audi RS3 that was three years old with only 3000 miles on it, full service history etc but it was used as a dry weather car and only on special occasions and he had it from new.

The fact that this car has had two owners and only covered 3800 miles may be feasible but I’d be wary.

Get all the proof you can and if possible get the last owners details of the log book and contact them to see how long they had it etc before committing.

There are others out there.


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Yeah I think I'm going to keep looking and give this a miss, after doing some more digging and running the reg plate through https://www.rapidcarcheck.co.uk/ it's put me off. And it'll be a nightmare to sell on I bet..

 

[Sharpy]

Also the garage isn’t exactly a shining beacon...

I know reviews can be a bit hit and miss but take from this what you will...

All those 1* ratings aren’t confidence building.


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[BigJase88]

It has obviously been used by an old boy / dear to go to the shops

the mileage discrepancy I would believe to be genuine

if the car has 3800 miles it should be easy to spot, pretty much everything will look new