New car - How many miles is too many?

[Palut]

I was looking at a 2013 Focus a few weeks ago, and I noticed that it had 421 miles on it. That seems like an awful lot of test driving to me. Of course the sales people said that they have many cars with more miles than that, and that it's perfectly normal, and that it's nothing to worry about.

My current car had 19 miles on it when I took delivery, so 421 seems like a lot. How many miles do you think is too many for a brand new car?

 

[abycat]

Under 500 imo

 

[sir1900]

You could use that as leverage when negotiating the price of the car.

 

[ukmastermind]

450? Was it a loaner car???? Mine had 6

 

[CharlieJ]

421? Really. Unless they are willing to sell that car well below invoice then that is too many miles. Find another car. The sales people are telling you Beee Esss. I worked as a sales consultant at a stealership not too long ago to see how things were done. The only "new" cars with that many miles I saw were the cars that the owners or general manager drove which were always high end models (expensive) and sold with huge discounts.

 

[daves87rs]

Discount time!!!

 

[surfstar]

Lowest I've had is 81k - they came down a lot

Oh you mean "a" new car vs "my" new car

400+ miles isn't new. If I'm paying full tilt (never happen) its gotta be under 100.

 

[randomhero439]

If i buy a new car, the only person driving it before me is the service/prep people.

 

[Jocephus]

I bought my daughters Corolla and it had 538 miles on it. After I balked at the miles they gave us the extended warranty for no charge (7 year/100k which costs about $800).

My new Escalade had 21 miles on it and I was really mad at that because I ordered it.

 

[bowlofturtle]

If i buy new, i would not want anything more then 150 miles. For me to buy the 400 mile brand new car it would have to come with a lot of freebies and or cash discount over the 100 mile one.

at 400 miles it only new by state laws (never titled to a person). It could of been the dealership's beater test drive car. Could of been a dealership's rental car (another reason it can be beaten). With all these break-in periods on engines and to have someone redline a couple of times.

 

[mechtech2]

Check local and State laws about how many miles can be on a car and still be considered new.

 

[bigjl]

Looks like they had it delivered between dealers using a driver rather than a flat truck with a bed.

I would not be happy with that and would want a different car or a discount.

The first half of the cars important break in period has been completed by somebody on minimum wage that thinks he is a race driver. IMOH.

I have only had three brand new cars and they all had less than 10 miles, my scooter had 2 miles on it.

421 miles is a demonstrator not a new car and the price should reflect that fact.

Hope you get it sorted.

I wouldn't even take it off the lot.

 

[whip]

Originally Posted By: randomhero439
If i buy a new car, the only person driving it before me is the service/prep people.

What about the people that drive it at the factory, and load and load it onto the trains/trailers for transport? Probably a dozen people drive it before it gets to the dealer.

 

[whip]

Originally Posted By: bigjl
Looks like they had it delivered between dealers using a driver rather than a flat truck with a bed.

I would not be happy with that and would want a different car or a discount.

I bought a truck that was traded from another dealer, and driven to my dealer. It had 250 miles. Nothing was wrong with it.

 

[pbm]

When I bought my last new car I passed on the one I test drove because it had approx. 80 miles on the clock. I took one from stock that had 9 miles on it. A car with over 400 miles is USED, IMO......I would only buy it if it were discounted...

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: Palut
... Of course the sales people said that they have many cars with more miles than that, and that it's perfectly normal, and that it's nothing to worry about.


That's a classic right there.

I'd have no problem buying it if the deal was right, but to say 400+ miles is perfectly normal?

Good thing is Ford dealers are a dime a dozen.

Joel

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: bigjl

The first half of the cars important break in period has been completed by somebody on minimum wage that thinks he is a race driver. IMOH.


Yeah my 80 year old grandfather used to burn off half the tread on the tires shuffling cars from one dealer to another NOT... He often drove 150 mi or more to take/bring new cars between Norfolk & Northern VA... Most all the drivers I saw at the dealerships were older retired persons, none beat on the vehicles...

Now if I'd been driving, you can bet your [censored] I'd have wrung it out...

 

[LeakySeals]

I think the miles are too low to be a loaner car. Don't think a dealer would loan cars they intend to sell as new. Too much risk of something happening to it. Test drives are different depending on where the dealership is located. In rural areas can be 10+ miles. In the city, less. Maybe that car was delivered from another dealership or from a drop off point. I know this sounds ridiculous, but a friend in sales tells me loyal Toyota and Honda owners considering American are taking way more test drives. They like it, but they still don't bite. He thinks they were just checking the American cars, if they've gotten any better. Never had any intention of buying it. Regardless, of why, the miles are your bartering tool. If 450 miles can get you 500-1k lower, it ends up being a good thing. They may be more eager to move it, the miles would indicate its getting stale.

 

[Eddie]

Dealer new to me has always been less than 25 miles. 250 or over was used as a demo or food runner for the crew. JMO. Ed

 

[bullwinkle]

I've seen WAY to many new cars getting beat on by dealership employees going to lunch, etc. to pay full price on anything with more than 10 miles on it!