Condition of Used Cars.

[Rob66]

Hi All,

We are currently in the market for a new or very low mileage car primarily for my GF. This is to replace the Formentor that went back in Feb, and she is after something similar. We have only started looking properly over the last month or so and have been amazed at the poor condition of many very low mile cars on the forecourts these days. Now perhaps my standards are too high but here are just a few examples of what we have seen of the last few weeks (all main dealers and not cheap).

Nissan Qashqai, 2k 25 plate Tekna Plus Pearl White , looked lovely on the website. Reality all 4 wheels badly curbed, scuff (needing paint) on one door and scratches on seat and rear bumper. Interestingly the majority of the used cars on the forecourt were as bad or worse. When the saleman asked me what I thought I mentioned the condition and he said yeh we don’t bother getting these things done as most people don’t really care!

Mazda CX30, 8k, 24 plate pretty much the same as above but worse bodywork, again most on the forecourt were similar and a year old CX5 was horrendous.

I was excited yesterday as our local dealer had a 26 plate V3 e-tsi Formentor just arrived with 3.5k on (they have 3 Formentors all DA Registrations which is unusual for here – possibly ex Cupra cars, not sure)?

I managed to persuade my other half that the issues she had with the last one were surely a one off. So I went to see it, OMG, every one of its lovely Copper Alloys were shot and honestly looked like neither they or the car had ever been cleaned, it was also dirty inside. Now I know it had ‘just arrived’ but there is no way they will be refurbing the Alloys and know the copper is a pain to match.

The best condition car we have seen so far was a 2022 Black Tiguan at an Audi dealer it was like new inside and out, apparently the owner swopped for an RS6... we decided though it was just a little too big for us, but a lovely car.

I would fully expect these type of cars to have a few scuffs etc after 3 or 4 years as many are used by parents on the school run etc, but am surprised dealers no longer think they need to prepare cars for sale like they used too, and how a car just a few months old gets to be in a state like that Formentor who knows – my 19 year old Leon puts them to shame

Have you experienced similar?

 

[Seriously?]

I think a lot dealerships these days maybe only put stuff right as a condition of the sale.
Your 'DA' cars were registered in Chester, so unlikely to be ex Cupra I'd guess.
Maybe ex rental fleet?

 

[SRGTD]

@Rob66 - I also have high standards when it comes to looking after my car and like you, whenever I’ve looked around dealership forecourts, the nearly new cars for sale have been in a poorer condition than my older car.

I think many of the late date (just a few months old) used cars on dealership forecourts that aren’t in the best condition may - as @Seriously? has suggested - be ex rental cars from the likes of Enterprise and Hertz. Before I retired, if I needed to travel to visit a client, then the company I worked for would hire me a car and I found those hire cars tended to be in generally pretty poor condition considering their nearly new age. I dare say that when customers return those cars to the rental company, the wash routine will be either to put them through an auto car wash or they’d get a quick once over ‘old school’ style with a single bucket and sponge method; the result? - loads of swirls and scratches. Additionally, nearly new ex rental cars aren’t likely to have been treated with much mechanical sympathy either; I dare say many customers will drive them like they’ve been stolen .

 

[Rob66]

You could well be right, I use Enterprise when I travel more than a certain distance for work. The cars tend to be newish but never properly clean, glass is normally horrendous. with the odd dent and scuff her and there. Whatever they use to ‘wash’ the cars leaves streaks down the glass on the outside and the inside generally has suction cup marks and goodness knows what on. I normally clean the screen, steering wheel and dash as a minimum.

Around 3 years ago I had a Fiesta ST-line for 4 days. Was a cracking little car and I had done a few miles so on the Thursday night before it was collected on the Friday I washed it properly, wheels, dressed tyres, spray wax etc and was looking fabulous, (yes I must have been bored). Car was collected and then unusually the same car was delivered to me on Sunday for work on Monday. It was a right state, they had clearly chucked a bucket of water over it and left it to dry in the sun (even though it was spotless). I have a good relationship with the depot so had a bit of a laugh and said what have you done the car looked like new on Thursday, apparently they ‘have to wash every car’.

Reading the above back I sound a little mad cleaning Hire Cars - neighbours think I am crackers

 

[Seastormer]

I too look after my cars and at 8 year old when I traded in my 280 it still looked like new, I got a great price for it and the dealer had it sold before I actually handed it over. As for tatty wheels I think the dealer you mentioned could be correct as many cars I see on the road that are less than a year old have wheels just like you described. My current car is now past 4 years old and is in mint condition with no scuffs or marks on any wheel, the body has a few stone chips but you can hardly see them as I fixed them as soon as happened. I buy new as you are hard pushed to find a used car in great condition anymore never mind how it has been driven.