How much value is behind Low KM's on a used car?

[PostmanPot]

IIRC you have the B7 A4 DTM man; is that correct?

Correct, with factory performance upgrade. R350,000 new in 2007 and I paid R148,500 with 89,000km on the clock in 2014. I'll be able to sell at around R130,000 - R140,000 at around 130,000 - 150,000km. There are very desirable add-ons which will also hold some value.

 

[FiestaST]

Correct, with factory performance upgrade. R350,000 new in 2007 and I paid R148,500 with 89,000km on the clock in 2014. I'll be able to sell at around R130,000 - R140,000 at around 130,000 - 150,000km. There are very desirable add-ons which will also hold some value.

Lovely stuff.

I believe 147kw & 162kw models were brought into SA.

So you have the higher output model & also finished in that lovely blue?

 

[PostmanPot]

Lovely stuff.

I believe 147kw & 162kw models were brought into SA.

So you have the higher output model & also finished in that lovely blue?

Yes, but I'm not disclosing the colour.

 

[FiestaST]

Yes, but I'm not disclosing the colour.

Lol okay.

Prob stalker tendencies not hard to spot in a rare car.
M

 

[Pitbull]

Yes, but I'm not disclosing the colour.

Lol, you scared someone will steal it?

 

[PostmanPot]

Lol okay.

Prob stalker tendencies not hard to spot in a rare car.
M

Exactly.

 

[PostmanPot]

Lol, you scared someone will steal it?

Nope.

 

[Rouxenator]

They charge a 15%+ premium for their efforts, which I can do all myself.

I am not sure where you get your 15% from. I regularly see privately advertised cars similar to mine but with double the mileage for the same price. So the 15% dealer myth is just that. Secondly my time is way more precious to me than going through all the schlep myself, also the reason I accept lower trade in values. The odd 90 minutes I recently spent at the traffic department to transfer my car from the bank to me was time I will never get back.

So in short, I do not believe this cynical nonsense that dealers try to smoke you at every opportunity, nor that low mileage is a gimmick or that vehicles have "teething problems" that can only be cured by replacing parts under a service plan.

 

[Pitbull]

Nope.

Messing about, I know you had pictures of it on here before.

It's just another Audi anyway

 

[PostmanPot]

Messing about, I know you had pictures of it on here before.

It's just another Audi anyway

That would have been my previous Audi.

 

[Pitbull]

That would have been my previous Audi.

Then it was posted by someone who knows/knew the seller. Someone posted a pic of the DTM on here I'm 100% sure of it. It was during your negotiation phase for that specific vehicle.

Either that or I'm losing my mind...

 

[PostmanPot]

I am not sure where you get your 15% from.

True, it's more than often more than 15%. The 15 - 20%+ difference is between what a private seller would sell for, vs what the dealer would sell the same thing for. This doesn't even take into account that the dealer would have offered 10 - 20%+ less than what the private seller is asking. Therefore, the dealer is putting on a hefty mark-up of about 30%, based on trade-in price offered vs selling price.

I regularly see privately advertised cars similar to mine but with double the mileage for the same price.

Then they won't sell. People are welcome to ask R1,000,000 for your car if they wish, that is their right.

So the 15% dealer myth is just that.

It's actually more, most of the time. I was conservative.

Secondly my time is way more precious to me than going through all the schlep myself, also the reason I accept lower trading in values. The odd 90 minutes I recently spent at the traffic department to transfer my car from the bank to me was time I will never get back.

Except you can do it all, in terms of the documents I've referred to, online. Just like you waste time posting on MyBb, you'd find the time for it if you know you'll be saving a lot of money.

So in short, I do not believe this cynical nonsense that dealers try to smoke you at every opportunity...

LOL. I hope you're joking. They try to smoke you in every way possible:

1. When it comes to maintenance plans, they often do the least costly repairs first in fixing problems
2. When it comes to servicing out of plan, they charge double
3. When it comes to the cost of OEM parts, they charge double.

The only one smoking here is you.

...nor that low mileage is a gimmick or that vehicles have "teething problems" that can only be cured by replacing parts under a service plan.

Low mileage is definitely a gimmick.

I cannot actually believe you disagree with teething problems being sorted out under maintenance plan, and that the benefit of maximising maintenance plan by using up your full 100,000km, is passed directly on to the second hand buyer!

I really think you're just arguing for the sake of it now.

 

[Rouxenator]

.... and after all that

I really think you are wrong but if you believe all that and it makes you happy...

 

[PostmanPot]

.... and after all that

I really think you are wrong but if you believe all that and it makes you happy...

A meme is a juvenile retort, I'll be waiting for a nice wall of text from you if you'd like to discuss further. I'm happy to teach you if you prove your interest through participation. Not memes and arguing for the sake of it.

 

[Pitbull]

.... and after all that
View attachment 213762
I really think you are wrong but if you believe all that and it makes you happy...

That a bit childish.

Buying privately if you do it correctly is by far more rewarding and cheaper than doing it through a dealership. That is a fact. However you take on the risk of doing the back ground yourself and not have any dealership warrantees sure. But if you do your homework correctly you should not even need it.

Just my 2c's

 

[APoc184]

I'd go for the 122k if the cambelt was already replaced.

Just to come back to this.

No belt in this vehicle. Runs on a chain so replacing should theoretically never need to be done.

 

[Pitbull]

Just to come back to this.

No belt in this vehicle. Runs on a chain so replacing should theoretically never need to be done.

The tensioner still needs replacing. Not sure about at which km's though but that in itself is also a massive service.

 

[Deago999]

Do you think I could get the dealership to do the cambelt before delivery ? I havent fully paid for the car yet and the Cambelt is worrying me ... Or do you think I could get it at a discount rate? Like pay in R500 and they front the rest?

 

[BigAl-sa]

That's terrible advice, exactly why this obsession with low mileage is so bad. People think an old car with low mileage is good. That it is a sign of reliability and low maintenance.

Certainly not, at least not always. Any teething problems were not resolved by the motor plan, and there's a huge risk of extra maintenance opposed to something newer with 100,000km.

An old car with low mileage very likely means it was used for short stop-start trips, the worst use of cars.

Mechanical soundness of a low mileage, out of plan vehicle, borders on impossible to determine. A higher mileage car that has stood the test of more use on the road is easier to determine. One's able to dig much deeper into the service history if the maintenance plan was used for 5 years at the average mile increments vs servicing based on time.

By reaching 100,000km under plan, one has used the plan to its full advantage. This benefit is then passed on to the second hand buyer, who's purchasing at half the price, as the car has gone through most of its depreciation.

Lower mileage = fewer parts replaced under plan = fewer underlying issues and weaknesses spotted.

That is terrible advice.

I have a 21y old hilux which has 94k on the clock. On getting to a destination, the travel distance is never less than 200km. I trust this vehicle more than my current runabout. As it was the last in Toyota's line of solid front axle hilux 4×4s I will not part with it until one of us reaches the grave (which is more likely to be me).

 

[PostmanPot]

That is terrible advice.

I have a 21y old hilux which has 94k on the clock. On getting to a destination, the travel distance is never less than 200km. I trust this vehicle more than my current runabout. As it was the last in Toyota's line of solid front axle hilux 4×4s I will not part with it until one of us reaches the grave (which is more likely to be me).

It's not terrible advice, it's good and factual advice, generally speaking.

To break it down, your mileage, when the vehicle has been used, has been long distance. Not stop-start, which is the crux, because low mileage on old cars suggests stop-start, which is the worst type of use for cars and maintenance. That is regular wear and tear on a usually daily basis. Your car is not wearing and tearing when it sits when not in use.

And I am not doubting that there are many reliable low mileage stop-start runabout cars out there either. Of course there will be special cases where they are just fine.

Second hand buyers should bear in mind what this all means, in making their decision.

What you say also echoed the fact that it is a misconception that newer = better.