Looking at VW Tourans with the 2.0 TDI PD. The two leading contenders with the desired spec and colors are priced at £10k and £12k, with the former having 85k miles and the latter 30k. Both are single owner, FVWSH vehicles. The high miler is a trade in at a LR Stratstone franchise, and the lower one is at a VW main dealer, where it was originally bought and sold.
Which would be the better buy?
In our ownership, it probably won't see more than 10k per year, but we do hope to own it for at least 5 years.
TIA,
Matt
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 28/11/2007 at 10:40
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I would suggest the 85K/£10K one would be worth at least £2K less at 7-8yrs/130K miles when you come to sell in 5 years, whereas the 30K/£12 one at (the then est.) 85K miles might be worth £2-3K-ish - it also has benefit of the VW 'approved used' provenance & origin for a year at least.
I know which I'd choose - extra £2K permitting.
Edited by woodbines on 28/11/2007 at 10:52
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I'm fairly sure which one I'll choose too, but am interested to hear opinions.
Forgot to mention, both are 54 plate cars, reg'd in Dec '04.
Edited by Minemapper on 28/11/2007 at 11:32
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If you're likely to keep the overall mileage below (say) 90,000 before you sell on, I'd buy the lower mileage one as it'll look more appealing come resale time.
Once you pass the magic 100,000 mark which the uninformed seem to think denotes an "old" car, I don't know it'll make much difference how much over the 100 you are. Then I'd buy on condition.
Any chance you could use the lower mileage car to haggle down the price on the other one?
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Each 1,000 miles on the higher miles one has reduced it's value by an average of £36.36 - I thinks that's too little, compared to the lower miles one. A seven year old car with a VW badge on it and only 80k will be easy to sell, and to hold your price on. The same car with 130k will be perceived as a high-miles cheapy. If the price difference was north of £3,000 then it would be very easy to buy the high miles one.
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Good point. I'm viewing the high miler this afternoon, and I know they've had it for three weeks, so we'll see how flexible they are on price.
as an aside, after 12 yrs in the USA, I'm finding these 20k service intervals are unnerving. Even 10k on my US V70 was pushing it, in my opinion. 20k on an engine that is so particular about its oil and belts as the PD scares the crap out of me.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 28/11/2007 at 19:02
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"20k on an engine that is so particular about its oil and belts as the PD scares the crap out of me. "
It can be changed to 10k intervals if that suits you better.
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Unless the high miler has had its clutch and DMF changed; it's not a 150 BHP model; and the cambelt and tensioners have been done recently, it's worth about 50p. Run in the other direction - fast!
--
RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
Edited by RichardW on 28/11/2007 at 14:42
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High mileage cars are great and I bet the 85k is no worse shape, perhaps even better shape as a result of not being used as Mums taxi, than the 30k one.
HOWEVER..
most people think a car past 100k miles is 'past it'. We are obsessed with mileage for no good reason. Buy a new car in Italy and everyone will say 'How fast?'. Buy a new car in the UK and everyone will ask 'How many miles?'
Unfortunately, these people make up the market and dictate the price your Touran will get when you sell it on. £2k is not a big enough saving to make the high miler financially viable.
I bought a high miler becuase it was in better condition than most of the low milers and - crucially - was half the price. Then it was worth it becuase even if I throw the car in the bin after 4 years it wont have lost me as much as buying the low miler and putting 40k and 4 years on it.
But with a £2k saving for this Touran, the same is not the case. Don't forget the Approved Used one will also have a decent warranty.
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....its never a good sign when you show up for a pre-arranged appointment to look at a vehicle, and your salesman is leaving on a test drive with someone else.....
I was prepared to let that go, and got his manager to open up the car for me. He didn't seem interested in helping otherwise though.
I have to say, it was showing every one of those extra 55k. Yoiks, what a mess. Lots of scuffing on the plastics in the cargo area, and on the seat backs of the middle row. Dirt in all the ceiling cubby holes (how exactly you do manage that, anyway). Wear on the drivers door handle and switches, and the lettering rubbing off the climate control switches. The engine bay was not much better. It hadn't been serviced since 65k, belts hadn't been done, oil under the cap was gritty and smelled burnt, and it generally looked scruffy. A great 20 footer but certainly not worth 10 thousand of my hard earned moolah. This was presented at a so-called 'prestige collection' main brand dealer, too. It would have looked more at home at 'Mike's Good Vans and Trucks' up the road....
Oh well, time to call the 30k chap back and start playing for keeps. Thanks all. I'll let you know how it turns out. Don't go away....
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My touran was a dog. The most unreliable car since my Maestro in 1983. I wouldnt spend my hard earned on a second hand example no matter what the price or mileage.
you can search on here for my list of problems.
------
< Ulla>
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My touran was a dog.
That's polite compared to what our next door neighbours say about theirs.
Cheers
DP
--
04 Grand Scenic 1.9 dCi Dynamique
00 Mondeo 1.8TD LX
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I'll take my chances. I'm fortunate to be experienced with TDI's and their quirks.
btw, I was looking as Scenics until I started reading online owners reviews. Just sayin'....... ;-)
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btw I was looking as Scenics until I started reading online owners reviews. Just sayin'.......
Oh yeah, I totally agree with you. I'm under no illusion that the Scenic was a big risk, and there are certainly horror stories out there, but it came recommended in just as many numbers, and the design and sheer practicality of the thing just won us over.
The VW didn't come out any better overall out of the people we asked, and the reviews we saw, so what can you do apart from pay yer money and take a chance? :-)
Good luck with your new car.
Cheers
DP
--
04 Grand Scenic 1.9 dCi Dynamique
00 Mondeo 1.8TD LX
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Look at PCP contracts - excess miles cost close on 10p each. At that rate you would want £5k off for the extra 55,000 miles.
This also chimes with the old rule of thumb that every extra 1000 miles over book knocks £100 off - I don't suggest this is a reliable guide but I bet the book/CAP price difference is more than £2k.
Edited by Manatee on 28/11/2007 at 19:01
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30k is a reasonable mileage for a 3-year old car - not too high or too low (under 10,000 would suggest it's done only short journeys). At a VW dealer there's a fair chance that it's been PX'd for another VW - i.e. the first owner liked it. It's worth asking.
The other one is certainly a no-no, not least because of the attitude of the dealer: the salesman breaking your appointment and the failure to valet the car for sale go together.
Good luck.
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Well, I bought the 30k one. Bought and serviced at that dealer. Traded by the elderly owner for a new Golf. Very clean indeed for a 3 yr old car. What minor cosmetic faults I found will be rectified before I pick it up, and they also willingly dropped the price significantly when I called from a car supermarket on Friday to see if they would match pricing. All in all, I'm happy with the deal.
Of course, then the dealer with the shoddy 85k one calls me as I'm getting back in my car, and offers his one for nearly £1k off, right off the bat. He must have realized it was a dog....
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