Ive been on the hunt for a mk3 sport for a while now and feel like I’ve got to know them quite well. However this is my first time buying the type of car that doesn’t get used often (always had hatchbacks) so being very cautious.
The car in question is a 2009 sport with 35,000 miles. It looks to be super clean in the advert (I haven’t viewed yet) and has squeaky clean MOT history.
Getting to case in point, my background check tells me it’s had 7 previous owners. From this check I’ve managed to work out the current owner has done about 10,000 miles in her 2 year ownership. But 7 owners in less than 10 years??
Is that a bit much? Or am I worrying about nothing??
it’s no suprize to find many owners on soft tops any make its a car, its one you want till they get one, then find its no practible keep it for the summer then pass it on…and the milage shows that it as little use between them all, just wait till summer and see all the soft tops with the roof up and you think how hot does it need to be for them to put roof down …my rule is if you don’t like the roof down then don’t get in my car
My advise is go and view the car, could be many many genuine reasons…personally I take MOT history and no of owners with a pinch of salt, I look much more favourably on a good service history.
going back quite a few years ago I had a wedding car business and we had Rolls Royce cars, it was quite common for them to change owners on a yearly basis.
Not ideal but perhaps there were family members. It would not stop me looking at such a low mileage car and it might just be in excellent condition underneath which is more important. Check the oil level first !
Hi my 5 mk3 had 7 owners on 59000 miles and is very clean I think people buy them for the summer and no where to keep them in winter
Maybe check it out jon
Get in it and drive it. Get your head under the back end and look for rust. If it doesn’t look, drive or feel right run away, go with your eyes wide open and trust your gut feeling.
P.S. if you post your location somebody might just view it with you.
My NC had three owners before I bought it, all the same person.
It was on a private plate for a couple of years as his company car, then he bought it from the company, then a couple of years later he took the private plate off it. Each time the change went through DVLA, so three “owners” in less than six years, but the same registered keeper.
I’m the “fourth owner,” but second keeper. However, judging by the immaculate underneath when I bought it, and still wearing the original tyres with most of the tread left, its mere 17,000 miles had been mostly dry and gentle. Therefore a bargain.
I wouldn’t pay too much attention. I think mine has about that many too. If the service history is good and the MOT history; which can be a good indicator and has steered me away from a few in the past; shows only niggly things then condition is everything. MOT failures for things like bald tyres are a warning that the previous owners weren’t paying attention to the easy stuff, you can bet the drains hadn’t been cleared.
I don’t know if everyone is like me but when i get a new car i spend the first 3 or 4 months cleaning and maintaining furiously to within an inch of it’s life before settling down to the normal service routine. If it’s had 7 of me then it’s had almost as many oil changes as tanks of fuel!