Topic: Milage upon delivery

[sleepyzippy]

I'd like to get some opinion from my fellow members..

I ordered a Veloster couple weeks ago. Today, I received an e-mail from the salesman saying that my car has arrived and it has 175KM on the clock... Before i signed the purchase agreement, I clearly asked him what's the average mileage a new car gets and I expressed that I was okay with anything less than 50 KM. The purchase agreement says 99KM on it.

Now, they tried to get me one from another dealership which had 200+KM on it and I rejected it. This time around, they said the car was from downtown Toronto and my dealership is at Thornhill. The distance should be less than 30KM even if they drove it there.

My impression is the both cars were demos at some point and the dealership was just trying to unload them to me.

I'm really disappointed about it as this is a CCC afiliate and I'm leaning toward rejecting delivery this time again. What do you guys think?

[2JDM]

Well if the purchase agreement says 99KM, then they should follow it. 

200 KM is plenty of mileage for a few short, abusive test drives.

[ArticSteve]

What do you guys think?

It's a classic example of demand exceeding supply.  Take it or leave it.


Generally, when a brand new model arrives at a store the staff usually take the unit out for a lively test drive which includes numerous panic stops and redlining.

If that doesn't bother you then accept it.

[Julie]

Sorry, but the dealerships associated with Car Cost Canada are not necessarily good.  CCC is a business, like others.

I purchased quotes from CCC once.  The dealerships that called me did not impress me.  Now I always use APA.  APA is a non-profit consumer advocacy and protection agency.

My BMW dealer wrote 12km on my contract.  I asked if that was normal, they said yes, and my car was delivered with 10 km.  It was brought over from Vancouver (shipped).

My Acura came with less than that.  

EDIT: I'd make 'em write 12 km on any future contracts.

[Ice]

Even my lowly Corolla XRS when it was brand new (and very few XRS models had been produced at this point) had no more than 20 kilometers on the clock. The salesguy was a real car guy too and was excited to hear it start up. That was for a Corolla...

I guess the Veloster everyone wants to try it out before they sell it? Seems a little shady to me... if the car is spoken for it shouldn't be driven except the necessary amount. Of course if dealerships are trading cars around then that may explain it.

[Gamefreak]

My Elantra had 13km on it.  Thanks for the comments on CCC, by the way.

[rrocket]

Yep..if they do a dealer trade on a car, they won't ship it by truck to save on costs if it's somewhat local.  They'll just get a lackey to drive it from one lot to the next.  I used to do that job when I was a teen for a car lot that one of my dad's clients owned.

[superukr]

I'd like to get some opinion from my fellow members..

I ordered a Veloster couple weeks ago. Today, I received an e-mail from the salesman saying that my car has arrived and it has 175KM on the clock... Before i signed the purchase agreement, I clearly asked him what's the average mileage a new car gets and I expressed that I was okay with anything less than 50 KM. The purchase agreement says 99KM on it.

Now, they tried to get me one from another dealership which had 200+KM on it and I rejected it. This time around, they said the car was from downtown Toronto and my dealership is at Thornhill. The distance should be less than 30KM even if they drove it there.

My impression is the both cars were demos at some point and the dealership was just trying to unload them to me.

I'm really disappointed about it as this is a CCC afiliate and I'm leaning toward rejecting delivery this time again. What do you guys think?

most definitely it used as demo/test car

[2latecrew]

I ordered a Veloster couple weeks ago. Today, I received an e-mail from the salesman saying that my car has arrived and it has 175KM on the clock... Before i signed the purchase agreement, I clearly asked him what's the average mileage a new car gets and I expressed that I was okay with anything less than 50 KM. The purchase agreement says 99KM on it.

Well if the purchase agreement says 99 and the car has 175 obviously the details of the purchase agreement are not binding. If they want you to take delivery of a car that has 76% more miles than detailed on the agreement then they should be willing to take a check for 76% LESS than what is on the purchase agreement.

I'd refuse delivery and out something in writing. like 100 off the price for every 1km over the agreed to limit. Or just walk away and go buy somewhere else 9but make sure you get 50 KM or less written into the agreement right from the start. Right now its a hot new car but in a month there will be tons of them. 

[Gardiner Westbound]

You have the right to insist the dealer scrupulously honor the Bill of Sale. Most unamended Bills of Sale give the dealer significant authority to unilaterally vary conditions. If the right hand don't git ya, then the left one will.

Prior to initialing an Offer to Purchase I ensure it states the car is new, correctly identifies the VIN, year, make, model, trim, current odometer reading and options. I insert a clause stating a dealer trade will be transported by flatbed truck, prepaid by the huge freight charge, and is subject to my final inspection and approval. I also specify a firm delivery date else the deposit will be refunded within five days, that the odometer will not exceed 30 kilometers at delivery and there is no repaired pre-delivery damage.

[tortoise]

I understand why you're upset.  However, playing devil's advocate,  what difference does it really make if there are 125 extra km's on the car?

Sure, people may have taken it for a test drive and driven it harder than a little old lady but I can't imagine that any lasting damage has been done.  Are Hyundai's really that fragile?   As long as the dealer agrees that the added mileage is added to the warranty there shouldn't be any issue.

[random006]

I understand why you're upset.  However, playing devil's advocate,  what difference does it really make if there are 125 extra km's on the car?

Sure, people may have taken it for a test drive and driven it harder than a little old lady but I can't imagine that any lasting damage has been done.  Are Hyundai's really that fragile?   As long as the dealer agrees that the added mileage is added to the warranty there shouldn't be any issue.

It's not the number, it's the principle.  If the contract says "X", then both parties are bound by "X".  In this case, the only party in question is the dealer.  He has to deliver a new vehicle with fewer than a certain number of kilometers on the odometer.  Even if we put aside the fact that a contract should be a contract, it's a sign of trust and honesty that should be maintained.

I don't claim to know exactly how much leeway a dealer has in these circumstances so let us assume that, in the case of a highly popular car, a dealer does have the right to waive very low odometer readings.  In other words, I'm envisioning a situation in which pretty much all versions become demos.  These in turn become sold cars as there is none available other than those same demos.  In such cases, wouldn't it be better for all concerned to state that up front, thereby avoiding the whole issue?  Perhaps a drop in price can be offered, corresponding to the extra usage.

Other than that one situation, I would be tempted to walk away.  If the usage is not as expected or agreed to in the contract, what else is not as promised?

On a related note:
- At which point does a new car become a demo?
- At which point does a demo become a used car?

[tortoise]

It's not the number, it's the principle.  If the contract says "X", then both parties are bound by "X". 

I understand that.  And agree with it.  But, when faced with having to wait several weeks to get a car with an insignificantly less number of kilometres I'd probably just ask the dealer to throw in a set of winter mats and maybe a tray for the cargo area. 

I wonder if it was Jaeger that put all those km's on.

http://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php/topic,75939.0.html

[Gardiner Westbound]

On a related note:
- At which point does a new car become a demo?
- At which point does a demo become a used car?

There is no concrete rule on demonstrators, but anything with over 1,000 kilometers is absolutely a used vehicle and should be priced accordingly. Nor should the consumer pay freight, PDI, air conditioner tax, the Green Levy, or the tire and filter ecotaxes. They are the first owner's responsibility, the dealer.

[bmwcoupes]

22 years ago, my BMW 325i was delivered with 12 km on the clock, and more recently, my BMW 330ci was delivered with 8 km I think.

[sleepyzippy]

Thanks for the input guys.

Random006 nailed it pretty well. It's not the actual KM that bothered me, it's the fact that they didn't let me know about the mileage before getting the car in.

Anyways, I may just take the car, but if they rack up any more mileage on it than I will reject it.

[Julie]

You have the right to insist the dealer scrupulously honor the Bill of Sale. Most unamended Bills of Sale give the dealer significant authority to unilaterally vary conditions. If the right hand don't git ya, then the left one will.

Prior to initialing an Offer to Purchase I ensure it states the car is new, correctly identifies the VIN, year, make, model, trim, current odometer reading and options. I insert a clause stating a dealer trade will be transported by flatbed truck, prepaid by the huge freight charge, and is subject to my final inspection and approval. I also specify a firm delivery date else the deposit will be refunded within five days, that the odometer will not exceed 30 kilometers at delivery and there is no repaired pre-delivery damage.

Great info.   

OP, you do have the right to ask for more.  When my dealer wrote up the contract for the shipped car, I had them insert a clause that I would not take a car that had been damaged during transit and repaired.

[Cord]

Just refuse it and wait for one that meets your requirements.

[The Mighty Duck]

I understand that.  And agree with it.  But, when faced with having to wait several weeks to get a car with an insignificantly less number of kilometres I'd probably just ask the dealer to throw in a set of winter mats and maybe a tray for the cargo area. 

I wonder if it was Jaeger that put all those km's on.

http://www.autos.ca/forum/index.php/topic,75939.0.html

I agree with tortoise on this one.

Yes, you are fully entitled to reject the car and demand one that meets the stipulated mileage. It's a matter of principle, and I certainly wouldn't fault you on it.

At the end of the day, though, for me, it's just a few extra miles. In the life of a car that will probably last 250,000+ kilometres, it's pretty insignificant. If getting a car with 125 less kilometres meant waiting two or three weeks, I'd probably just take the car (and ask for a few free oil changes or something in recognition of it not meeting the stipulated mileage).

Think about which is more important to you: the principle, or having your new car sooner rather than later.

[sleepyzippy]

I just picked up the car tonight, and surprisingly the salesman told me that the car actually had only 66KM on it.. and during the 10 days on the lot he didn't let me know and I almost pass up the car..

now, I'm a happy man.