[wheelspinner]

As my used car search journey continued, I came across an 8 year old petrol Swift VXI that has a noticably low running of 14-15,000 odd kilometers. With two owners to it's credit. Fishy, eh?

Upon speaking to the dealer, turns out that the service history ends few years ago, and since then the car has been driven only around 10,000 Km more, in the last five years or, so. After that, the new owner who used to stay somewhere else didn't get a chance to drive it much really. Not that I find his words credible, I don't have the know how to determine a low running car.

I did check his reviews, and they seem great. As usual, whenever I am in doubt I turn to this forum, as I believe it has the fairest opinion of all.

Factors to consider:

• For a car that has run only 14,000 Km, is it odd to have a few parts repaired? (the bumpers, and doors) We are talking about Kolkata, and it is a super congested place. As per the dealer, it falls under minor touch ups to cover the scratches. Now I am a bit skeptical, as nobody bothers to touch up such minor scratches especially if they never bothered to drive the car a lot, why would they care about touching it up to enhance it's looks if it isn't a daily driver?
• Moreover, seems like the car has a gap in the service history for a few years after the second owner took the car. Should I go ahead with it? The car looks fine based on the pics, and the dealer's reviews are okay.

Price quoted is around Rs. 3,40,000 and he is not reducing below that.

This car would be my first roadeo, and I want to make it a good one! BHPians, I need your serious opinion. Should I go for it? What things should I check?

Link: https://www.olx.in/item/maruti-suzuk...iid-1771778458 [Mods remove it if it is not allowed]

[boniver]

Yeah no chance an 8 year old car with 2 owners has been driven just 14k. On the contrary, if the reading is indeed true, this car will be problematic in the long run.

[Jeroen]

As Boniver pointed out, very unlikely that an eight year old car has such low mileage.

There are a few other telltales. At such a low mileage the interior should be immaculate, almost new! So look closely at the driver seat. Any sagging in the cushions. Roll out the safety belt, it should look brand new. Look at the pedals, at this mileage there should be no wear to be seen at all on the rubber pads on the pedals. Check the shifter and other controls for sign of useage.

If you have access to a good OBD scanner you might be able to extract the mileage from the ECU. Most modern cars have the mileage stored in two different positions. The odometer and the ECU. Flashing the odo tend to be a lot easier than the ECU.

As this will be your first car you need to think hard whether you really want it. A first car should not bring any worries, the buying process should be a positive experience. When something doesn’t feel right don’t try and rationalize it away. Look for a car with a good vibe!

Good luck

Jeroen

[wheelspinner]

Originally Posted by boniver

Yeah no chance an 8 year old car with 2 owners has been driven just 14k. On the contrary, if the reading is indeed true, this car will be problematic in the long run.

True

Originally Posted by Jeroen

As this will be your first car you need to think hard whether you really want it. A first car should not bring any worries, the buying process should be a positive experience. When something doesn’t feel right don’t try and rationalize it away. Look for a car with a good vibe!

I do want a car. Tired of searching for the right one in my budget, but it is so hard to come by. I have been searching for over an year now without success. Finding the ideal clean car seems to be harder than dating women in my conservative small city, now I am desperate

Worth mentioning that my budget is low. I can afford an expensive car, but I have a mental barrier (regarding E20 fuel uncertainty and EVs). This car fits that budget and rationale.

[self_driven]

Originally Posted by wheelspinner

After that, the new owner who used to stay somewhere else didn't get a chance to drive it much really. Not that I find his words credible, I don't have the know how to determine a low running car.

While the deal seems fishy, it is not uncommon to come across such sparingly used vehicles once in a while.

Check the manufacturing date of all four tyres. It is in the form of a 4 digit code on the sidewall in week-year format, for eg. 1216 stands for 12th week of 2016. High chances that the km reading is genuine if the tyres are from 2016. However, tyres might have been replaced in these years due to dried rubber, so you might find a newer manufacturing date. In that case, the amount of rubber left should correspond with the car's estimated usage during that period. If the tyres are manufactured in 2022, but the tread looks like 40% worn out, this car would have covered 20k km in these 2 years. Extend this logic to the entire 5 years that the 2nd owner had this car, and you're looking at a vehicle with 55k km under its belt. If the tyres were manufactured 2 years back, they should look like 4k km driven tyres irrespective of what story the dealer tells you. If you find any discrepancy here, walk away.

The problem with tampered readings is the maintenance schedule goes for a toss. You will service and replace parts based on what you see on the odo, while the car would be touching and missing important service milestones (60k, 100k, etc.). While sparingly used cars seem like good bargains compared to the price of new, do not let this limit your search criteria. Cars are meant to be used. With proper and timely maintenance, a well-maintained Swift of similar age with genuine 80k km might serve you equally well as this less driven example.

[It's Magic]

Originally Posted by wheelspinner

Should I go for it? What things should I check?

I have seen an 8-year-old car with around 20,000 kilometers on the odometer, and it has been running without any issues. The owner doesn't get to drive much due to working from home, which explains the low running. However, having low running doesn't necessarily mean the car is problematic.

Over the course of 8 years, there is a chance that some parts may need replacement, such as tires, wiper blades, or the battery. Additionally, you mentioned that the door and bumper appear to have been repaired. While this isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, it’s essential to inspect them thoroughly. If there is no noticeable color difference or if they have been replaced adequately, it should be acceptable.

One aspect to worry about is the gap in the service history. Additionally, don't solely rely on dealer ratings; inspect the car's interior yourself, as suggested by Jeroen. Also, pay attention to the condition of the tires and their tread, including the spare wheel.

In the words of Jeroen, ‘When something doesn’t feel right, don’t try to rationalize it away. Best Wishes!

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by wheelspinner

This car would be my first roadeo, and I want to make it a good one! BHPians, I need your serious opinion. Should I go for it? What things should I check?

Tha car looks good for an 8 year old car. I also checked OLX and other used car dealers for a reference price range for an 8 year old Suzuki Swift and the price appear to fall within the range. So, the price factor seems ok.

Regarding the inspection of the car, please take the help of a Maruti service advisor/ mechanic and pay them a couple of thousand rupees and get a thorough inspection done. If you try to do it yourself, I am sure you could miss a lot of things that are not visible to an untrained eye. They generally have a check list in these matters and are supposedly thoroughly experienced in such inspections.

As a surveyor, I suggest you check the 'No Claim Bonus' on the insurance policy. If there was no claim on the vehicle for the last 5 years, then the NCB would be at the maximum 50% and that is an indication that there was no major accident with the vehicle. If it is less than 50%, then it means in the last 5 years, sometime, there is a claim and the bonus is not accrued.

Personally, if I am buying my first car, I would go for a new car, never a pre-owned car because inspite of every care, the possibility of some hidden issue cannot be ruled out and the first car experience could sour very soon. While I have seen some happy owners, I have also seen some very unhappy owners too. It is a 50/50 probability.

So, a new car, even a lower segment is ok with me or a car from my known friend's circle or a relatives car is also fine, as it would give me some peace of mind. Buying a pre-owned car from the dealer, however shiny it looks, I always take it with a pinch of salt. It is a business for them and so, they make sure that everything is hunky dory at their end and dangle all bells and whistles. It does not happen always, but again, get it thorougly inspected and take a call.

Rest, back to the 8 year old Swift, as I mentioned an experienced service advisor is your best bet instead of you doing the inspection. Good luck

[Sk8r]

Pardon me, am no expert in this. But all I can say is if you refer the thread "examples of lowest mileage cars in India" you will come across such examples aplenty.

1 - If that specific area if prone to water logging, please check that. (The "Chennaite" in me always sees this)

2- If there are not any mechanical replacements in the car, I think you're safe

Now is the time to find a trustworthy independent garage to perform a complete analysis.

[wheelspinner]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Pardon me, am no expert in this. But all I can say is if you refer the thread "examples of lowest mileage cars in India" you will come across such examples aplenty.

Thanks. It seems the number plate has few scratches, and at some portions it has faded away (white portions turning black, and black numbers becoming white). Is it normal or, is it a sign of heavy usage?

I've seen similar thing happen in commercial cars that run for lakhs of kilometers due to neglected maintenance.

I couldn't find the thread. Can you please help out with the link?

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by wheelspinner

Thanks. It seems the number plate has few scratches, and at some portions it has faded away (white portions turning black, and black numbers becoming white). Is it normal or, is it a sign of heavy usage?

I've seen similar thing happen in commercial cars that run for lakhs of kilometers due to neglected maintenance.

I couldn't find the thread. Can you please help out with the link?

I think more than heavy usage, it's more to do with exposure to natural elements/ environment..If a car is exposed to sun and harsh condition most of its time, then some fading could happen..

In our apartment building many cars have basement/ covered parking while some have uncovered parking. Some have more than 2-3 cars and they park it in open sun, exposed to harsh sun, heavy rain, dew etc and these cars show some degradation at some sections due to the same.

However the images of the car looks immaculate. As someone mentioned earlier, please check if the car is water damaged. I do not want to plant any seeds of doubt, but better to be careful then be sorry later.

[wheelspinner]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

I think more than heavy usage, it's more to do with exposure to natural elements/ environment..If a car is exposed to sun and harsh condition most of its time, then some fading could happen..

So I wonder how many other parts have similarly degrarded over time or, if the car has rusted inside. Rusting is hallmark of used cars in Kolkata

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by wheelspinner

So I wonder how many other parts have similarly degrarded over time or, if the car has rusted inside. Rusting is hallmark of used cars in Kolkata

Rusting is the hallmark of all coastal area vehicles. My friend and I purchased our cars (same brand) in same year in Bangalore.

He used it in Bangalore while I used it in Goa for a large period of time. My car rusted much quicker than his car and devalued more. We both sold our cars eventually and he got a better price for his car than mine, even though my car had a much lower mileage and better maintained.

Infact, I have noticed that coastal area cars, say Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin are less preferred or sell for a lesser price than say a car from Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad or Indore.

[akash_v12]

wheelspinner, if you have the car's registration number, you could go ahead and get the last reported odometer reading at any Maruti Suzuki-authorised service centre. If the dealer allows, get a Pre-Purchase Inspection done to the car by sending it to your preferred service centre. It should clear out most of your doubts.
Like someone else recommended, if you can get access to a OBD2 Scanner, it should also be able to get the mileage of your car checked.

[wheelspinner]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Rusting is the hallmark of all coastal area vehicles. My friend and I purchased our cars (same brand) in same year in Bangalore.

He used it in Bangalore while I used it in Goa for a large period of time. My car rusted much quicker than his car and devalued more. We both sold our cars eventually and he got a better price for his car than mine, even though my car had a much lower mileage and better maintained.

Infact, I have noticed that coastal area cars, say Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin are less preferred or sell for a lesser price than say a car from Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad or Indore.

I have observed that with careful usage, most cars still manage to remain in pristine condition without rust.

Not particularly about this car, but I have noticed that a few cars have rusted steering columns. Should I avoid cars with rusted steering column? (the part exposed near the clutch and brake pedals)

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by wheelspinner

I have observed that with careful usage, most cars still manage to remain in pristine condition without rust.

Sir, I agree with your POV. This is an old story. I have a friend in Goa who is extremely careful and maintained his Chevrolet Aveo in pristine condition. He would spend hours cleaning his car every other day. He would use a brush to reach unreachable corners, vacuum, blower and stuffs like that. Anyone who sees the car would vouch that it's just come out of showroom. That's the level of his maintenance.

When he wanted to change his car (he is a director with one of the larger mining companies in Goa and he gets to change his car after a certain period of time). I was keen to buy his car as it had very low mileage and maintained as good as new. He said " Don't buy this car, Chevrolet have left India and getting good service is very difficult and the under body of the car is corroded heavily and also the sections of the car where we cannot reach generally have also corroded ". His point was Visually it looks good, but under the hood, or wherever you cannot see, the corrosion has set in and the metal is getting thinner..

In the coastal area cars, generally, you dont get what you see. You get what you don't see.

Should I avoid cars with rusted steering column? (the part exposed near the clutch and brake pedals)

I was watching an YouTube channel this morning where the host was mentioning that "Everyone is over analysing the exit pole". In the same breadth, I suggest, please don't over analyse the car with an extremely tight and narrow yardstick. An used car is bound to have some deficiency or attributes due to its age/usage. That's given. So, the best thing to do is simply get it checked thoroughly with an company service personnel. He will be the right person to advise you.

There are thousands of cars in used cars market. With due diligence, you are bound to get a good car.