2005 Focus with 3000 miles on clock.

kilasser

My brother is in the process of buying an 05 Ford focus from a UK Ford main dealer. The Car is a 1.6 Ghia, really nice car not a mark on it, first registered October 05. 1 owner and full ford service history. The main thing that concerns me is that it has done so few miles, 3200 miles. All the history checks out with that mileage. But are they any pit falls of buying a three year old car with such low mileage.

RandomAccess

Dunno.. thats really odd. Maybe ask them about the previous owner, they are likely to remember something since its an odd situation.

Was the car inherited from a relative that died etc.. thats the most likely case for it having low mileage. If so then its hardly a concern..
The tyres must be like new, etc.

Worst case scenario the battery might crap out.. ha, neat find anyway

kilasser

The dealer said that it was sold to them by the family of man in his 80's that died this year, he only took it out of the garage to go to church on sundays.

bazz26

kilasser wrote: »

The dealer said that it was sold to them by the family of man in his 80's that died this year, he only took it out of the garage to go to church on sundays.

A Vicar by any chance..

Brabus

kilasser wrote: »

My brother is in the process of buying an 05 Ford focus from a UK Ford main dealer. The Car is a 1.6 Ghia, really nice car not a mark on it, first registered October 05. 1 owner and full ford service history. The main thing that concerns me is that it has done so few miles, 3200 miles. All the history checks out with that mileage. But are they any pit falls of buying a three year old car with such low mileage.

A lot of cars in the UK for sale are like that with miniscule mileage. What you have to remember is that unlike us they have a decent enough public transport system so like you said it was an OAP who only drove it at weekends.
If the HPI check gives it the all clear, then it's worth going after.
I'd make sure it has a full documented service history anyway.

What's the VRT like on one of those with that kind of mileage?

Alun

Brabus wrote: »

I'd make sure it has a full documented service history anyway.

Well, it's not really going to have any with only 3200 miles on it, is it? I'd say that it'd be pretty easy to tell if that kind of mileage was genuine, if it was kept in a garage as they said, then everything in the interior should be 100% immaculate with absolutely no signs of wear etc.

EI-EAY

It should have been serviced, Close to Annualy regardless of milage. Personally Id prefer to buy something driven a little more regularly, there's a possibility that it was lying idle for a long time.

Alun wrote: »

Well, it's not really going to have any with only 3200 miles on it, is it? I'd say that it'd be pretty easy to tell if that kind of mileage was genuine, if it was kept in a garage as they said, then everything in the interior should be 100% immaculate with absolutely no signs of wear etc.

Anan1

Alun wrote: »

Well, it's not really going to have any with only 3200 miles on it, is it? I'd say that it'd be pretty easy to tell if that kind of mileage was genuine, if it was kept in a garage as they said, then everything in the interior should be 100% immaculate with absolutely no signs of wear etc.

It's three years old, it should have been serviced despite the mileage.

@OP - Make SURE to do a full HPI - a common reason for newish cars to have very low mileage is that they spent a year or two in a yard following an accident.

kilasser

Full HPI done all ok. Service history shows service every 12 months with arround 1000 miles extra evey time. In side and out its like a brand new car it even smells like a new car.

L1011

Will there still be VAT on it with that low a odo reading?

Alun

Anan1 wrote: »

It's three years old, it should have been serviced despite the mileage.

Yes, sorry, forgot about that, theoretically it should have done, but with an average of only 1,000 miles a year, I don't think I'd personally lose any sleep if I'd discovered it hadn't been done to be honest.

Alanstrainor

Sounds like it's clean from what you've said. My granny's car is the same 4 years old about 3/4000 miles, although it's taken a fair few "knocks".

tred

MYOB wrote: »

Will there still be VAT on it with that low a odo reading?

No. its over 6 months old.

tred

kilasser wrote: »

My brother is in the process of buying an 05 Ford focus from a UK Ford main dealer. The Car is a 1.6 Ghia, really nice car not a mark on it, first registered October 05. 1 owner and full ford service history. The main thing that concerns me is that it has done so few miles, 3200 miles. All the history checks out with that mileage. But are they any pit falls of buying a three year old car with such low mileage.

is he getting it at a good price??, Take a chance on it. i am surpised its not being grabbed over there locally..but the market in uk is in worse condition than here for car sales.

Pete67

Regarding the VAT, it is payable on cars less than 6 months old or with less then 6000 km (3728 miles) on the clock. So make sure there is around 4000 miles on it when presented for VRT.

helimachoptor

My uncle has a 96 micra and its only done about 30,000KM, he drives to work drives home drives to the church on sunday and thats his 3 journeys per week. Rest of the time he gets the bus.

tred

Pete67 wrote: »

Regarding the VAT, it is payable on cars less than 6 months old or with less then 6000 km (3728 miles) on the clock. So make sure there is around 4000 miles on it when presented for VRT.

wow..i stand corrected. i thought it was and not or. I thought the 6k km was to stop you bringing in new cars and not paying vat. defo check that out.

positron

I know a genuine 02 Focus that has done just 20k miles.

Plug

I know a 96 mondeo with 26000 miles.

galwaytt

I've an 89 Mazda with only 74k kms (43k miles...)