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3 year old car with zero mileage - petrol gone off?

  • 04-02-2025 9:56am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,265 ✭✭✭


    A dealer is selling a petrol car with no mileage (20km) but the car has been sitting somewhere for 3 years.

    My understanding is that petrol goes off well within that time frame I'm not sure what the implications would be for injectors and fuel lines being fired up after so long idle. Would anyone have any reservations about buying such a car?



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,003 ✭✭✭CMOTDibbler


    If you're worried about it, siphon it out and fill from a jerry can of fresh fuel. Drive to the nearest filling station and top it up. Old fuel can leave gummy deposits in your tank, so as long as it's topped up regularly, these should dissolve and dilute over time.



  • Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators Posts: 11,234 Mod ✭✭✭✭MarkR


    Tyres could be perished after sitting up for a while.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,680 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    Reservations yes. I'd want the price to be lower to pay for the potential repairs.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,509 ✭✭✭Padre_Pio


    Probably change all the fluids just in case some moisture got in over the years.

    Get one of those Aircon cleaners in case mold is growing in the vents.

    Check for mold on the seatbelts and under the seats, glovesbox etc just in case.

    Likely need new tyres as they would have flat spots.

    A test drive should shake out the cobwebs and tell you more.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,201 ✭✭✭User1998


    Just tell them to change all the fluids and fuel



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,512 ✭✭✭✭Esel
    Not Your Ornery Onager


    Is the car registered here?

    Not your ornery onager



  • Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 41,927 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    Why exactly was the car sitting unused for three years?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,680 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    Will that have an effect on how the car runs.

    Best part of the late brake show is the barn finds. Is this car in a barn?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,265 ✭✭✭Stallingrad


    Pre reg Renault Capture, who knows why it's been sitting so long. I think Renault has a form with pre-registration cars, two and three-year-old cars pop-up regularly with barely any miles on them.



  • Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 41,927 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    Of course it could have an effect on how (or if) the car runs!

    If you can get someone impartial in the trade to verify that then it would be a comfort but if it were me and I had no reason to know why it was left sitting for three years then I'd be inclined to walk away.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,680 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    A car sitting that long if there was an issue that what the cause of it not being used, engine blown etc. still has that. But it also has any number of unknown new issues. Fuel, rodents, mould, flat spotted tyres, seized calipers, perished lines etc.

    You'd have to check everything on it, regardless of any original issue.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,348 ✭✭✭PsychoPete


    This was pretty standard practice for Renault Ireland, they'd happily leaving cars brand new registered and unregistered cars sitting up for 1 or 2 years then they'd offer them to dealers eventually. They also gave alot of employee family and friends free cars for a year, from what I've heard that's stopped now since the major reshuffle. I wouldn't be worried at all as to why it was sitting up but I'd be wanting a full service done on it at the very least



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,594 ✭✭✭Glaceon


    That's mad. Since new cars depreciate so rapidly, it seems crazy to let them sit unsold for so long.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,348 ✭✭✭PsychoPete


    It was very odd. When I worked in a Renault dealer we got a few of them that were registered for 12 months but less than 30kms on them



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