[kpzen]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

What about the test drive cars?

They cant be sold-off as new! And some even have speedo disconnected.

It can be done. Infact i've seen that being done too..

[Dippy]

Yes test drive cars are sold to unsuspecting customers. And they are very cheek to tell you about it too. Experienced that when I drove the Lancer Invex few years ago and more recently when I drove the Optra Magnum diesel. The guys tells me the Magnum was getting ready for delivery to a customer and this he tells me after I have ripped the car with no mercy. So inshort a TD'd a "NEW" customer car and not the demo machine. They dont have one. Infact when I started the TD he insisted that I take it to an empty stretch of road and go pedal to the metal.

Must be quite a RIP OFF for the guy who took delivery

@ rajeev: Are they offering you the same warranty on that Swift to you as they would on a brand new car and not "slightly damaged" car?

Be sure to ask them that.

[vkochar]

RAJEEV - as many other bhpians have already warned you, I would do the same. Look at it this way - SWIFT is selling like hot muffins !!! Waiting period, no discounts, then why would a new swift ( with just a scratched bumper ) lying there for so many months. I have seen cars in really bad shapes getting dented when they are loaded off the trucks, they repair them in the service shop and sell them as new cars - nothing wrong in doing that !!

So, please be careful when you go for the plunge !! Cheers !!!

[Jr Godzilla]

Originally Posted by Dippy

Yes test drive cars are sold to unsuspecting customers. And they are very cheek to tell you about it too. Experienced that when I drove the Lancer Invex few years ago and more recently when I drove the Optra Magnum diesel. The guys tells me the Magnum was getting ready for delivery to a customer and this he tells me after I have ripped the car with no mercy. So inshort a TD'd a "NEW" customer car and not the demo machine. They dont have one. Infact when I started the TD he insisted that I take it to an empty stretch of road and go pedal to the metal.

Must be quite a RIP OFF for the guy who took delivery

@ rajeev: Are they offering you the same warranty on that Swift to you as they would on a brand new car and not "slightly damaged" car?

Be sure to ask them that.

Maybe its a blessing in disguise for the owner who would buy the car you TDed. You have already done a neat job of the running in which otherwise he would have done by the manual.

back to the thread is if you are happy with the car being given, damages taken care off, Warranty 1 yr if not 3 yrs (dont know period of warranty for Swift) check out the engine, all electricals, try to see if the engine, dash, fittings not been tampered with and boy you have a nice deal. Do check for gearbox noise / whine with engine idle depress cluth release clutch none should be heard. do some basic checks of used car buying and looking for areas in what should not be there in a new car.

[phamilyman]

Hmm

So swift LXI is costing you 3.55+1.75(since you're trading your alto) = 5.3L?? Isn't he overcharging for a 8 month old suspect piece of machinery?!?!?

[dcetech]

No, phamilyman, He is getting LXi for 3.55 only.

Imo, buy a new one.. a difference of max to max Rs 70,000 - 75,000
why risk it?

[Thad E Ginathom]

I share the cynicism here. It sounds like a very unlikely story.

But what's this about demo cars having the speedo disconected? Seeing as how the car is going to get sold on one day, this sound like nothing short of criminal activity!

And if it that easy, how come people don't just do that for 60% of the time to make their cars look better for resale?

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by dcetech

No, phamilyman, He is getting LXi for 3.55 only.

Imo, buy a new one.. a difference of max to max Rs 70,000 - 75,000
why risk it?

Originally Posted by rajeev26680

In exchange of my 2004 Alto lxi (He's willing to pay me 1,75,000 for that),he's giving me 2006 swift lxi for 3,55,000.

Excusez moi.

You give alto worth 1.75.
You pay an additional 3.55 to get the swift.

Isnt your net cost = 3.55+1.75 = 5.3???

[rubin2006]

The dealer could be right also he is doing no charity to you by asking for 3.55 you are not getting it for free , and the deals sounds alright to me ,my cousin got a brand new swift 2006 in December for 3.8 ,and you re getting a touched up car after an year for 3.5 ten only thing you have to see is how big or small the accident was ,

If i were you i would not buy this car what is the point you hardly save any money the more the better option would be to wait and buy a brand new car with all year end discounts that will come with a lot of peace of mind

[danlalan]

IT does sound like a very tempting offer...but i suggest if hes giving you 1.75 for your alto then put that as DP and go in for a zxi on loan or even a vxi.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

(2) the odo should read 0; not 50 or anything.

Originally Posted by BUSA

All cars do less then 10kms when sold, before registration.

The new car yards are located at least 15 kms away, how could the odo read 0 or 10 ?

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

And if it that easy, how come people don't just do that for 60% of the time to make their cars look better for resale?

Because you can always rewind it when you want to sell it, why bother now ?

[austere_sly]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

The new car yards are located at least 15 kms away, how could the odo read 0 or 10 ?

Depends on dealer I guess. Mine had 9.5 km exact.

[kpzen]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

The new car yards are located at least 15 kms away, how could the odo read 0 or 10 ?

Not necessary. Most of the new dealers now have their showroom and stock yard located at the same place.

[lancer_maniac]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Excusez moi.

You give alto worth 1.75.
You pay an additional 3.55 to get the swift.

Isnt your net cost = 3.55+1.75 = 5.3???

Nope .For The swift he has been quoted 3.55 and for the alto 1.75.so it works up like this.
3.55-1.75=1.80 (exchange price)

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by lancer_maniac

Nope .For The swift he has been quoted 3.55 and for the alto 1.75.so it works up like this.
3.55-1.75=1.80 (exchange price)

Righto... and that is why he is drooling all over the place I guess. He is looking at that 1.80 figure that he will have to arrange to get his hands on that refurbished swift.

However, I have an inherent distaste for salesmen, more so the automotive variety. When they say A-1, First Class, Buckingham palace it will most probably turn out to be B-2, Pretty Ok, Mittal court in that order. So if the guy is saying B-2, Pretty Ok, Mittal Court on his own then I have this strong hunch that it has the potential to turn out third rate, Crap and Dharavi Shanty. Beware!

I am not saying that it will be a problem car however common sense tells me that a car on the assembly line takes a knock and suffers a dent on the bumper should not at all be a cause of worry for the manufacturer. They will simply send it back for replacing the bumper. A bumper does not come with any birthmark like the engine, chassis or transaxle that a change will mean a lot of hassle. Then why are they disposing it off cheap? Something could be really wrong here.

Two possibilities I can think of,
* The car was damaged in transit. Any damage so suffered becomes the liability of the dealer. So he must have got it repaired and now trying to sell it off by telling half truths. I have heard of cars that fell off the narrow ramp while being unloaded from the truck. You can imagine the damage. And also how they would have later sold it off.
* This one is even murkier. Some time back there was a thread on how a fellow member spotted a car dealership that sells "new" car as factory seconds. You do not get any warranties or at least not the standard warranties. The manufacturer does not even officially sells it to you (not a standard/regular dealership). But you get the cars dirt cheap. How do you know this guy also did not pick up one such lemon and is not trying to sell it off at some profit to you?

Cars are costly things to buy. You can not buy it like a pair of trousers or t-shirts which if you do not like you can throw away after a couple of months and buy another. Its better to be a little more circumspect.

However the final call has got to be yours. Afterall its your money you are spending