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Old 17th June 2020, 21:21   #136
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Buying a 2018 Skoda Rapid TDI test drive car

Dear Friends,

I am facing a peculiar dilemma in my car buying process and therefore request your expert guidance/inputs in order to gain some clarity in my thoughts.

I currently drive a 2014 WagonR Petrol + CNG which has clocked around 85000 kms till date. It has been my trusted aide for the last 4 years. My usage (till around 4 months ago i.e. pre-covid period) was around 55 kms per day on a regular weekday, plus random weekend drives around Mumbai (to Pune, Lonavala, Goa etc.). On an average, around 1500 kms every month, 70:30 City:Highway. Though as of now, I am working from home, I do not believe the scenario would stay like this for too long and I would have to resume working from my office at some point. Even if that does not happen, I am keeping my fingers crossed for relaxations in inter-state travel which would open up avenues for working from a more scenic location (read - the Himalayas or Goa or Kerala or North-east) rather than working from my home. In any case, I see myself using a car for around 100,000 kms over the next 6 - 7 years and am planning to buy a vehicle with such a usage in mind.

Accordingly, I was eagerly waiting for the launch of the 2020 Honda City. But just a couple of days ago, I happened to speak to a sales rep from Skoda's JMD Auto in Mumbai who informed me that they have a few BSIV Skoda Rapids TDIs in their stock which has still not been sold. The catch - The vehicle in question is a 2018 Rapid TDI which has clocked around 3000 kms and was being used a test drive vehicle. Now I have the following questions that is making me indecisive:

- Is it a good idea (in principle) to buy a car which has been used as a test drive car? How are test drive cars usually maintained by dealers and driven around by drivers and potential buyers?

- Is there a chance of the dealer tampering with the odometer? How can the same be verified?

- They claim that before the new emission norms were introduced, the particular model and variant (TDI MT Style) was retailing for around 15 lakhs OTR (don't know how far that is true). However, now they are quoting 11.75 lakhs. The car is registered in the name of the dealer and if bought, I would be the second owner. Is the price being quoted too steep considering that we are now in the BSVI era where diesels are being phased out, in the middle of a pandemic and the buyer would be the second owner? What should be a fair price (or atleast a range) for such a vehicle? I cannot compare this to a similar vehicle being sold on OLX or Quickr because this has barely been used (by what the dealer claims) and being bought in these circumstances.

- Does it make sense to buy a vehicle which has been driven for 3000 kms in the last 18 months or so? Like how they say, the safest place for an aircraft is the sky, I believe that the safest place for a car is the road, because if it spends days together in the parking lot, it would catch rust (literally and metaphorically). But since in this case we are talking about a test drive car being maintained by the dealer which is only 18-20 months old, does that logic hold any good?

- The question around buying a BSIV diesel. Though personally I love the particular engine in question, would I face any issues in ownership if I plan to keep it for 5-7 years? Would there be any buyers for the car after this time-period or would I be forced to sell it for a song or in scrap?

- Service Support for the product since the engine is no longer in production and VW group does not plan to manufacture any more diesels in this category?

To be honest, I love German cars just for the way they are built and the way they drive. The reason for having an inclination towards Honda City is the ease of ownership and maintenance and the Japanese longevity. That being said, I am seriously considering the Skoda proposition because my initial outlay would be 25-30% lesser than for a Honda City, I would get the benefit in running costs for driving a diesel engine, and last but not the least, Skoda Rapid is any day a more fun car to drive than the Honda City. But... I would be guided by your inputs for my above questions to make a call.

TIA!
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Old 17th June 2020, 22:42   #137
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Re: Buying a 2018 Skoda Rapid TDI test drive car

Quote:
Originally Posted by pokerface23 View Post
Dear Friends,

The vehicle in question is a 2018 Rapid TDI which has clocked around 3000 kms and was being used a test drive vehicle. Now I have the following questions that is making me indecisive:

- Is it a good idea (in principle) to buy a car which has been used as a test drive car? How are test drive cars usually maintained by dealers and driven around by drivers and potential buyers?

- Is there a chance of the dealer tampering with the odometer? How can the same be verified?

- They claim that before the new emission norms were introduced, the particular model and variant (TDI MT Style) was retailing for around 15 lakhs OTR (don't know how far that is true). However, now they are quoting 11.75 lakhs. The car is registered in the name of the dealer and if bought, I would be the second owner.

TIA!
I would advise you to maintain a healthy social distancing from this deal! In my city, used Skoda rapid of 2018 vintage are listed for 9L on olx and its a single owner car and not a TD car like this one. Skodas have terrible resale values and when you try to sell it after 6 years, it will go for peanuts. The price quoted by the dealership is very high in my opinion. Last year (2019) I purchased a Toyota display car which was in the showroom for 9 months and was manufactured in 2018. The dealer straightaway knocked off 3L and I was able to bargain for a lakh more and finally got it for a 4L discount and the car had only 30km on the Odo and I am its first owner. So in your case, considering its poor resale, covid situation and the fact that you will be the 2nd owner, you may consider it if you get 50% off with extended warranty until 5 years. Just my opinion.
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Old 3rd July 2020, 20:25   #138
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Hello Fellow Team-BHPians,

I have come across a MSIL S-Cross 1.6 Alpha in TrueValue with following details:

Make: 2017
Model: MSIL S-Cross 1.6 Alpha
Color: White
Mileage: 92 kms (only)
SA told me its a demo car.
Warranty: 1 year (offered with TrueValue vehicles) plus 3 services
Ownership: Its registered on MSIL/Dealer's name.

Asking: INR 8.5-9 L (non-negotiable)

My initial reaction:
1. How come a 2017 model is still around with only 92 kms? Aren't demo models changed with a newer version as soon as a new one is available?
2. Could its meter be tempered with?
3. Could it be a transit damaged one and then re-packaged?
4. Any other thing which SA hasn't informed me in the first place?
5. A new one would've costed INR 13.5-14.5 L on-road. The price seems decent.

I am yet to physically see/ inspect and TD it.

What do you think of this deal? Please do let me know your thoughts. Should I bother to negotiate, and if yes, to what extent? Or should I let this pass?

Looking forward.

Best wishes,
RBR
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Old 4th July 2020, 00:03   #139
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RBR View Post
My initial reaction:
1. How come a 2017 model is still around with only 92 kms? Aren't demo models changed with a newer version as soon as a new one is available?
2. Could its meter be tempered with?
3. Could it be a transit damaged one and then re-packaged?
4. Any other thing which SA hasn't informed me in the first place?
5. A new one would've costed INR 13.5-14.5 L on-road. The price seems decent.
Hi RBR!
Although I’m no expert in this field, I’ll try answering your questions to the best of my abilities.

1. A 2017 Demo Car could mean that it was a car that was standing on the showroom floor which justifies the low odometer reading. However, this car has to be the facelifted model to be a car standing on the showroom for so long. If not a facelifted car, there is a very high chance that the car is a damaged one that has been completely fixed and now being sold off at TrueValue. Best thing to do in this case is to take a trusted mechanic and a paint-depth meter to judge the extent of repainting (if any). Also, check the manufacturing week & year of the tyres on the car. This, in itself is a tell-tale sign of a damaged car.

2. The odometers of vehicles can be reset back to 0 till a specific number of Kilometres (250, I believe). So considering that the car’s odometer has been reset, it would’ve only travelled around 342KMs.

3. I’ve answered this question under the 1st question itself.

4. Ask the SA about the details of the car - VIN, Registration, Why is the odo reading so low?, Was it a showroom display car? If not, then was it crashed?

Also, I’d recommend taking the car for a PPI to a trusted FNG (not Maruti) and get the car checked out. If everything checks out, then I must say you’ve got a shocker deal on this car. However, there is still some room to bargain with. Try and get the price down to around ₹7L - ₹7.5L.

Last edited by akash_v12 : 4th July 2020 at 00:05.
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Old 4th July 2020, 01:58   #140
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RBR View Post
I am yet to physically see/ inspect and TD it.

What do you think of this deal? Please do let me know your thoughts. Should I bother to negotiate, and if yes, to what extent? Or should I let this pass?
I'd say touch it with a 10 foot pole, because odometer tampering is really a 5 minute job especially in Maruti's.
If you decide to check it out, check for signs that normal people won't notice like:
1. Wear marks on the paddles.
2. Wear marks on the interior.
3. Month and year in which the tyres were manufactured, if they match or not with the cars manufacturing date. How much wear they have?
4. As suggested already check with some kind of paint depth meter.
Take a competent guy so that even minor imperfections don't go unnoticed.
I've seen someone known getting very happily scammed with a so called perfect car at True value.
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Old 4th July 2020, 12:05   #141
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RBR View Post
Hello Fellow Team-BHPians,

I have come across a MSIL S-Cross 1.6 Alpha in TrueValue with following details:

Asking: INR 8.5-9 L (non-negotiable)

My initial reaction:
1. How come a 2017 model is still around with only 92 kms? Aren't demo models changed with a newer version as soon as a new one is available?
2. Could its meter be tempered with?
3. Could it be a transit damaged one and then re-packaged?
4. Any other thing which SA hasn't informed me in the first place?
5. A new one would've costed INR 13.5-14.5 L on-road. The price seems decent.
1. This would be a 3-year old car standing on the showroom floor probably at their HQ, or it might have possibly be used in research clinics or for other R&D purposes for static evaluation.

2 & 3. Possibly, but being a registered car in Maruti's name, chances are low. You will need to carefully asses the car for wear marks as rightly pointed out by revvharder. Something as simple as the tyres could give away the car's actual usage.

4. What you should know is that there's a high chance that the car hasn't had its fluids ever replaced, or its battery changed, so when you are negotiating, ensure that these are changed before taking delivery. Even the tyres could have become much harder than usual; keep an eye out for minor cracks. There could be minor surface rust in places which isn't an issue, but make sure that no area is actually corroded. Also, do re-confirm your warranty details. True Value usually offers warranty only on engine-gearbox, and nothing else. So check all the electrical components thoroughly.

5. If all boxes check-out, I would have bought the car if it were in my city and if I was in the market for one, even if it were at a 40-50k premium than what is available in the market. Do realize that even though you are technically the second owner, you will be the first person to actually run-in thus car, so how it behaves in the long run, is completely up to you. Plus, the 1.6 is a bomb of an engine, and as a fast, fun yet practical family car, this one is a great option.

Last edited by S2!!! : 4th July 2020 at 12:08.
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Old 4th July 2020, 12:53   #142
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by RBR View Post
Make: 2017
Model: MSIL S-Cross 1.6 Alpha
Color: White
Mileage: 92 kms
Had this been a facelifted S-Cross, I'd have believed the dealer's demo car story for a moment.

It's understandable that dealers will try to dump diesel-powered S-Cross display cars now that the petrol version is around the corner. But what you're looking at is a model that was discontinued in 2017 itself. And as per the odometer, it was unused. Where was it stored for all these years? Why no one picked it up in all these years? There are too many question marks to comfortably go ahead with this deal.

Also, this S-Cross has not even done 100 kms in 1000 days. Cars are made to run, many people drive their cars more than 92 kms in one day itself. The low odometer reading in this case is more of a concern than an advantage.

If in your place, I'd have walked away from this deal. A user-driven 3 year old S-Cross 1.6 with 30-35k kms on the clock will be a much safer bet. It would be available at a much lower price as well (S-Cross pre-facelift has been a sales dud after all).

Last edited by self_driven : 4th July 2020 at 12:57.
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Old 4th July 2020, 14:50   #143
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Thank you @akash_v12, @revvharder, @S2!!, @self_driven for your comments.
Went to check the vehicle today, as luck would have, it got booked in cash yesterday evening (in cash). The SA exhibited another 1.6 Alpha in Blue, 2015 make with ~800 km on odo. The tyres seemed fine for both the vehicles, they had rubber hairs on them.
Both registered on MSIL name and the SA is not able to explain (may be doesn't know herself) about the low mileage on a 3-5 years old car. Not too sure for the 2015 make, as if bought, I can drive it for 5 years max in Delhi.
The search continues!!
Best wishes,
RBR
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Old 8th July 2020, 17:06   #144
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

RBR,

Even though you’ve let go of the S-Cross, this thread should help you understand odometer tampering a bit more.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...usly-easy.html (Odometer tampering is ridiculously easy)

Thanks,
Akashdeep
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Old 25th September 2020, 19:39   #145
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Re: Tata Tiago crosses 3 lakh unit production milestone

But there are dealers who sell accidental cars after refurbishing them which later defames brands like Tata & people start to pull away.

As per the video, Car met an accident while being transferred to another dealer. When not accepted, transferor refurbished the car & delivered to a customer as brand new.
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Old 3rd December 2020, 12:08   #146
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Hi all, I am being offered a deal for Freestyle Petrol Titanium plus at 8.2L on road including body and underbody coating as well as 5 years extended warranty (new costs 8.8L on road without extra bits). The car is a 5k run petrol demo vehicle that has also been sent to nearby cities(100-200kms) for some events and has also been used for test drives occasionally. From the VIN, it seems to be Feb 2020 manufactured vehicle.
I'll be the first registered owner for the car since it was running on showroom's test nameplates.
I find the deal to be lucrative and also trying to negotiate a bit more but would like to know the risk involved and things to inspect in the vehicle before finalising the deal and would also like to understand if I should do some extra PDI in addition to the standard checks recommended for new vehicles.
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Old 3rd December 2020, 16:27   #147
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by S2K View Post
From the VIN, it seems to be Feb 2020 manufactured vehicle.
Nah, this car has too many red flags in comparison to the discount being offered. More than test drives, it is public events and media drives that are a real torture for these demo cars.

See if you can negotiate (flop model + year end + BS4 probably) and push for around 1.5 lakhs discount on the actual price. Anything less than that is not worth the risk.

Regarding PDI, sticking to Team BHP new car PDI list will not be enough. Treat this as a used car and thoroughly check mechanicals, electronics, bodyline, suspension and tyres.
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Old 3rd December 2020, 16:44   #148
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by S2K View Post
Hi all, I am being offered a deal for Freestyle Petrol Titanium plus at 8.2L on road including body and underbody coating as well as 5 years extended warranty (new costs 8.8L on road without extra bits). The car is a 5k run petrol demo vehicle that has also been sent to nearby cities(100-200kms) for some events and has also been used for test drives occasionally. From the VIN, it seems to be Feb 2020 manufactured vehicle.
I'll be the first registered owner for the car since it was running on showroom's test nameplates.
I find the deal to be lucrative and also trying to negotiate a bit more but would like to know the risk involved and things to inspect in the vehicle before finalising the deal and would also like to understand if I should do some extra PDI in addition to the standard checks recommended for new vehicles.
As per orange book value the value of this car is ~7.3L - you are over-paying for what is essentially a used car.
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Old 3rd December 2020, 17:22   #149
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Quote:
Originally Posted by self_driven View Post
Nah, this car has too many red flags in comparison to the discount being offered. More than test drives, it is public events and media drives that are a real torture for these demo cars.

See if you can negotiate (flop model + year end + BS4 probably) and push for around 1.5 lakhs discount on the actual price. Anything less than that is not worth the risk.

Regarding PDI, sticking to Team BHP new car PDI list will not be enough. Treat this as a used car and thoroughly check mechanicals, electronics, bodyline, suspension and tyres.
Sorry, my bad. The deal is at 7.8L with some more scope for negotiation. This price also includes full 5 year extended warranty, complete external and underbody coating, and some extra accessories over the general on-road cost. Also it's the BS6 version.
Your advice to negotiate is definitely gonna push me even more to bring down the price.
Thanks.
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Old 11th February 2021, 01:25   #150
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re: How do dealers dispose of a demo car?

Hi All,

I am getting a used car deal on a 2018 Polo GT TDI done 11,000 kms. The car is in mint condition and drives well, seems like a brand new car.
The car is registered in the name of VW India Chakan plant.
The dealer told me that it was used by VW executives in the plant itself. Want to ensure its not a test drive car with a tampered meter.
Anyone know how I can get this verified or any insights that may be helpful.
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