[Pashin]

Originally Posted by evolution

I'm looking at a bunch of options in the used market at the moment. Looking only at convertible / cabriolet options.

One really stands out - its a 2013 Mercedes with only 5000km on it. Cost is around 40L.
Please advise!

When it comes to the Luxo-Badges, dont proceed a bit without going thru the service and insurance claim history. A C class with 9k kms on the odo had a plethora of isssues including Steering unit change, battery replacement twice, reverse gear not engaging etc.. So service history is the primary criteria.

Did the new car cost 1 crore+ in 2013? If so the 40lac asking price is justified. It is true that when it comes to Convertibles and Cabriolets the choices are few and far between, at the same time the takers for such cars are also next to none. The final price would depend a lot on your negotiation skills.

As far as the low kms are concerned, it does make a hell lot of difference especially if the car has been cared for. 2 examples in my circle are a Honda Accord V6 2009 model done 30K and a Palio Stile 2008 done 9K, both drive and feel like brand new cars. Just ensure you get a proper service done including filter/oil changes before using it extensively.

All the BEST!

[theqca]

Originally Posted by evolution

The advice I got actually is that once a car crosses 50k km it's pretty much finished lolol.. But this was layman, non technical advice. I guess you pros here would not agree with that statement?

Adding my views to this point since the other points have already been addressed.


1) It depends on the brand and model
2) It depends on whether all services have been done in the right manner at the correct intervals.

"Only buy a car if its run less than 50k km" might hold true for a brand like Maruti perhaps because the general perception amongst people is that the engine starts giving trouble or the car needs some work or the other with parts wearing out after 50k km. Again this is the general perception and I'm sure there are exceptions.

1 lakh km is not considered a very high in the US for something like a Toyota or a Honda and its normal to see cars in good condition running a few lakh km.

Though you also ought to check where the car has been used. So 1 lakh km on rural Indian roads vs 1 lakh km on roads in the US would be very different.

I'd say use the km bit as a rough guideline. A reputable brand in good condition even if its run more than 50k km and has a full service history where you can verify all the work done shouldn't be ignored.

[ScorpWarp]

Originally Posted by evolution

if regular servicing is done for the both the options - would you guys still say the 30k running one is better than 5k? If we look at the math the 5k one has barely done 600km a year.. Is that too less for this kind of car?

No, lower mileage from trusted source and verified service history is always better than higher mileage car. At the end of the day it is a machine with mechanical parts, no matter how good you maintain the wear tear is going to be there due to usage. So dont ignore that. I know few people who own an audi A6, Camry but for day to day pune city grind he prefers a chauffeur driven ciaz and uses the other two on weekends only.
Also, as others have pointed out, convertible is an exotic car, most like owner has other cars for daily use so it may have been driven on joy rides on nice weather days only. So verify the service history, am sure the service center offers multiple point checks on condition of car - get those done and as long as source/owner is trusted I would advice to go for low mileage car.

[Cyborg]

I am with the majority here who say don’t look at ONLY the kilometres the car has run. Instead check for overall parameters with the service centre. If a low run car is clean in all aspects then paying a reasonable premium is definitely on the cards for a such a vehicle.

For example my February 2010 Civic V AT has clocked only 45xxx genuine kilometres in eleven years and has been serviced regularly. My running is anyways low and I had two cars until a couple of years ago. Sold off the other one which was a Maruti Ignis AMT which I couldn’t live with anymore So genuine low mileage but a older car age wise is possible.

Cheers

[ChandraSekarMN]

In this same forum I had earlier read that all the three big German brands are better to be run reasonably and serviced according to service schedules than very low mileage cars. As GTO mentioned above, there can be exceptions for such niche products such as convertibles etc. However if one is looking at such very low run examples for normal Bimmers, Mercs, think twice and do the due diligence carefully.possible Reasons could be 1. Geniune low usage or 2.Lemons.

[ValuableRecluse]

An expensive convertible is not going to be a daily driver in our country.
People who can spend close to 1cr on a weekend toy will have atleast 2 other cars for their daily requirements.
There are always exceptions.
A convertible or sports car needs to be owner driven. No point sitting next to your driver and watching him have all the fun.
So 5k KM in the last 7-8 years isn’t that much of a stretch.

If it’s had only one owner, maintenance can be expected to be carried out on schedule, so that is a win too.

If I were you, I would take the vehicle to a Mercedes service Center or a good independent high end car repair shop for a diagnostic scan.
Check the service records for regular maintenance as well as any high value component replacement or complaints. Also check the NCB and /or any insurance claims.

I assume the car has spent most of its life garaged. So the paint and rubber parts should be in good condition.
However check for damage to insulation and rubber parts from rats and insects.
Moisture can cause corrosion on cars that have spent most of their lives indoors, so crawl right under her or get someone knowledgable to give the underbody a thorough examination.
The leather and wood interior may also be destroyed with mildew. Make sure it’s been looked after. Now is a good time to check the drivers seat, pedals, steering and gearshift for wear. It should look like new with a little fading/discolouration due to age. If it looks worn, then that 5k is probably a lie.

Most important! That top has to go up and down noiselessly and smoothly without getting caught anywhere.
I hear that is an expensive repair.

Make sure it’s not food affected.

The test drive must be flawless with seamless gearshifts. No warning lights on the dash and all electronics must work like new.
Check the AC. It’s got to cool well even with the top down.

If all this checks out, you’re one step closer to enjoying some awesome top down motoring in your favourite hillstation.

[BennyA23]

Originally Posted by evolution

The advice I got actually is that once a car crosses 50k km it's pretty much finished lolol.. But this was layman, non technical advice. I guess you pros here would not agree with that statement?

My 1,20,000+ E280 CDI, 1,00,000+ W204 Kompressor & 2,20,000+ Corolla Altis would like to have a word with you.