Buying ex-fleet cars with high mileage? (Golf Gti mk5)

[PAz]

Good or bad idea? I mean they tend to have FSH and come quite well spec'ed, and on the down side have probably been driven hard/carelessly.

Mate is looking at a Golf GTI that's ex-fleet, 94k on the clock but has FSH and has had all the usual things done at the specified intervals (belts, pumps etc), but is concerned because the vehicle is ex-fleet that "something" might be wrong with it.

Don't have enough experience to advise him further, so seeking advice

TY.

 

[Duke]

If its serviced correctly, I don't see the problem? Not sure how long the turbos are good for, could ask on www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php Whats the interior and general condition like?

There are loads around though, so unless its really cheap you could find another example easily.

 

[PAz]

I haven't seen it mate, we were just discussing buying ex fleet cars and I was saying (similar to you) I don't really see the problem until you see it.

IIRC its 2007, ~90k, xenons, 18" wheels, nav, no leather for about £7.6k

 

[OpenToSuggestions]

When I used a fleet car for a big Uk manufacturer, the cars were Vectras that had 120,000 miles of being thrashed for every single one of them.
For me it depends entirely on how the car has been used. You really do not want one that has been thrashed as hard as a hire car for every mile it has ever done.

IIRC its 2007, ~90k, xenons, 18" wheels, nav, no leather for about £7.6k

Spend a little bit more and get a 2007 Focus ST .

 

[PAz]

If it was for me I'd be picking up a Leon Cupra

But he's one of these "Golf GTi is the only hot hatch ever!" people

 

[Duke]

IIRC its 2007, ~90k, xenons, 18" wheels, nav, no leather for about £7.6k

Sounds cheap to me, depending on the condition of course Have a look on PH/autotrader to check though as the prices vary a fair bit but have come down a chunk in the last year or so I've noticed.

 

[Jimbeam3678]

Having seen first hand how company cars get driven at my place of work I would say avoid like the plague

 

[Hades]

I've been looking at mk5 GTI's and that looks cheap(ish). But there are so many to choose from that I'd suggest finding a non-fleet car. High mileage doesn't worry me but high fleet mileage does as the driver has no emotional attachment to the car and is likely not to have treated it well.

On the plus side it will probably have been serviced correctly.

 

[DannyW]

90k? its barley broken in

 

[Kaeo]

90k? its barley broken in

£7.6k sounds quite cheap aslong as it's in good corndition

 

[PAz]

Having seen first hand how company cars get driven at my place of work I would say avoid like the plague

This is my biggest concern. I had an Audi TT as a CC for a while and I treated it like absolute ****.

Thanks for all the opinions anyway.

 

[[TW]Fox]

It's probably too old to be ex fleet, more likely it was once fleet then someone else bought it and is now selling it.

 

[zranyard]

my current car was ex-fleet, got it 3 years old at 76,000 miles, done nearly 30,000 now and hasn't yet caused any problems

 

[Joe T]

It's probably too old to be ex fleet, more likely it was once fleet then someone else bought it and is now selling it.

This.

 

[iaind]

It's probably too old to be ex fleet, more likely it was once fleet then someone else bought it and is now selling it.

Depends - some companies (like the one I work for) buy the vehicles outright. No idea why, seems daft to me - but they do hang onto them for longer


Anyway, it does depend on the sort of fleet it's been used for. It could either be a pool car where it's likely to have been trashed. Or if it was someone's personal car (more likely IMO) it may well have been cherished and looked after. Many company cars will want for nothing as the drivers treat them with the same pride as they would their own car and all the repairs and servicing are paid for.

 

[Conanius]

I think the theory of "Ex Fleet = Ragged to death" isn't always true. Even though this is a hot hatch.

Chances are, yes, it may have been owned by a petrol head who made full use of the rev range. But that doesn't mean it was launched at 7000 rpm when the oil was cold at every opportunity.

I'd risk saying in plenty of cases fleet cars could well have been treated just as well as one that was bought with someones own money. Certainly I wouldn't think 'GAME ON' if I had use of a company vehicle....

 

[Begbie]

I think the theory of "Ex Fleet = Ragged to death" isn't always true. Even though this is a hot hatch.

Chances are, yes, it may have been owned by a petrol head who made full use of the rev range. But that doesn't mean it was launched at 7000 rpm when the oil was cold at every opportunity.

I'd risk saying in plenty of cases fleet cars could well have been treated just as well as one that was bought with someones own money. Certainly I wouldn't think 'GAME ON' if I had use of a company vehicle....

Don't know, I've seen the way some of our work wagons get used. Poor wee combo van we had about 18k on the clock if you'd driven it you'd have swore it was closer to 200k.

 

[Joe T]

Personal company cars and pool cars / vans can be treated very differently.

 

[Conanius]

Personal company cars and pool cars / vans can be treated very differently.

Exactly.

I'll risk stereotyping, but a Golf GTi pool car at an accountancy firm in a 'chocolate box' village in Hertfordshire is going to be treated well I would imagine.

A Golf GTi pool car at a bricklayers collage might be treated... less well.

My point is, pool car/company vehicle/ex fleet/whatever doesn't always equal bad news.

 

[PAz]

I went with him to see it tonight, not bad at all considering the age cosmetically!

Lots of stone chips on the bonnet that really stood out due to it being black (probably means its equates to motorway miles which is OK), and some corrosion on the wheels, but otherwise generally looked very good (and he seemed to be pleased with how it drove).

Engine wise hard to say, but had a full VW history and belt/pump was last changed at 85000.