Previous owners - how many is too many?

Third Opinion · 5 Sep 2006 at 22:57

GSXRMovistar said:
Maybe the larger majority but no way most, I have friends who seem to have a different car every few months.

What's wrong with changing cars often if you can?

Yes but that is still rare. I understand some people change often but the chances of five of these type of people owning it in a row is a little unlikely.

Or the car can't make much of a impact on people if they all get rid of it after twelve months.

Nozzer · 5 Sep 2006 at 23:29

Third Opinion said:
Or the car can't make much of a impact on people if they all get rid of it after twelve months.

Well, it is a 5 Series

D4VE · 6 Sep 2006 at 08:46

eidolon said:
What other good reason is there for 5 different people to only keep the car for a year each then flog it on? Surely most people keep a car for at least 2-3 years before selling it

I never keep cars more than 2 years - always get bored.

cdcopyman · 6 Sep 2006 at 09:08

2 owners , but if there lady drivers it makes all the diffrence :rolleyes:

BigT · 6 Sep 2006 at 12:03

eidolon said:
What other good reason is there for 5 different people to only keep the car for a year each then flog it on?

Boredom
underestimation of the running costs (particulalry true of larger prestige motors)
Change of personal circumstance (buying house, getting company car, having kids etc.)
Transfer ownership between husband and wife
First owner was a broker
Car was part of a company car fleet when new whose policy was not to hold onto the cars for long

And lets not forget that we're all assuming that the car has had one owner every five years. We know the most recent has had it a year but the other four could have been 2 who had it a couple of years and 2 who had it over a much, much shorter time period.

Scania · 7 Sep 2006 at 19:10

Does the V5 not record registered keepers? I always thought the V5 was'nt proof of ownership, just who kept the car as it were.

Back on topic, iirc, my 318i had 6 previous owners.

Initially, a dealer demo (1)
Sold to business (2)
Sold to my fathers business (3)
Re-registered with different employee of the same business (4)
My mum then ran it for 60k miles & 3 years (5)

I buy it @ 125k miles (6)

As far as I know, owner #7 has taken it past 200k miles now!

So, a car that had many owners on paper, but, actually stayed in my fathers business and subsequently our family for years!

Probably the exception, not the norm, I grant you.