Previous owners - how many is too many?

Number of owners doesn't bother me that much, my 53 Rav had 2 owners before me in 2 years, each did 11k, one was a Toyota comercial product development manager or more likley his wife, the other an older lady so by the time I got it i'm number 3. It's FSH and still under manuf's GT. Having done 10k in 5 months if I was to sell it now it would be with 3 owners in 3 years. Love the car so i'll put 100k on it before the other half gets it but if i was a depreciation wh0re you can see how i'd want to get rid soon.
 
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Wouldn't bother me tbh, especially on a prestige marque. Here's a not that untypical situation for the E39 you're looking at which used to happen all the time where I used to work.

Owner of small company gets car through a broker and runs it as a company car for tax purposes. That's two owners already. Then he has a policy of changing the cars evey two years but he likes the look of the beemer so takes his new "company" car and buys the E39 off the company (or perhaps a staff member takes it off his hands). 3 owners. Then he flogs it when its MOT comes up after three years because he doesn't drive cars that need MOTs as it would be a sign of weakness at the golf club. One more sale and you're up to your 5th owner.
 
your not just trying to find reasons for not buying it ?? :) as said look at the condition.i had vehicles that have been retraded in less than a week after purchase, the owners soon add up. mind you i have got a megane at the moment on the y plate with9 owners :eek: .

now whos name do avis register theres in..........
 
If it has full service history and the HPI is clean I wouldnt worry.

My RX8 I bought it less than a year old and I was the 3rd owner. I sold it easily enough, it was 2 years old to a young chap who was the 4th owner of a '04 plated car (for those that did just a HND) thats a average of 2 owners per year.
 
I viewed a 5 that had a new owner each year after it's 1st 3 years. TBH it put me right off it. His excuse was he needed something bigger. I suspect MPG and running costs catch them out.
 
Had this very same prob this afternoon.Car is exactly what we are looking for,better in fact,yet when i checked its had 3 owners in 3 yrs.Whilst not putting me off,it does make you wonder a little.The check showed that one was for 12 mths exactly -which will be some sort of contract ,so makes me feel better about it.
Actually we've been looking at new too (Mitsi Shogun Sport) and the majority of new one sitting on the forecourts are all ready registered to the dealer,so even if you bought 'new' it will already have 1 previous owner.
 
GSXRMovistar said:
Driving I would have thought, what's wrong with previous owners wanting a new/different car on a yearly basis?
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Nothing at all, its what I do (i get bored quickly).
 
Well this clearly does put some people off (for some reason), which will work in your favour.

And when you think about it, I believe you said that your were intending on keeping the bimmer for 3 years? By the time you come to sell it it will be 9 years old with 6 owners. Doesn't sound too bad at all :)
 
For the type of car you are talking about that wouldnt necessarily set alarm bells ringing for me. When these cars (fairly pricey in their hay day) were new, those who owned them could, more than likely, aford to change cars every year or so. If the car itself is in good condition and everything else is right then i think you should almost try to look past this.
 
[TW]Fox said:
Why does that make a difference?
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Very valid reasons :)

A sports car, or for that matter may have lots of changes of owner because:

People may only buy for the summer
They may find it too difficult to live with
They may find it more expensive than they thought to run
They may well have another car to use so it is "easier" to sell the sports one
People who buy performance models are more likely want to change and to upgrade.
Company cars will often have 3 years with the same owner, hence a lower number of owners.
Statistically speaking, I'd bet sports and performance orientated cars get sold far more frequently than a lot of other more mainstream, fleet orientated/middle management cars.

A Passat for example with 5 owners in 5 years I might be more concerned about, especially if the first owner had it for 3 years, that may, or may not be a lemon.

A 5 year old Elise could have 5 owners explained away more easily due to people wnating to upgrade, finding it expensive/uncomfortable and swapping every summer.
 
Muncher said:
They may find it more expensive than they thought to run
They may well have another car to use so it is "easier" to sell the sports one
People who buy performance models are more likely want to change and to upgrade.
Statistically speaking, I'd bet sports and performance orientated cars get sold far more frequently than a lot of other more mainstream, fleet orientated/middle management cars.
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It isn't a Passat diesel, it's a 530i Sport...
 
How many were previous owners and how many are plate transfers? 2nd owner buys is on the original plate and transfers on, becomes 3 on the log book iirc...and so on
 
Kitchster_uk said:
How many were previous owners and how many are plate transfers? 2nd owner buys is on the original plate and transfers on, becomes 3 on the log book iirc...and so on
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This is interesting, are you saying a plate change to a private plate adds a new registered keeper?
 
SB118 said:
Number of owners is immaterial. If the car has been well maintained, it's been well maintained, no need to worry.

Or are you worried that your new toy has been "sullied" and driven hard by many many people? ;)
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^^ Pretty much my sentiments, my cars into double digits :D but since I only brought it for 3 digits thats fair enough.

Several of my cars previous owners added to the car in various beneficial ways. Some people take care of their cars and if you can discern which type owned your car then its nothing that should offput you imo
 
[TW]Fox said:
This is interesting, are you saying a plate change to a private plate adds a new registered keeper?
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Have been looking at classics on the bay and have come accross this several times, stating that there has been 2 owners not the 4 shown because of cherished plate transfers, whether or not it's 100% accurate, I don't know, however, it seems to have cropped up more times than random chance blagging would suggest.
 
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