Previous owners - how many is too many?

[eidolon]

I'm with Muncher on this one. Cars like an Elise tend to get bought and sold for the reasons stated but why would somebody buy a 530i Sport have a new owner every year unless there were problems with it?

In my experience cars that have had a lot of owners in a short period of time usually mean that there's some problem with the car hence why it's been sold on so many times.

 

[Bigsy]

My car, when I bought it was 3 1/2 year old 30k CTR, and I was the 5th owner. Didn't bother me one bit, it was immaculate and had obviously been lovingly looked after, far better condition than many I had seen half it's age..

Don't regret buying it at all....quite the opposite in fact, I know I would have struggled to find a better example for it's age.

 

[Nedved11]

I'll be the 7th owner on my 98 Xsara Vitesse! everyone had it for a year and then got rid!

 

[Sputnik II]

In my experience cars that have had a lot of owners in a short period of time usually mean that there's some problem with the car hence why it's been sold on so many times.

That's how I look at it too. Unless you can speak to the previous owners before parting with the cash, I'd say it is best to walk away. There will always be another one available if you look.

 

[v0n]

I would say - it doesn't matter only if it's a good deal. If you are to pay top dollar for it you have to consider possibility that if you were to sell it next year your potential buyers would have expactly the same torments - "what is wrong with this car that it had 6 owners in just 7 years..."

 

[matthew_o50]

As someone else has already said if you can afford to buy a car like that it's likely that you may change every year. I know a guy that buys a brand new top of the range, black Chrysler Voyager every single year and has done for the last 7 or 8 years. Somone crashed into the back of one he had for 2 months at the start of this year and all he needed to do was replace the bumper but no, he had to get another brand new Chrysler voyager! More money than sense if you ask me.

If you've driven the car and had a good look round it and can't see nothing wrong then I don't think the number of previous owners should really matter.

Regarding the number plate changes I believe that creates a new registered keeper. We recently sold a car that had one previous owner when we got it then a private number plate was put on and just before it was sold, the private plate was taken of and a new plate put on. As far as I remember it said there had been 4 registered keepers in the log book when it was sold. This could probably account for the number of keepers on the car you are looking at as most BMW drivers have private plates.

 

[djjuk]

As someone else has already said if you can afford to buy a car like that it's likely that you may change every year.

Would agree for the original owner that is a true statement. However I would not agree for the next 4 in as many years.

It would set alarm bells ringing personally for that kind of car, & at a minimum I would want a full BMW inspection before parting with a penny.

However further investigation re owners is important, maybe a couple of garages on there? May have been a BMW reg demo initially?

Would warrant a few questions personally! & also have to be a cracking deal, as if & when you sell it you could have problems.

 

[lordrobs]

I wouldn't call it a show stopper but I'd be extra careful to go over it with a fine tooth comb (not that you shouldn't do that anyway)

For me an owner every 2 years+ on average would be considered the norm.

 

[Third Opinion]

Driving I would have thought, what's wrong with previous owners wanting a new/different car on a yearly basis?

What 5 in a row?

Maybe one or two owners felt like that but five? Apart from if they wanted just a summer thrash I wonder how they treated it.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

What 5 in a row?

Maybe one or two owners felt like that but five? Apart from if they wanted just a summer thrash I wonder how they treated it.

I like cars and the past four I've had have all been considered to be a drivers car and each I've had less than 2 years.

Each has normally been replaced as I get bored and fancy something different/quicker, but all have been maintained and treated very well.

I'd assume when they were sold/bought they would have been by owners with a similar outlook.

I’d always consider the condition of the car itself and the documentation that come with it are far more important they the amount of previous owners.

 

[volospian]

Other incidents may have occured too. I changed my name when I got married (took the wifes surname, she's a right bully I tell ya ) and the DVLA treated it as a change in ownership, even though I sent them the certificate and so on. I suppose any similar name changes could be considered the same way. Maybe an owner died and their son took the car, changing ownership to their name while they sold it, or a dad just bought it for his son but kept it in his name until his son passed his test (yeah, OK, unlikely with a 530, but you know what i mean).

I'd still be concerned that the car has had so many owners, but where do you stop, if one of those 5 owners is really the same person, or a relative, then there could only really be 4 owners. Is that too many?

Yes, it would put me off a bit, but I'd try and find out the real story behind it before discounting the car altogether

 

[Nozzer]

Are you sure they're actual human owners and not irregularities in the docs caused by traders/personal plate changes?

edit: Seems someone else pointed that out already...

Even so, 5 owners wouldn't put me off a 6 year old car.

 

[siztenboots]

Was it bought through a broker initially, If so then that would make it a little better.

As said,

1. Broker
2. Mr X
3. Dealer
4. Mrs Y
5. Dealer
6. TW Fox

Is that reasonable ?

 

[Serj]

Dealers don't appear as owners though?

 

[Jonny69]

"One female owner from new" tells me the car hasn't been looked after very well. It's probably been kerbed to buggery, problems ignored, never washed and knocked about in carparks

 

[atpbx]

More than 3 is too many.

For any age car for me TBH.

 

[D4VE]

Dealers don't appear as owners though?

Exactly.

What if it had one previous owner who thrashed it from cold and kept hitting kerbs?

Number of owners doesnt bother me really, and its a bit supersticious to believe in "problem cars" that people have to flog because it all keeps going wrong - unless its the same problem that cant be fixed.

 

[atpbx]

Exactly.

What if it had one previous owner who thrashed it from cold and kept hitting kerbs?

Number of owners doesnt bother me really, and its a bit supersticious to believe in "problem cars" that people have to flog because it all keeps going wrong - unless its the same problem that cant be fixed.

Its a general rule, and only a general rule, more a............ way of thinking that the standard of maintenance and care goes down with each and every owner.

 

[eidolon]

Number of owners doesnt bother me really, and its a bit supersticious to believe in "problem cars" that people have to flog because it all keeps going wrong - unless its the same problem that cant be fixed.

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

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Surely most people keep a car for at least 2-3 years before selling it

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?