Old New Car - How Old is Old?
May 4, 2018 7:05 PM Subscribe
I have an opportunity to buy a 2017 VW wagon that has been sitting at the dealership for approximately 480 days. How concerned should I be that it has been at the dealership this long?
The official explanation is that people in my area just aren't into wagons. This is completely true. I know of just one other VW wagon in the area. Most people here buy SUVs or pick up trucks. German wagons are like $2 bills here.
I have test driven it twice and it drives very well with 112 miles, and would come with the usual 6 year/60,000 mile warranty. The price has obviously been reduced given its age. But, it's the time it's been sitting out there that worries me. What do I need to be concerned about?
And there is of course, the bigger question, why would you buy a VW?
The official explanation is that people in my area just aren't into wagons. This is completely true. I know of just one other VW wagon in the area. Most people here buy SUVs or pick up trucks. German wagons are like $2 bills here.
I have test driven it twice and it drives very well with 112 miles, and would come with the usual 6 year/60,000 mile warranty. The price has obviously been reduced given its age. But, it's the time it's been sitting out there that worries me. What do I need to be concerned about?
And there is of course, the bigger question, why would you buy a VW?
The consumables (battery, tires, wipers) might have taken a small toll from sun. But modern cars spend most of their time sitting parked anyway, so this is in a sense no different.
VW is under a particulate cloud for their Diesel emissions scandal, so there is that.
posted by nickggully at 7:28 PM on May 4, 2018
VW is under a particulate cloud for their Diesel emissions scandal, so there is that.
posted by nickggully at 7:28 PM on May 4, 2018
Buy it or not. It's fine. If you want it, buy it.
posted by sanka at 7:46 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by sanka at 7:46 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: This unit has a surprisingly low number of miles and my guess is that it was not test driven much. Which is good. The dealer will regularly 'prep' the car for sale - and that would include things like starting it up and taking to clean it in the car wash regular. That means that it actually hasn't been just sitting the whole time - and thats good because the engine has to regularly run or things like the fuel injectors will get gummed up. So mechanically all I would ask for an oil change. Your wagon will enjoy he same warranty as one that didn't hang out on the lot, because they will have babied it in hopes that someone would come along and buy it.
It's not clear if the wagon is an Alltrack, which is VW's answer to the outback, and is a reasonable approximation of the subi or a sportswagon, which is the one I get. It's a modern volvo wagon in all but badge, very practical, efficient and looks rather nice. You note that they aren't common - that's primarily because about 80% sales of the sportswagon were diesels, and those were all removed from the market.
posted by zenon at 8:58 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
It's not clear if the wagon is an Alltrack, which is VW's answer to the outback, and is a reasonable approximation of the subi or a sportswagon, which is the one I get. It's a modern volvo wagon in all but badge, very practical, efficient and looks rather nice. You note that they aren't common - that's primarily because about 80% sales of the sportswagon were diesels, and those were all removed from the market.
posted by zenon at 8:58 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It’s good you’re cautious, but most dealerships will have taken care of it better than most owners. But they want it off the lot.
Go in, negotiate aggressively, drive home proudly.
posted by artdrectr at 11:53 PM on May 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Go in, negotiate aggressively, drive home proudly.
posted by artdrectr at 11:53 PM on May 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
I am also a German wagon aficionado!
A couple of years ago I bought a VW wagon under the same circumstances (previous year model that had been lingering at dealership) and had absolutely ZERO problems -- until the diesel thing happened and I had to let it go, but that's a whole other story.
Diesel scandal aside, that car ran beautifully, there were no side effects to its age or its dealership wallflower history, and it was probably the best/my favorite car I've ever had.
Bargain hard for a good price and enjoy!
posted by mccxxiii at 5:44 AM on May 5, 2018
A couple of years ago I bought a VW wagon under the same circumstances (previous year model that had been lingering at dealership) and had absolutely ZERO problems -- until the diesel thing happened and I had to let it go, but that's a whole other story.
Diesel scandal aside, that car ran beautifully, there were no side effects to its age or its dealership wallflower history, and it was probably the best/my favorite car I've ever had.
Bargain hard for a good price and enjoy!
posted by mccxxiii at 5:44 AM on May 5, 2018
Late to the party, but I bought a 2015 VW Sportwagen about a year ago under remarkably similar circumstances. It's been great so far. The new car warranty and available new car financing (see if 0% is still an option), in tandem with a sharply-reduced price have kept me feeling good about the whole thing. Generally speaking, you just can't get either--much less both--of those on a used car.
posted by willpie at 5:52 AM on May 5, 2018
posted by willpie at 5:52 AM on May 5, 2018
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posted by Autumnheart at 7:27 PM on May 4, 2018