What constitues a "used" vehicle? - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

poisonivory · 03-18-2009, 09:04 AM

I was just curious what are the guidelines by which a dealer must list a car as "used"?

Certain amount of test-drive miles?
If ever used as a dealer demo?

For example, a 2009 vehicle with just over 650 miles on it, listed as a used vehicle? (though to be honest, the price isn't much lower).

I'm just trying to figure out if there is a rule about mileage, or if its just maybe a strange cooincendance....perhaps it was turned back in if buyer didnt like it or realized they couldnt afford it. lol

CHAOS · 03-18-2009, 09:06 AM

thats pretty much up to the discretion of the dealer i believe. usually demos and stuff are the ones with under 1k miles that are considered used.

poisonivory · 03-18-2009, 09:22 AM

i figured demos are always used, becuase the staff is using them and taking them home...maybe that was the case with this one also.

I just didnt think of 650 as used. if it sat on the lot and went through a bunch of test drives, 650 doesn't seem like much. Hell, I test drove a car last year that over 600 miles on it, and it def wasn't listed as used. lol

side note: would you guys/gals consider a DEMO to be like a rental car??? in the sense that its not worth buying because it was probably beat to death by the employees driving it? Even though it could probably save yous ome cash, I don't think I could ever bring myself to buy a demo, regardless of how nice.

There is a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with bigger tires at Gary Barbera on Roosevelt Blvd. Big DEMO sticker on the window. I wouldn't trust that, especially with those big tires, i know those employees were probably having some fun. haha

fballman1987 · 03-18-2009, 09:25 AM

my gf bought her IS250 with like 250 on the odometer and they gave her a hell of a discount because of the mileage. so maybe it was just the lexus dealer, but you should be able to finagle a price(aka talk them down)

Cy76 · 03-18-2009, 09:40 AM

I think that it has to do with whether it's been titled or not. If a dealer has a demo with 5,000 miles on it but it's been on dealer plates and never titled, they can technically sell it as "new". This might vary state to state, though...

BlkWhtTSI · 03-18-2009, 09:46 AM

a vehicle is considered used a soon as the purchase is complete and the vehicle leaves the dealership.

jjm4life · 03-18-2009, 09:52 AM

if its been titled previously, its used. a demo car is still new, regardless of mileage, you just geta break on them cause they are the sluts of the auto industry (rentals being the prostitutes)

Scapegoat · 03-18-2009, 09:52 AM

used = owned by the dealership

new cars aren't owned by a dealership. The dealer has a loan out on the vehicle. If the dealership needs to purchase the car they get put down as the owner on paperwork and the vehicle becomes a one owner vehicle, and thus "used".

zerioustt · 03-18-2009, 09:53 AM

A car never registered to the state is new no matter the mileage. I just talked to a dealer the other day about this because I was looking at a demo. Its a loophole but you should still be able to get it for a decent discount if you haggle hard enough.

TGilb2007 · 03-18-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poisonivory

i figured demos are always used, becuase the staff is using them and taking them home...maybe that was the case with this one also.

I just didnt think of 650 as used. if it sat on the lot and went through a bunch of test drives, 650 doesn't seem like much. Hell, I test drove a car last year that over 600 miles on it, and it def wasn't listed as used. lol

side note: would you guys/gals consider a DEMO to be like a rental car??? in the sense that its not worth buying because it was probably beat to death by the employees driving it? Even though it could probably save yous ome cash, I don't think I could ever bring myself to buy a demo, regardless of how nice.

There is a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with bigger tires at Gary Barbera on Roosevelt Blvd. Big DEMO sticker on the window. I wouldn't trust that, especially with those big tires, i know those employees were probably having some fun. haha

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjm4life

if its been titled previously, its used. a demo car is still new, regardless of mileage, you just geta break on them cause they are the sluts of the auto industry (rentals being the prostitutes)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zerioustt

A car never registered to the state is new no matter the mileage. I just talked to a dealer the other day about this because I was looking at a demo. Its a loophole but you should still be able to get it for a decent discount if you haggle hard enough.

When I was working at the Honda dealer, my old manager had a demo Honda Pilot, and then an RX-8. Neither one were abused by him, or anyone else. Believe it or not, not all of the demo cars that we had were beaten to hell either. As with most demos, they had to be WELL taken care of, so that they can be resold still.

MY dad just bought an 09 Honda Ridgeline that was a 6mo dealer demo, and it was in PERFECT shape. Had a little over 3,000mi on it (the guy didn't drive it too much), and it appeared to be very well taken care of. Not a single scratch, dent, ding, or anything along those lines. That, and there was a couple of thousand taken off of the pricetag as well for it being a demo.

probevette · 03-19-2009, 01:19 AM

I do not buy any new car with over 5 miles on it. If there is a car I want with the options I want with that many miles or less I'll take it. If not I norm have my dealer order my car and request that their shop detailers go no where near it...I want my car still wrapped in plastic. Anything over 5-10 miles at most to me is "used" random people drove it, their guys beat the hell out of it, etc

ThePrimerSuspect · 03-21-2009, 03:37 PM

demos are usually the best deals you can get on a new car. they usually have the most options and you can get them for the price of the base model. i mean, does 5k miles make that big of a difference to you?

240sxDann · 03-21-2009, 04:00 PM

Maybe it is just me but I wouldn't mind getting a demo car with 1k miles on it or even 5k miles on it. Sure, it was probably beat on a bit, but it's going to get beat on for another 150k+ miles anyways LOL!

twastheglow · 03-21-2009, 04:06 PM

I'm not saying I would want to buy a car that may have been beat on for 1-5k miles, but if I have 30k more miles worth of factory warranty, I would be THAT worried.

03-18-2009, 09:04 AM	#1
poisonivory Tri-State Addict Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Philly Member #5979 My Ride: 2010 Lancer GTS iTrader: (0)	What constitues a "used" vehicle? I was just curious what are the guidelines by which a dealer must list a car as "used"? Certain amount of test-drive miles? If ever used as a dealer demo? For example, a 2009 vehicle with just over 650 miles on it, listed as a used vehicle? (though to be honest, the price isn't much lower). I'm just trying to figure out if there is a rule about mileage, or if its just maybe a strange cooincendance....perhaps it was turned back in if buyer didnt like it or realized they couldnt afford it. lol __________________ -Mario To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

03-18-2009, 09:22 AM	#3
poisonivory Tri-State Addict Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Philly Member #5979 My Ride: 2010 Lancer GTS iTrader: (0)	i figured demos are always used, becuase the staff is using them and taking them home...maybe that was the case with this one also. I just didnt think of 650 as used. if it sat on the lot and went through a bunch of test drives, 650 doesn't seem like much. Hell, I test drove a car last year that over 600 miles on it, and it def wasn't listed as used. lol side note: would you guys/gals consider a DEMO to be like a rental car??? in the sense that its not worth buying because it was probably beat to death by the employees driving it? Even though it could probably save yous ome cash, I don't think I could ever bring myself to buy a demo, regardless of how nice. There is a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with bigger tires at Gary Barbera on Roosevelt Blvd. Big DEMO sticker on the window. I wouldn't trust that, especially with those big tires, i know those employees were probably having some fun. haha __________________ -Mario To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

03-18-2009, 09:52 AM	#7
jjm4life Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: boston Member #4443 My Ride: jew canoe iTrader: (0)	if its been titled previously, its used. a demo car is still new, regardless of mileage, you just geta break on them cause they are the sluts of the auto industry (rentals being the prostitutes) __________________ current: triumph, abarth gone:RS4 evo lotus(s) noble and a bunch of jeeps

03-19-2009, 01:19 AM	#11
probevette Tri-State Addict Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Poconos PA Member #5313 My Ride: Slow Audi's iTrader: (2)	I do not buy any new car with over 5 miles on it. If there is a car I want with the options I want with that many miles or less I'll take it. If not I norm have my dealer order my car and request that their shop detailers go no where near it...I want my car still wrapped in plastic. Anything over 5-10 miles at most to me is "used" random people drove it, their guys beat the hell out of it, etc __________________ Greenway's Car Care Products DipFactory CarbonWerkz

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03-18-2009, 09:06 AM	#2
CHAOS TST Ruined My Life! Banned Join Date: Jun 2006 Member #2120 My Ride: 1984 Cadillac Brougham iTrader: (1)	thats pretty much up to the discretion of the dealer i believe. usually demos and stuff are the ones with under 1k miles that are considered used.

03-18-2009, 09:25 AM	#4
fballman1987 Tri-State Addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Tripoli, Pa Member #2928 My Ride: 2007 WRX STi iTrader: (0)	my gf bought her IS250 with like 250 on the odometer and they gave her a hell of a discount because of the mileage. so maybe it was just the lexus dealer, but you should be able to finagle a price(aka talk them down)

03-18-2009, 09:40 AM	#5
Cy76 Tri-State Training Wheels Join Date: Nov 2006 Member #3032 My Ride: Evo 9 iTrader: (0)	I think that it has to do with whether it's been titled or not. If a dealer has a demo with 5,000 miles on it but it's been on dealer plates and never titled, they can technically sell it as "new". This might vary state to state, though...

03-18-2009, 09:52 AM	#8
Scapegoat TST Ruined My Life! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: stop looking at my gold Member #1208 iTrader: (1)	used = owned by the dealership new cars aren't owned by a dealership. The dealer has a loan out on the vehicle. If the dealership needs to purchase the car they get put down as the owner on paperwork and the vehicle becomes a one owner vehicle, and thus "used".

03-21-2009, 03:37 PM	#12
ThePrimerSuspect Tri-State Addict Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: philly Member #1241 iTrader: (0)	demos are usually the best deals you can get on a new car. they usually have the most options and you can get them for the price of the base model. i mean, does 5k miles make that big of a difference to you?