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Dealer trying to sell me a test-drive car?

dbs255dbs255 Member Posts: 9
edited March 2016 in Honda
I am in the process of finalizing my purchase of a Honda Accord 2016 EX with Sensing, a gift for my wife. So, I test drove it once more before finally buying the car. This car had all its plastic covers removed out and had about 50 miles on it. Before putting the 500$ deposit, the dealer was like well this is the same car you just drove.

I then told him, No - I am not taking this car. I want a car which should not have more than 8 - 10 miles and the plastic covers should be intact. Then he started selling me crap stories about cleaning and washing. I frankly told him, look - if you can't get me a fresh on the car, I can go to a different dealership and then he was like "No, wait I will go to the lot tomorrow and call you if a fresh car is available with the plastic covers on"

I told him, I will pay the deposit only when I see the car in person. He was visibly not pleased and agreed to do so.
I am paying for the car after all. Did I do a wrong thing?

Is it not normal these days for new cars to have the plastic seat covers on? Also, how many miles does a brand new car at dealership generally have on it?

Thank you.
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  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 241,029
    dbs255 said:

    I am in the process of finalizing my purchase of a Honda Accord 2016 EX with Sensing, a gift for my wife. So, I test drove it once more before finally buying the car. This car had all its plastic covers removed out and had about 50 miles on it. Before putting the 500$ deposit, the dealer was like well this is the same car you just drove.

    I then told him, No - I am not taking this car. I want a car which should not have more than 8 - 10 miles and the plastic covers should be intact. Then he started selling me crap stories about cleaning and washing. I frankly told him, look - if you can't get me a fresh on the car, I can go to a different dealership and then he was like "No, wait I will go to the lot tomorrow and call you if a fresh car is available with the plastic covers on"

    I told him, I will pay the deposit only when I see the car in person. He was visibly not pleased and agreed to do so.
    I am paying for the car after all. Did I do a wrong thing?

    Is it not normal these days for new cars to have the plastic seat covers on? Also, how many miles does a brand new car at dealership generally have on it?

    Thank you.

    The plastic seat covers are almost always removed when the car is received by the dealer. Hard for potential customers to get a sense of the feel of the seat with them on.

    50 miles is not all that many, but if you can get one with fewer, no reason for you not to.

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  • cmhj2000cmhj2000 Member Posts: 381
    50 miles is not unusual. Plastic covers? They are usually removed after delivery to the dealer.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited March 2016
    I'd say you were overly concerned--it's good to be cautious of course, and kudos for staying alert during the buying proocess, but in this case, I didn't see any cause for you to refuse the car.
  • dbs255dbs255 Member Posts: 9
    Thanks every one :-) Finally booked one with 7 miles on it.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    In almost 14 years of selling Hondas I NEVER EVER had a customer who wanted a car with the plastic still on the seats! I also can't see exactly why 50 miles means ANYTHING to you especially since you were the person who probably put half of those miles on the car! You drove it at least twice!

    I would think the models with sensing are in pretty low demand so it may have been the only one in stock.

    Lastly, before a car can be sold it has to have a Pre Delivery Inspection performed. Part of this requires driving the car so that it has at least 10 miles on it. They usually come off the trucks with between 3 and 5.
  • carboy21carboy21 Member Posts: 760
    Never be pressured into buying cars with more then the delivery mileage, which is less then 10.
    I have bought four cars and SUV with less then 10 miles on the odo.
    Just walk out if the salesman gets uptight.
    Two of my cars have been offloaded from the car-trailer right in front of me.
    PDI does not add more then 3 miles on the car .
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    So 10 miles means it's okay but 50 miles means it has depreciated? ;) Well okay, the customer is King!
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    carboy21 said:

    Never be pressured into buying cars with more then the delivery mileage, which is less then 10.
    I have bought four cars and SUV with less then 10 miles on the odo.
    Just walk out if the salesman gets uptight.
    Two of my cars have been offloaded from the car-trailer right in front of me.
    PDI does not add more then 3 miles on the car .


    That depends on the manufacturer and the checks they require. To me this is a great example of much ado about nothing!
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