Too Many Miles?

Greeco · Jun 23, 2016

How many miles would you consider too many on a brand new truck? Most trucks I've test driven (2016's) have between 12-35 miles on them. Today I found a truck I'm interested in and it has 120 miles on the odometer and the dealership can't seem to find the window sticker or explain the higher than normal miles. My last SUV was a dealer demo and I promised myself I wouldn't go that route again (personal experience). So I'm curious, what do you guys consider too many miles on a brand new truck?

I realize a lot of factors come into play:
-does it have all the options you want
-can you get a lower price
-etc etc.

I'm just curious.

RumRunner · Jun 23, 2016

I've personally put 5-10 miles on new vehicles test driving them. So consider if a truck was on the lot for a few months it could have had several test drives. Also if the dealer has multiple lots, the trucks can be driven back and forth. So I don't think 120 miles on a new truck would be out of the question.

With that said, the last 2 new vehicles I bought (one Ram, one Jeep) both had about 15 miles on them.

GP4L · Jun 23, 2016

120 miles sounds like it was test driven/demo'd more than usual, and/or a sales person threw dealer tags on it and drove it for a couple days. New cars that have never been on a test drive should have less than 5-10 miles on them. However, I do know that "new" means never titled/registered, not necessarily "demo" or "used". And I'm pretty sure the factory warranty starts at whatever the mileage says on the paperwork - like 100k powertrain warranty in this truck's case will expire at 100,120 miles.

I am not an expert on this matter though.

Greeco · Jun 23, 2016

Yeah, this truck is new to their lot. I think the fact that the window sticker is missing and no one seems to be able to give me a straight story about the mileage is making me suspicious. It's probably not a big deal but I just don't trust dealerships. Also, whenever the window sticker is taken off the vehicle it's usually because someone from the dealership is using it as their own vehicle. Probably beating the hell out of it.

Batram · Jun 23, 2016

I used to work for a For dealer and occasionally we get a vehicle right off the transport truck with higher mileage. They would take random vehicles from the plant to do quality control checks which put extra mileage on them. Although those vehicles always came with a note stating that.

RumRunner · Jun 23, 2016

They should be able to get the window sticker from the VIN. It doesn't have to be the actually sticker, they can just print one off. There will be no way to tell how the mileage got on the truck though, because they are not going to log exact mileage of test drives and any transporting to and from other lots. Some dealers will put some of their vehicles on display at places like malls or car/truck shows too. And they will drive them there and back putting more miles on them.

HOSTAGE81 · Jun 23, 2016

Sometimes they get tested as part of a batch for quality assurance. My last truck was a 2013 FX4 F-150. I ordered it new same day as my brother and he got same truck as me but with different colour. Anyway, we got our trucks 10 weeks later. His had like 5 miles and mine had about 60 miles on it. I called Ford to inquire why mine had the additional mileage. They advised that it was tested as part of batch for quality assurance. Furthermore, they included a certificate in the back seat indicating that it was tested for quality assurance. I looked for it and sure enough I found it.

How and where they test it; I don't know. Hec, I didn't even know such thing even existed. Im just passing this info. Maybe the same thing happened to the one you're looking at.

PS; NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER buy a demo vehicle. I personally know they drive them like they stole them. I rather pay up and get something clean and unused. You get what you pay for

Let us know the explanation if there is one please

Thanks

Booms · Jun 23, 2016

Or it's a dealer trade from a dealership 110 miles away.

Hootbro · Jun 23, 2016

Does not matter what I think, I am not buying it, you are. Buy what you are comfortable with.

For legal reasons, "new" to a dealership is until the truck is sold and tagged, not the mileage.

There is many reasons a truck can have a few miles. Some are dealer transfers, some are because the truck had problems from the time it rolled off the transport and some can be just because it is a model that does not move, it happens.

I have bought new trucks with as few as 6 miles and some with as many as 500 miles.

Lastly, do not expect more discount just because it has some miles "you" consider high.

14hemiexpress · Jun 23, 2016

Last one I bought was just over 200. My wife's altima had 3-5

R/T_Fire · Jun 23, 2016

If the deal seems sketch walk away, doesn't matter how good the deal is or what the excuse or reason is.. if it smells funny to you walk away. There are plenty of other trucks, dealers, models etc etc to get fixated on a brand new truck that can be ordered anywhere. just my .02

Statcher1 · Jun 23, 2016

Booms said:
Or it's a dealer trade from a dealership 110 miles away.

That's how my wife's Murano was. We bought it with 140 miles on it. The dealer original dealer was 70 miles north of us. And our dealer had a lot 15 miles North of them so they traded for it. And then for some crazy reason drove it 85 miles down to us. The other 40 miles was on it when we test drove it at the original dealer.

Sent from the Rocket in my Pocket

TRCM · Jun 23, 2016

Mine had 18 miles on it, and I was responsible for 8 or 9 of them.

I also know it was driven from 1 lot to another for me to test drive it (~ 6 miles).

TruckNut · Jun 23, 2016

Smells a little funny. They don't know anything? Don't step in it, just walk away. Plenty of trucks out there.

Greeco · Jun 24, 2016

Thanks for the replies. I wouldn't have an issue with the higher mileage if the truck was transferred from another dealer or something similar but the fact that no one at the dealership seems to know and/or wants to share any information is odd. I've been in contact with the dealer for almost a week and still haven't seen a window sticker. I even asked them to print one using the VIN and the salesman never got back to me.

Something is off and it's not worth the risk.

Booms · Jun 24, 2016

Greeco said:
No one at the dealership seems to know and/or wants to share any information is odd....

That's because they just don't care.
There is an old saying in the car business "Their is an ass for every seat"...
If You don't buy it, someone else will, so why should they lift their fat ass to do any work?

baum · Jun 24, 2016

120 its not a demo. most demos have closer to 1k on them.

my last ram they let me take it on a 60 mile test drive.

Statcher1 · Jun 24, 2016

baum said:
120 its not a demo. most demos have closer to 1k on them.

my last ram they let me take it on a 60 mile test drive.

Yeah most of my cars. I end up bringing my home and keeping over night before I buy them. So it's not unusual for me to put a 100-150 miles on a test drive if I'm really interested in buying it.

Sent from the Rocket in my Pocket

Hootbro · Jun 24, 2016

Greeco said:
Thanks for the replies. I wouldn't have an issue with the higher mileage if the truck was transferred from another dealer or something similar but the fact that no one at the dealership seems to know and/or wants to share any information is odd. I've been in contact with the dealer for almost a week and still haven't seen a window sticker. I even asked them to print one using the VIN and the salesman never got back to me.

Something is off and it's not worth the risk.

I would walk also. Generally the window sticker only comes off at point of sale and given to the new owner. Sounds like their may have been some problem either with the vehicle or the owner getting financing that caused them to pull the truck back and put it on the lot.

Riccochet · Jun 24, 2016

Bought my truck used with 61 miles on it. lol Guy traded a Wrangler for it, had it for a week, decided and he didn't want a truck and traded it for another Wrangler. I lucked out and got a hell of a deal on it.

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