Is selling a Euro more difficult once its crossed 100K Km?

[hsonthalia]

Hi there

I am looking at getting a used manual Euro (MY 2003/2004) and selling in max 2 years with light used of about 10,000 K a year. Was not sure if I should consider anything over 100,000 Ks or even 90,000 Ks. Couple of things that I have noticed are :

a) The clutch kits for manual Euros normally might need replacement close to the 100,000 mark - obviously this might be slightly different based on the driving style.

b) Selling the car once it has crossed 100,000K would be difficult and most potential buyers set their filter at this level.

Would you imagine it makes sense to pay some premium to buy it at the 70,000 K marks?

Thanks in advance

[Type R Positive]

So what is your question again?

You want to buy a euro and sell it again in 2 years?

Buy one that has max depreciation already. Looks like it will be one with 100k+ kms. Just make sure all servicing has been completed, like timing belt, and possibly clutch.

[Neesmo31]

I just picked up my 04 model with 59,000kms. Paid for it, but thats what i wanted. Peoples perceptions with the whole 100,000km mark is utter crap. The whole reason that figure has stuck is because back in the day, 100,000 miles and the car was rooted. So 160,000kms and it was stuffed.

Now, metal technology, and new manufacturing standards mean cars that last a whole lot longer. But even though technology and all that has increased - the notorious 100,000 number has magically stuck in peoples minds. If i didnt worry about reselling the car, then KMS wouldnt really bother me at all.

It is just a trigger in peoples minds that if it has over 100kms it is old and bad.... not true. Look at peoples log books, and make sure it has been maintained and not thrashed.

My old dc2r had 146 when i sold it, and the amount of servicing and maintenance that i did on that car was rediculous. I would change oils and fluid even though they didnt need to be changed. I was meticulous about it - but having said that, that is the risk you take when you want to buy a second hand car. Worried about kms and maintenance - then buy new...

(just as a reference - my mate bought a 900? series volvo that used to be a vip taxi back and forth from the gold coast to brisbane, he bought it with 740,000kms on the clock, so far nothing has gone wrong with the car for him in the year he has owned it, and it drives beautiful, engine is great still)

[raffyboy]

^^ yeh true its a stigma that stuck in people and thinking that technology before are still the same as today

new technology now makes car tougher and goes longer + proper maintenance and TLC your car will be in good shape at all times

[Neesmo31]

Thats right raffy. Personally i bought my car because of it being such low kms for its age, and only due to the resale of the car when i go to sell it. Like i was saying, if you were rich you wouldnt really care about kms or resale.

[hsonthalia]

Thanks for the replies guys...what does TLC mean?

[Neesmo31]

Tender Love and Care - show your car some and it loves you back!

A car is a mechanical animal, abuse will result in disobedience. Groom it, feed it and top its water bowl daily. Throw the ball to it now and then. Only then will you have a loyal freind. lol :)

[HunterZero]

Just make sure all servicing has been completed, like timing belt, and possibly clutch.

I believe that the Euro doesn't have a timing belt. It's chain driven.

- HZ

[hsonthalia]

It seems like the general consensus is that the maintenance and service hisotry is more important for a car than the Kms on it - however, if one were to buy to resell it as is in my case you would like to be able to sell it below 100,000K because of the general perception of the car. Is that right?

Also, what do you think of Ultra Tune as a service provider. I have come across this 2003 Euro which has been serviced regularly but by Ultra Tune and not Honda post 2005. Does that really matter? I have heard that Ultra Tune is very reputed and know their job well.

Thanks

[Neesmo31]

Eeeeether Iiiiither. Ultratune do a service as per the same guidelines that a honda dealer will do a service. The only thing is that a honda dealership may have more experience in servicing them as they would have done more of that model than ultratune, so they might know little ins and out of certain things.

I personally dont like someone else working on my car. I KNOW that they dont take as much care as i would, these guys have time frames to get things done. I can take my time and do it properly. Im not saying that they dont do it properly, but the little things add up.

KMS and service history are one in the same i think. Look at the market for euro's - mainly old people, who buy them new, own it for a couple of years, then trade up to the new one. Thats all well and good if you have the money to do that. But your not usually getting a thrashed one if its from an oldie.

[hsonthalia]

Unfortunately except for one, the other 4-5 Euros that I have test driven have been sold by rather young owners (20-35 years); hence would need to rely on getting a RACV inspection done.

[Neesmo31]

Dont be put off by that though mate, i mean i treat my cars with more respect than any of my mates (combined) and take really good care of mine. I usually have a connection to my cars and treat them very well. I think in the couple of months i have owned my euro i have floored it like twice, just to see how it goes then nothing from then on. That and i am 25.

[raffyboy]

reputation of workshop is also a big factor - just make sure who ever service the car they followed everything from the log book - if they do shortcuts of maintenance or some sort of short coming then you have to think twice - none the less ultra tune is a reputable workshop i guess but to make sure get your own mechanic to check it for you!

[doosra]

euro's depreciate quick anyways.. due to the popularity of the car and the amount of competition when selling.. just jump on car sales.. and you'll see over 10 pages to choose from..
i decided to sell mine at 114,000km's..... cause i knew if i kept it any longer.. i woulda got nothing for it...

[Type R Positive]

Also, what do you think of Ultra Tune as a service provider. I have come across this 2003 Euro which has been serviced regularly but by Ultra Tune and not Honda post 2005. Does that really matter? I have heard that Ultra Tune is very reputed and know their job well.anyone can change oil. What sux is that repco, utlratune and the likes cost ~1/2 for logbook servicing.

Just for example, my euro needs 50k km service. Kmart want $130, Honda want $250. All they got to do is change oil. No filter, nothing else. just oil. The only thing I am wary of is if honda got a service bulletin or software update that needs to be done.

[raffyboy]

euro's depreciate quick anyways.. due to the popularity of the car and the amount of competition when selling.. just jump on car sales.. and you'll see over 10 pages to choose from..
i decided to sell mine at 114,000km's..... cause i knew if i kept it any longer.. i woulda got nothing for it...

Very true Euro are so popular now as they are cheap reliable good looking car and the number of Euros for sale at the moment you will get some cheap buys with only 50XXXkms on the clock and remember CU2 is out in the market as well newer version which you might pick up for similar price or close price

[MikesVtec]

euro's depreciate quick anyways.. due to the popularity of the car and the amount of competition when selling.. just jump on car sales.. and you'll see over 10 pages to choose from..
i decided to sell mine at 114,000km's..... cause i knew if i kept it any longer.. i woulda got nothing for it...

Not to be an economics nerd or anything but isn't level of depreciation relative to the rest of the motor vehicle market? Euro depreciation spanks the hell of Falcodores and is only eclipsed by 5% or so by some models of the prestige makes ie Mercs/BMWs. ie 54% vs 59% after 3 years. Even beating Lexus & Audi (49%?). Sure there's a lot of Euros on the used car market, but there is also a lot of demand for them and that will neutralise the amount of supply. Pretty sure there are more than 10x the potential buyers for the Euro than say a 1 page model like the Lambo Gallardo. So moral of the story: Euro owners don't fret.

[buddah51au]

Regular Service & maintenance is the key factor, not how many kms on the clock. If buying an Auto, check that it has been serviced regularly as well. Generally speaking a country car with a higher milage will have less mechanical wear than a city car, with the exception of suspension & driveshafts.

[praja6]

I thougth Honda Accord Euro hold the value and doesnt depreciate much compere with Camry or other german makes such as Audi,BMW and Merc.....
Does anyone knows how well the Euro Cu2 resale value compare with Subaru liberty and Mazda 6.. Where can i check the depreciation % for euro, any websites?Then how come people advertise for the 9months or 1yr old Euro CU2 base auto with 10k or 15k on the clock for 32k drive away in car sales website where you can buy brand new for arond same price.

[praja6]

Have a look at this nearly 8-9months old Euro(same as mine, but mine is 2010 built My10 silver auto)car add in carsales site, it has close to 6k on the clock advertised for 32950...I checked the price with the seller(lHelping my friend to get an euro)and the best he can do is rock bottom is 31500.....YOu can buy brand new euro close to this price nowadays anyway....

http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/private/details.aspx?R=8961147&__sid=129CDF3A35BB&YearFromShort=1652&__Qpb=true&Cr=2&__Ns=pCar_PriceSort_Decimal|0||pCar_RankSort_Int32 |1||pCar_Make_String|0||pCar_Model_String|0&keywords=&__N=1216%201282%204294965322%204294965100%20898%20 395%201621%20%201652&SearchAction=N&PriceFrom=395&seot=1&__Nne=15&trecs=11&silo=1011

[buddah51au]

Red Book is the best guide for car valuations. Always remember that what a dealer trades a car for is a lot less than his asking price, but his asking price is negotiable. As a general rule dealers like to try & make 5 to 7 K on a used car, but rarely do.

[praja6]

Thanks BUddah.....Well otherday i had a chat with a subaru salesperson what he said me was subaru liberty holds it value more than accord euro or mazda 6. The reason he said me was all subaru dealers sells the car same price. Subaru Australia keep the same price policy across all dealers, so if we go to every dealers every dealers will give same price, unlike for other car makes...We know from our shopping experience when i went to the 1st dealer he quoted me 38k drive away and after shop around got nearly 4k off the price. Still we don't know whats the best price is...Like this cheap selling doesnt hold the value for other cars and depreciate higher, however Subaru holds it value more after 3yrs because of the same price policy.. I am not sure its true....

ANyone got any idea.....is that true..

[praja6]

Ah yes i noticed there is 2 sites here in Aus can check the valuation.. One is redbook.com.au other is glassguide http://www.glassguide.com.au/.. I noticed the redbook value is bit higher than glassguide..... How does it work....

[Neesmo31]

Redbook can F**K off, it is totally not true for genuine car pricing. It said my DC2R was worth like 9-11grand. You cant even get a nice VTI-R for that.

[MiSloVic]

It is sort of true that subaru tends to sell at the same price across different dealer outlets..it is at least true in victoria. Noticed i used 'outlets'? The majority of the dealer outlets here in melbourne are owned by inchape, so there is a certain element of price control here.. it doesnt matter if you buy from berwick, glen waterley, docklands. They report back to the same head office.

[praja6]

Excatly, i was shoppig for liberty as well, went to few subaru dealers, not only owned by INchchape..They didnt reduce, they tried to give accessories thats all..Unless its an 09 built....Then i look at Euro and like the design and interier and bought it. I know subaru liberty is all wheel better drive may be in slippery roads. But dont know....its true the resale value is better for liberty..

I bought the euro and enjoying...

[Type R Positive]

I bought the euro and enjoying...
LOL! We all did!
I couldn't afford the Liberty GT, so it was the euro for me.

[Neesmo31]

Like thats a downgrade though! I guess i am happy with my euro? Its not a fun car i will admit that, but its very nice. Also nice and hard to keep it mint, as i got the tan interior. But i am proud to say there is not a rip, tear, mark or stain on the fabric! Plus i got black matts to offset the tan.

[praja6]

Like thats a downgrade though! I guess i am happy with my euro? Its not a fun car i will admit that, but its very nice. Also nice and hard to keep it mint, as i got the tan interior. But i am proud to say there is not a rip, tear, mark or stain on the fabric! Plus i got black matts to offset the tan.

How come your interioer is tan colour? I never seen tan interier in Euro when i was looking to purchase as i prefer tan interier than black...was your Euro a special edition something?

[Type R Positive]

I'm guessing its a CL9 Praja, not CU2.

[Neesmo31]

Correct. Whats praja?

[Type R Positive]

Correct. Whats praja? Is that the interior colour code?
ROFL! It's his username!!!
(LOL @ 4am posts!)

[Neesmo31]

OMG lol im such a dumbass! Ive been having big days at work and was up early this morning... *feels sheepish*

No wonder nothing was coming up when i was searching for it.... :)

[tron07]

Subaru got the ugly genes, getting ulgier by the generations

[Type R Positive]

Subaru got the ugly genes, getting ulgier by the generations
yeah, thought they would have sacked that guy after the bug eyed rexy!

[Lochstar_69]

Mate i have a 2003 December Euro - its an ex Company car which was used on a highway and very little city use. When i got it my hands on it, in 2008 she had done 167,000 now im on 216,000 and still drives and feels like the day i first drove it. The gearbox is as tight as a new one, steering is beautiful. It really demonstrates how good the Japanese are at making cars. They drive better then Holdens and Fords any day of the week with the equivalent amount of k's.

i personally think cars should have hour meters like boats. would give us a much more accurate reading of a cars history...
Because you can have a car that has been driven on the highway most of its life like mine with 167,000kms, or you can have a car thats done mostly city driving smashing through 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear with 167,000kms on the clock...... quite misleading.

I expect my car to at the very bottom of the page on carsales when i come to sell it next year, however i still believe that my euro is as good as a car as one thats done 100,000 kms. purely because of Maintenance, serviced every 10,000kms by my mechanic who i trust, and the only problem i had with the car was the foot throttle cable was not reading properly into the throttle sensor which i had to get replaced at about 205,000. cost $300 fitted (from a wreck). Whoever buys my car will be very happy with their purchase, So basically a 100,000km euro is only a baby and should be good for another 200,000 :D. i hope mine is!!!!

Take care of the car, and it will take care of you. and Enjoy!!!! EURO'S ROCK!

[praja6]

OMG lol im such a dumbass! Ive been having big days at work and was up early this morning... *feels sheepish*

No wonder nothing was coming up when i was searching for it.... :)

Lol yes mate, thats my username praja6, my name is Raja.......

Yes TypeR, you correct i searched and CL9 Euro came with Tan interier as well....

[praja6]

Mate i have a 2003 December Euro - its an ex Company car which was used on a highway and very little city use. When i got it my hands on it, in 2008 she had done 167,000 now im on 216,000 and still drives and feels like the day i first drove it. The gearbox is as tight as a new one, steering is beautiful. It really demonstrates how good the Japanese are at making cars. They drive better then Holdens and Fords any day of the week with the equivalent amount of k's.

i personally think cars should have hour meters like boats. would give us a much more accurate reading of a cars history...
Because you can have a car that has been driven on the highway most of its life like mine with 167,000kms, or you can have a car thats done mostly city driving smashing through 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear with 167,000kms on the clock...... quite misleading.

I expect my car to at the very bottom of the page on carsales when i come to sell it next year, however i still believe that my euro is as good as a car as one thats done 100,000 kms. purely because of Maintenance, serviced every 10,000kms by my mechanic who i trust, and the only problem i had with the car was the foot throttle cable was not reading properly into the throttle sensor which i had to get replaced at about 205,000. cost $300 fitted (from a wreck). Whoever buys my car will be very happy with their purchase, So basically a 100,000km euro is only a baby and should be good for another 200,000 :D. i hope mine is!!!!

Take care of the car, and it will take care of you. and Enjoy!!!! EURO'S ROCK!

WOw seems like the engine will go around 300,000km without needing a redbuid. We hope our CU2 would be the same can achieve 200,000+kms...

[Lochstar_69]

im confident mine will pass the 300,000 with flying colours,

[Neesmo31]

I think people get caught up in the needs a rebuild hype - engines arnt that shit. They CAN last a long time with proper maintenance. Like that volvo i talked about earlier - 740,000kms!

[Type R Positive]

One just has to look at taxis. They'll do a million kms no worries.

[buddah51au]

One just has to look at taxis. They'll do a million kms no worries.

They certainly do Type R, but you need to consider that most of there driving is done with everything at operating temp, very few cold starts. but in that million km they usually go through 2 or 3 auto transmissions as well as head gaskets which falcons are notorious for, as well as many other repairs.

[Neesmo31]

I can understand the auto's flogging out. Cars are going to break no matter how many kms. But there is less chance of them doing this when they are new.

But back to the orginal question - yes it is harder to sell your car once it has crossed 100kms - not because of cars being faulty at that many kms, but its just peoples perception.

[tron07]

Lol yes mate, thats my username praja6, my name is Raja.......

Yes TypeR, you correct i searched and CL9 Euro came with Tan interier as well....

All black CL9 before 07 comes with beige/tan interrior. Only after 2007, you can have the option of black or beige/tan.

[Neesmo31]

I have a pearl white 04 with tan/black two tone interior. Bloody suspension mob putting their grubby hands on the door making marks!

[Lochstar_69]

I have a pearl white 04 with tan/black two tone interior. Bloody suspension mob putting their grubby hands on the door making marks!

Get her steam cleaned and send them the bill!

[Neesmo31]

nah just some marks - best not burn bridges... it came out when i cleaned it at home. But damn them still!

[minircc]

As many have pointed out, the condition of the car and how it has been maintained/looked after is much more important than the kilometers on the dash.

[MiSloVic]

Excatly, i was shoppig for liberty as well, went to few subaru dealers, not only owned by INchchape..They didnt reduce, they tried to give accessories thats all..Unless its an 09 built....Then i look at Euro and like the design and interier and bought it. I know subaru liberty is all wheel better drive may be in slippery roads. But dont know....its true the resale value is better for liberty..

I bought the euro and enjoying...

When I was shopping for a car to replace one that is coming out of lease, i had a look at the outback 3.6R. Impressive car to drive.. Quick, smooth.. The salesperson even demo how it made donuts (u know what i mean)... But.. For a $63k car, it comes with a fugly face, interior plastics that wont look out of place in a KIA, and coming into winter, it has leather seats with no heating.. Sadly, it is not even in the option list.. Premium sound system with only single cd? Ummm.. I not sure if subaru or inchape made those decisions consciously.. But I went for a xc60 t6 for just a little bit more.

[Neesmo31]

Hm... thinking of selling mine now and buying my mates busted yet weaponised GQ patrol. RB30 power!

[Neesmo31]

Hmm PS mine may be selling sometime soon - barely owned it, wanting to go down the 4x4 path maybe......