We were excited to find a 2012 Kia Rondo (they still sell in Canada) with only 12,000 km (7500 miles) at a good price. It was in great shape to the eye and drove well. It was owned and drive by a man in his 80s who died a few months ago. I asked his daughter, who is selling the car, how he drove it (e.g. was it short trips only?) but am not, after that conversation, too certain. The daughter didn’t live with the owner. I know there were at least a few long trips over the 4 years. I know the car was parked in an underground garage. We are in Ottawa, Canada (cold!). We put a deposit on it, subject to a mechanical inspection.
After leaving the deposit, it dawned on us that only three oil changes in 4 years could be an issue. I started reading. It sounds like the remaining warranty (or parts of it) may be nullified and the engine may have been adversely impacted.
I have three questions for you:
-Should we bail on the purchase?
-What will be the impact on the warranty?
-Is there a way for a mechanic to assess whether there has been damage to the engine as part of a pre-purchase inspection
If the car checks out o.k. go for it! If the oil had never been changed, that would be a problem. However, it has had almost annual oil changes and probably at 2500 mile intervals. This should be sufficient.
I agree with Triedaq since it started out with the original oil and has had 3 oil changes. That still means the engine has had more oil changes than most. If your mechanic gives it the OK then jump on it.
Thanks Triedaq and missileman. I’m glad to have your green lights to buy but still wondering about the warranty and whether there is anything specific the mechanic can/should do to assess.
This sounds like aa lightlyused well maintained car. There shouldn’t be any unusual wear or damage to the engine. There has been nothing done that would void the warranty. Buying any car is a risk, but this car sounds like a minimal risk.
it has a 60 month/60,000 mile warranty, and a 100,000 mile power train/perforation (rust) warranty. If they can’t prove anyone did anything to void the warranty, it will still be in effect. You can get the warranty booklet here if you can’t find it in the glove box or in the rear storage area.
Thanks for the link. Page 12 says: Maintenance Records: You should retain maintenance records since it may be
necessary in some instances for you to prove that the required maintenance has been performed…Keep all receipts and make them available in case questions rise about the services requested and provided."
I’ve also read stuff online about people having to prove they followed the maintenance schedule. Perhaps, those are more the exception?
This is the type of car I usually look for when buying used. With 3 oil changes and that few miles, little car go wrong. Have it checked out and you may have a lot of happy miles from this car.
Gotta agree with the others to go for it. Not much could have happened to it. OTH, there is not much time left on the bumper to bumper warranty so I’d get it out and do some driving in it to shake any defects loose. I also would make sure the warranty transfers with an ownership change. Sometimes its to the original owner only.
The man was in his 80"s fercryinoutloud !!! How do you think he drove it? LOL. Buy it. 3 oil changes in four years on a car with 12km means it was changed approximately every 4km. Chances are he drove it more when it was newer and he was younger, and it’s been less active recently. For piece of mind if you need it, purchase an extended repair contract. Check with the local Hyundai dealership and see if they offer anything. Be careful if you go with a contract. Read the fine print and make sure it has good coverage for major mechanical and electronic components. And always remember, there is no such thing as “bumper to bumper” coverage, and the only entity allowed to offer a warranty is the original manufacturer.
Pull the trigger and buy the car. The mechanical inspection can confirm the low miles, wear on brake pads for instance. Ask the mechanic to look for any evidence of accident repairs, body work scrapes on the undercarriage bent suspension parts, etc.
The warranty will cover all the car parts. Only a part failure due poor lubrication could be questioned and that isn’t likely. I do a yearly oil change on 2 of my cars that go 5000 or less per year with no problem.
The only concern is accident damage given the elderly driver in my opinion.
I do not believe the 5yr/100K mile warranty transfers, just the basic 36 month which by now is over. You can google this or check on Kia’s site. Nonetheless, if the car checks out fine, I will buy it.
Buy the car at a good price and forget the “warranty”. As others say odds are you will never collect on it since those contracts have a time and mileage limit to them.
It’s ALWAYS prudent to get a used car checked out by an independent shop, as you’re doing, but IMHO this one sounds like an excellent find… assuming the price is right.
And I agree that you should pass on an extended warranty. That’s a BAD gamble. Put whatever money you would have spent on an extended warranty in a separate bank account and call it “my warranty account”. That way, if something DOES break, your “warranty account” will cover it and if not, you’ll still have the money!
I’m never in favor of giving somebody else money up front IN CASE it’s needed when you can keep if for yourself in case it’s needed. The first way, the money is already gone, as if your car had failed driving off the lot, and you’ll never see it again if the car never fails. The second way, the money doesn’t get used unless it’s needed. With the reliability of today’s cars, the odds of the entire amount being needed is small… and the odds of the entire amount being needed ON SOMETHING COVERED BY THE WARRANTY is miniscule.
