Brand-new Prius with 255 miles?

When finishing the details on my 1986 Accord, I learned that the warranty had started about 5 weeks earlier when a previous customer 'bought' it, technically putting it into service. According to the dealership's story, their financing collapsed, so no delivery. But all the test drives, mine included, rolled up only 32 miles.

I naively went ahead with the deal, and ended up never regretting it. I kept that car for 23 years and 235,000 miles, until replacing it with a 2010 Prius. And I even saw it again today, during our daily walk, six blocks away. We've met the youngster who has owned it the past four years. It rolled over 300k last winter, and is still running reasonably well, though with a significant amount of added parking lot rash.

When test driving cars for my (future) spouse, the main one we tested had 300+ miles. I weaseled into a fresher one by pointing out that it was beyond the 'new car' mileage limit for financing at my credit union, and would have to be financed as used at a slightly higher interest rate. That CU dropped that limit a few years later.

BTW, that car is now 27 years old, and still is her daily driver.

 

@fuzzy1 your story is so strange: our demo was also an 86 accord, light metallic blue EX with sunroof.

 

Mine was a winter gray LX Hatchback.

That generation of Accord turned out very popular among my coworkers. I was not among the first adopters, but bought late in the first model year after quizzing numerous others how well they liked theirs.

 

I sold cars at Nissan for a few years. This is common. All the sales people drove the cars and many people test drove them. Anytime I went anywhere I just grabbed the keys to whatever car I wanted to drive. Cars with miles get sold everyday. The dealer has no attachment to the car and could care less if it has miles. I'm sure the car is fine.

 

They do not *all* lie, but I think a large percentage do.
In 2000 I bought a new Tundra. The dealer said they would order one. They ended up driving one about 500 miles from a dealer in Tennessee. That is the last car I bought from them. I agree your car should be fine.
When I went there to look at the Prius, they said they located a red one with Moonstone interior on the east coast. My trusted salesman only located one and it was on the west coast.

I am very happy I drove some miles to get my Prius and save money too. It pays to shop around. My salesman know Prius so well that he still drives a first gen Prius.

 

Just editorial:

Everyone seems to subvert the expression thus nowadays, but the original wording was:

...and couldn't care less...

 

Canadians know the English language much better than Americans.
I was born in Canada but have been here in Virginia since 1980.

 

I think it's just that expressions get fractured, and it catches on. We can mangle with the best of 'em, lol.

 

must better? sounds like virginia did a job on you, eh?

 

Just blame auto-correct, can get you out of any jam.

 

when i bought my '05 dakota, they had to drive to new jersey to get the package i wanted. so it had a few hundred miles. i didn't think too much about it, even though there's no way to know how it was treated during the 'break in' on the way back.

 

Nope. hunt & peck typing (& typoing)

 

Riding with Mendel: 2016 Toyota RAV4 LE TV Spot, 'Couldn't Care Less' - iSpot.tv

 

I don't believe we have any such policy. If you get good service or bad from a dealer; it helps us all to know who to go to when we need a dealer's service. I have mentioned my local dealer several times regarding the sales and service I've received. No site moderators have asked that dealership names be withheld.

 

That has been my experience too, so far. Also, many people have recommended Dianne in California.

FYI, my good dealer is Miller Toyota in Manassas VA, especially salesman Sam Lee.
PM me if you want contact information.

 

How many miles have to be on a new vehicle, before it is required to be sold as a used car? Does it vary by state?

 

This is the phrase that pays.
It's not a new car anymore....it's YOUR car.

Relax and enjoy the car.
There's no such thing as a car that nobody has ever driven before you do...unless you work on an automobile assembly line.
It's very likely that the dealer loaned out this car to a prospective buyer over the weekend and they changed their minds - probably after wrestling a car seat and a pram (buggy) in and out of the car, judging by the evidence that you've indicated.

THE most important thing is that it's still an untitled car when you took possession of it, and turned it into a one-owner car.
You've already signed on the line.
Of the many many metaphorical illustrations that I can provide, I'll stick with:
"You may now kiss the bride."

Anything before that is irrelevant.
Everything after that is inevitable.

Again:
Relax and enjoy the car.

Priuses are designed with probably a 250,000 mile life cycle, and if you never let a dealership maintenance person talk you into unnecessary maintenance or any kind of repair - the car will be cheaper and more dependable to operate for those 250,000 miles than most if not all other cars on the road.

The wedding is over.
Enjoy the honeymoon and try not to think about the bachelor/bachelorette party the night before.

Good Luck!