How Many Previous Car Owners Is Too Many?

No matter how many previous owners a vehicle may have, it could still be a great used car.

Steven Lang | 

Aug 27, 2024 | 3 min read

Manuel Carrillo III | Capital One

As a car dealer for more than 20 years, I have dealt with many car shoppers who believe that fewer previous owners always means a better car. While it's true that the more owners the car has had, the greater the chance there are needed repairs, even a single-owner vehicle is not guaranteed used-car bliss.

Here's how to determine if too many previous owners may be an issue when looking for a great used vehicle.

Beware of the 'Hot Potato' Car

From my experience in the dealer industry, I've found that a used car will sometimes have several recent owners who have driven it for less than a year. If I review a vehicle's ownership history and see a series of owners who had the car for only a short period, took it to a nearby repair shop, and got rid of it soon afterward, that is a big red flag. That type of vehicle history indicates potentially expensive issues may need to be addressed and could quickly burn through the next owner's wallet.

If this is the case with a vehicle you're interested in buying, it might be worthwhile to contact the shop that did the repairs to see what was needed and if the owner turned down any suggested fixes. Even if the work was done, ensure a professional mechanic inspects the car.

Some Cars Are Just for Fun in the Sun

Vehicles more geared toward entertainment than commuting, such as sports cars and convertibles, are usually driven most when the weather is warm, which can lead to a car with more previous owners than the average daily driver.

These fair-weather used vehicles can sit for quite a while during the snowy winter months. If the owner tends to cater their driving habits to seasonal changes, that car will likely be regularly sold. These cars often have more owners but usually fewer miles per owner. The more owners, however, the greater the chance that seasonal maintenance wasn't performed.

Watch Out for 'Kick the Can Down the Road' Owners

A car with seven or eight previous owners can be fine to buy, even if a few owners lacked attentiveness to the vehicle's maintenance or repair needs. However, expensive used luxury vehicles can accumulate large maintenance costs, which often remain unattended by previous owners.

Many used luxury vehicles come off leases where the original owner enjoyed factory maintenance included in the monthly payments. If you look at the Carfax and Autocheck history for these vehicles after the original coverage has lapsed and discover that no work was done, and you can't find anything in the glove box or anywhere else to prove otherwise, it's likely that the work wasn't completed.

When Too Few Previous Owners Is a Problem

A vehicle with only one to two previous owners generally should result in a solid buy. Even so, a one-owner car isn't a guarantee for a great used-vehicle purchase.

Too much abuse, too few oil changes, or general neglect can come from just one previous owner driving your future car.

Steven Lang

Steven Lang is a special contributor to Capital One with nearly two decades of experience as an auto auctioneer, car dealer, and part owner of an auto auction. Some of the best-known auto publications turn to him for his expert insight. He is also the co-developer of the Long-Term Quality Index, a survey of vehicle reliability featuring over two million vehicles that have been inspected by professional mechanics.