Is a 5-kilometer new car normal?
3 Answers
5-kilometer new car is normal. Because the new car will generate mileage during factory loading/unloading and transportation to the sales point, generally anything under 30 kilometers is considered normal. Reasons for new car mileage: Usually when a new car arrives at a 4S store, its odometer won't show 0 kilometers. This is because after production, manufacturers have professionals conduct test drives and evaluations to identify potential issues. Additionally, the car will accumulate some mileage during transportation from the factory to the dealership. Other criteria for identifying new cars: Mileage isn't the only standard for identifying new cars. When taking delivery, you should open the engine hood to check the production date. Verify whether there's a significant gap between the production date and delivery date - smaller gaps usually mean less movement. While it's impossible to avoid movement between production and sales, a smaller gap between production and delivery dates reduces the likelihood of dealerships tampering with the odometer.
It's actually very normal for a new car to have 5 kilometers on the odometer. In my experience with automobile manufacturing, every new car undergoes quality inspection before leaving the factory. Workers will drive a short distance to test critical components like brakes, steering, and the engine to ensure everything functions smoothly. During transportation, vehicles inevitably need to be moved short distances from the production line to loading docks and then to dealerships, so a total of 5 kilometers is absolutely within reasonable limits. When I worked at a dealership, most new cars typically had under 10 kilometers, with some imported vehicles showing even higher readings. There's no need to worry about this—it actually indicates the vehicle has undergone basic inspections to ensure initial quality. As long as there are no signs of obvious damage, such a new car is just as reliable as one with zero kilometers. When purchasing, I recommend checking the vehicle's exterior and documentation, and that should suffice.
Last year I bought myself a new car, and the odometer showed exactly 5 kilometers when I picked it up, which initially made me a bit puzzled. However, the salesperson explained that it was due to factory testing and transportation. The car drives perfectly smooth with no issues at all. After nearly a year of driving, it performs excellently in every aspect. In fact, new cars need to be driven short distances from the factory to the dealership, such as for brake calibration or moving into storage, so 5 kilometers is a very common starting figure. My friend's car was in a similar situation. If you encounter such a car, don't panic—just carefully check if the tires are fresh and if there are any scratches on the interior. In short, drive with confidence; this isn't a defect.
