High Mileage - What's your view?

[paddyhasneeds]

Not actually sure if you'd even consider 40k high mileage but, I'm looking for Freelander 2 and there are a few 2008 cars about that are Land Rover used approved, so full warranty etc. that have around 40k on them and that come in at what appear to be decent prices.

If you were going to be putting between 12-15k a year on whatever you buy, would you be put off by something with higher mileage, but presumably long runs, seeing as if you keep it 3-4 years you're going to be putting 60k on it anyway?

I tend to think buy off condition but would be interested in peoples views.

[kambites]

Modern cars ought to run to 200k miles without significant mechanical problems. 40k miles is about average for a three year old car.

Edited by kambites on Sunday 16th January 14:05

[iain_thornton]

40,000 isn't much to be honest
although it's nice to go for the lowest amount possible, other factors are worth considering too

general condition, service history
just 2 examples

[mrtwisty]

I'd rather have a car at 80k that was looked after by someone who knew what they were doing than one at 40k that had never had an oil change/filters/belts 'cus it'd been owned some dozy twonk who didn't have a clue.

[Jw Vw]

mrtwisty said:

I'd rather have a car at 80k that was looked after by someone who knew what they were doing than one at 40k that had never had an oil change/filters/belts 'cus it'd been owned some dozy twonk who didn't have a clue.

^^^^^^^^^^^^This should end this thread^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[paddyhasneeds]

mrtwisty said:

I'd rather have a car at 80k that was looked after by someone who knew what they were doing than one at 40k that had never had an oil change/filters/belts 'cus it'd been owned some dozy twonk who didn't have a clue.

Agree entirely, but would the 80k car have more "wear and tear" problems due to the mileage even if it hadn't done 5000 trips to the shops and back IYSWIM.

[kambites]

paddyhasneeds said:

mrtwisty said:

I'd rather have a car at 80k that was looked after by someone who knew what they were doing than one at 40k that had never had an oil change/filters/belts 'cus it'd been owned some dozy twonk who didn't have a clue.

Agree entirely, but would the 80k car have more "wear and tear" problems due to the mileage even if it hadn't done 5000 trips to the shops and back IYSWIM.

Some bits would be more worn, some less. The engine on the higher mileage car would probably be less worn, but the suspension components would be worse.

[randomwalk]

High mileage is ok if car been serviced as per book, you receive a substantial discount on the price when buying a high mileage car so that needs to be factored in as a positive. High mileage can be a problem if you are just shy of some big service items ie cam belt replacements, etc.

Also I have always felt that around 100-120K alot of things seem to go wrong, alternators, water pumps, injectors, suspension components,electronics, - thats been my experience but obviously varies.

[frosted]

After seeing a RR needing a new engine at 12k I wouldn't buy any LR products

[cuprabob]

Condition and history are what's important. The majority of high mileage cars spend the majority of their life cruising on a motorway which is much less stressful than short trips where it never gets up to temperature.

[VeeFour]

kambites said:

Some bits would be more worn, some less. The engine on the higher mileage car would probably be less worn, but the suspension components would be worse.

On the other hand - the 80k car has probably spent more time on motorways, rather than crashing through urban pot-holes and over speed bumps.

[entwisi]

bought my 4YO Accord at 130K, now done 155K, waltzed its MOT on Friday, Still on original clucth ( although just starting to slip a little on full bore acceleration in 3&4th)

it has had an almost perfect life of long stressless motorway journeys all its life, serviced on the nose etc.

[steveo3002]

go on the condition , the 5k car might have done loads of 3 mile school runs full of wild kids and mummy hitting things all the way there and back while riding the clutch

[mrtwisty]

paddyhasneeds said:

mrtwisty said:

I'd rather have a car at 80k that was looked after by someone who knew what they were doing than one at 40k that had never had an oil change/filters/belts 'cus it'd been owned some dozy twonk who didn't have a clue.

Agree entirely, but would the 80k car have more "wear and tear" problems due to the mileage even if it hadn't done 5000 trips to the shops and back IYSWIM.

I think 'wear and tear' on non-consumables is much less of an issue with modern cars than it was 25+ years ago. The design/manufacture/metallurgy etc that goes into stuff like driveline components and engine internals these days makes them extremely durable (especially when on 'normal' cars, where they aren't subjected to the forces exerted by more powerful machinery)

[Searider]

I think that high mileage newer cars are good buys.

One company owner. 75000 miles in 3 or 4 years. Serviced on the button. Will have spent most of its time in a straight line on the motorway having an easy time. Probably serviced 3 times or more.

Or
4 or 5 year old 30000 mile privately owned car. Lots of short journeys. Often around town. Lots of speed bumps. Possibly only serviced once.

Often the same price for each.

[Mr GrimNasty]

Yes, high miles, young car, FSH, = perfectly run in.

[thinfourth2]

paddyhasneeds said:

Not actually sure if you'd even consider 140k high mileage.

Edited for shed owners

[redtwin]

With rampant clocking by traders and private owners I would see odometer mileage as nothing more than a bargaining point. I don't think I could ever trust the odometer to reflect the true mileage of a car again unless the car was known to me from new.

And as mentioned, not all miles are the same, buy on condition of the car. It would be an extremely dense person who buys a rattly, loose 40K mile car while discounting an 80K car that drives near enough as new.

[Triumph Man]

My passat has 225,000 miles on the clock. Am I worried about high miles? No. More dependent on the car itself, in my opinion.

[rallycross]

We have a bmw 525 thats done 202k miles drives superbly.