Does high mileage put you off buying a car?
Discussion
I was just browsing the cars up for sale on the auctions on here, and quite a few of them are quite high mileage(understandable really because a few of them are old cars). However I personally wouldn't buy anything with over a 100k miles on it for example(regardless of its age), especially if it is going for relatively big money as well.
So does a high mileage put you off buying a car? Or is it just me that gets concerned about that, and prefers cars with a lower mileage?
Anyone else the same as me? Or do you not worry about it at all, and you just buy on condition instead?
So does a high mileage put you off buying a car? Or is it just me that gets concerned about that, and prefers cars with a lower mileage?
Anyone else the same as me? Or do you not worry about it at all, and you just buy on condition instead?
cerb4.5lee said:
I was just browsing the cars up for sale on the auctions on here, and quite a few of them are quite high mileage(understandable really because a few of them are old cars). However I personally wouldn't buy anything with over a 100k miles on it for example(regardless of its age), especially if it is going for relatively big money as well.
So does a high mileage put you off buying a car? Or is it just me that gets concerned about that, and prefers cars with a lower mileage?
Anyone else the same as me? Or do you not worry about it at all, and you just buy on condition instead?
Not long ago bought a Volvo XC70 with 120,000 mile on the clock with a list of advisories on the MOT and questionable service history.So does a high mileage put you off buying a car? Or is it just me that gets concerned about that, and prefers cars with a lower mileage?
Anyone else the same as me? Or do you not worry about it at all, and you just buy on condition instead?
Spent £1k on getting the cambelt and various other odds and sods sorted and its a pleasure to be in.
Admittedly, i think the rear shocks will need doing soon, along with various drop links but thats about it.
Only if I know that the car has cast iron provenance as far as ownership and service history. It also helps to know your engines as there are some real dogs out there but then they probably won't make it to high mileage without serious spending.
As a serial sheddist I've got rather good at this over the years although there are no guarantees but some very cheap cars can be had if you know what you're doing.
Current E Class is now on 237,000 miles. Bought for tuppence off a friend who runs a local dealership, runs like new.
As a serial sheddist I've got rather good at this over the years although there are no guarantees but some very cheap cars can be had if you know what you're doing.
Current E Class is now on 237,000 miles. Bought for tuppence off a friend who runs a local dealership, runs like new.
Edited by Gordon Hill on Sunday 9th June 10:03
Condition is everything
My Holden was 4.5yo when I bought it, showing equivalent of 65,000 miles, now coming up to 100,000 and has just been treated to some refreshment.
My 968 had close to 150,000 miles on it when I bought it a few years ago for a not-cheap price and now has around 10,000 more miles on it
Both had been obviously well-looked after with evidence of regular servicing and, just as importantly, regular use. In my experience it is regular use combined with regular, preventative maintenance that ensures longevity.
Yes, things will eventually break or wear out (Holden’s shocks for example) but in the great scheme of things still cheaper than changing cars.
To answer your point, mileage doesn’t matter to me.
My Holden was 4.5yo when I bought it, showing equivalent of 65,000 miles, now coming up to 100,000 and has just been treated to some refreshment.
My 968 had close to 150,000 miles on it when I bought it a few years ago for a not-cheap price and now has around 10,000 more miles on it
Both had been obviously well-looked after with evidence of regular servicing and, just as importantly, regular use. In my experience it is regular use combined with regular, preventative maintenance that ensures longevity.
Yes, things will eventually break or wear out (Holden’s shocks for example) but in the great scheme of things still cheaper than changing cars.
To answer your point, mileage doesn’t matter to me.
I've search out used daily drivers with +100k. There is a lot of decent machinery out there for not a lot of coin.
Last one I took to 285k miles and sold it within a week with a 12mth clean MOT.
The cost of maintenance has always worked out significantly cheaper than depreciation for me.
Plus I hope I have enough car nous to buy well and avoid the lemons.
The only downside I guess is not having the latest and greatest on your driveway, which I've never been bothered by and likely never will be.
But I'm highly supportive of people and companies who buy new cars to plough up and down the motorways with, ensures a rich and interesting pool for me to go fishing for a bargain 5 years later.
Last one I took to 285k miles and sold it within a week with a 12mth clean MOT.
The cost of maintenance has always worked out significantly cheaper than depreciation for me.
Plus I hope I have enough car nous to buy well and avoid the lemons.
The only downside I guess is not having the latest and greatest on your driveway, which I've never been bothered by and likely never will be.
But I'm highly supportive of people and companies who buy new cars to plough up and down the motorways with, ensures a rich and interesting pool for me to go fishing for a bargain 5 years later.
Depends on the car. For example, I'd be happy enough with a Lexus RX400h/450h with 100k+ miles because they're properly built despite their complexity. Isn't the Toyota Prius similar and goes on forever? Ditto the older Nissan Micra.
Would I buy a 70k+ miles 1 litre Ford Fiesta (the engine with the cam belt that runs in oil AKA 'Ecoboom')? Nope.
Would I buy a 70k+ miles 1 litre Ford Fiesta (the engine with the cam belt that runs in oil AKA 'Ecoboom')? Nope.
HelterSkelter said:
100,000 is just an arbitrary number and we are pretty much the only country in the world that has a weird obsession with it.
Told this story before - a colleague in the Netherlands bought a “new” Volvo S80 that he then said had done 160,000kms. On querying this, he said “well, it’s nearly new”. He ran his last car to 400,000kms.At the time he paid 11K euros for it - you could have got same car / mileage in UK for £4K.
HelterSkelter said:
100,000 is just an arbitrary number and we are pretty much the only country in the world that has a weird obsession with it.
Yea, I realised this when I'd seen the world a bit that 100k miles is nothing compared to what other countries run their cars to. I've bought two 100k+ cars now and they've both just needed routine stuff. Corrosion is something I pay attention to most, being in Scotland, and the cars aren't any cheaper for it. I'll take a any high mileage 10 year old car car that has spent its life down south. Plently of 'low-mileage' rust buckets up here.
AC43 said:
I bought my previous E Class on 95k and took it up to 145k. It still looked and drove perfectly.
I bought my current one on 55k and it's now barely run in on 85k.
I had three of those, all bought as ex demonstrators/hire cars with nominal mileage and ran them all to over 300k miles each as Chauffeur vehicles with no issues.I bought my current one on 55k and it's now barely run in on 85k.
The last one which was sold to a friend of my sons has just recently not gone through an MOT for some reason but was sitting on nearly 345k miles.
Having said that I wouldn't buy one with that mileage driven by others.
If you dont mind getting some dirt under your fingernails then a high mileage car is a good buy, the money you save on purchase more than outweighs replacing, and if you do it right a well maintained 400k car can drive better than a neglected 70k car.
If you are paying garage rates for maintenance the maths can fall apart pretty quickly though.
If you are paying garage rates for maintenance the maths can fall apart pretty quickly though.
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff