What’s Good Mileage on a Used Car?
As a general rule, you should assume that the average car owner puts 12,000 miles on a car each year. To determine whether a car has reasonable mileage, you can simply multiply 12,000 by its age. That means good mileage for a car that’s 5 years old is 60,000. Significantly more or fewer miles could indicate a problem or trouble in the future.
That said, mileage can be misleading. You have to consider the number of owners as well. If a car is 10 years old and only has 90,000 miles on it, mileage alone indicates that it could be a good deal. However, if it has had four owners during that 10-year span, there’s a strong possibility that at least one of the owners didn’t properly maintain the vehicle. Likewise, if you find a 10-year-old car with only one previous owner that has just 30,000 miles on it and is in great condition based on appearances, it’s likely a great deal. These cars are typically kept in a garage and meticulously maintained.
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How Many Miles on a Used Car Is Too Much?
Because mileage can be misleading, there is no definitive answer on how many miles on a car is too much. That said, based on the 12,000 miles per year rule, you can get a general idea of what type of mileage to expect on a used vehicle. If a car has accumulated far more than 12,000 miles per year, you may want to consider a different vehicle.
How Many Miles on a Used Car Is Too Little?
There is no hard-and-fast rule for how many miles is too little. In general, a used car with low mileage is usually a good decision, even when mileage seems unusually low. There are some signs that could indicate the car hasn’t been driven enough. However, you’ll first need to make sure that the odometer reading is accurate.
By reviewing the vehicle history report, you typically get a good idea of whether it is correct. For example, if you see on the vehicle history report that the car, at 5 years old, had just 5,000 miles, there is a strong likelihood that the odometer reading is accurate. The appearance of the vehicle can also be a good indicator of whether the odometer is correct, as a vehicle that hasn’t been driven a lot during a 10-year life should have few dents and very little wear and tear on the interior.
If you believe the odometer reading is accurate, you should have the car inspected by a professional mechanic. While this is a good rule to follow when purchasing any new vehicle, it’s particularly important in situations where a car has very low mileage, because if the car has been sitting for a long time, certain parts could have dried out and may require immediate repair or replacement.
A used car technician or mechanic typically has a checklist of what they need to evaluate on a used vehicle. Their inspection should include an overview of the car’s conditions, such as its body and finish, glass, and mirrors. They will also evaluate the condition of the engine, brakes, and tires and scan the control system, as well as take the vehicle on a test drive to evaluate its overall performance. Most experienced technicians will be able to tell you immediately if something isn’t right with the vehicle, whether there are issues that need to be addressed right away and whether you should anticipate future problems.
Is It Wise to Buy a Car With High Mileage?
While many people avoid purchasing cars with high mileage because there is a perception that they are riskier and more prone to problems, cars today are designed to last far longer. When you buy a car that already has high mileage, the depreciation curve has already flattened, and it will not decrease in value rapidly (the way a new car does). Additionally, because cars are meant to be driven, vehicles that have high mileage tend to be well-lubricated and burn carbon buildup, both of which help the engine to last longer. In contrast, cars with low mileage often aren’t given fluid changes as frequently, which can create problems at a later time.
The average car in the U.S. isaround 12 years old, which puts the average mileage at approximately 144,000. When you’re deciding whether to purchase a used vehicle, you should evaluate not just its current mileage, but how many more miles you will be able to put on it to reach that 144,000 average. For example, if a car has 100,000 miles, you can drive it approximately four more years before you will reach the average mileage.
Though the 12,000 miles-per-year rule is beneficial for estimating whether a vehicle has an average number of miles based on its age, mileage alone should not be the only determinant when deciding whether to purchase a vehicle. You should also evaluate the car’s vehicle history report to find out how well it was maintained and see how many owners it has had. You should always have it evaluated by a used car technician, as well, who can help you identify any possible unforeseen problems with the vehicle.
Is Buying a Car With Over 50,000 Miles Bad?
When you’re trying to determine whether a particular pre-owned vehicle is worth buying, you have to consider the number of miles left in it. A modern vehicle may be able to travel up to 200,000 miles. Therefore, a car with more than 50,000 miles is likely to have up to 150,000 miles left. As such, it can probably serve you for more than 10 years if you’re anaverage car owner who drives about 12,000 miles a year.
There are several factors that can affect the number of miles left on a vehicle, such as maintenance and driving environment. A poorly maintained car is likely to develop major issues sooner, so it won’t be able to travel as many miles as one that has been receiving routine maintenance. If a vehicle has mainly been used in a sparsely populated area, it should have more life left in it. This is because it has led an easier and more relaxed life than a similar car that has gone through the daily grind of low-speed, stop-and-go traffic in the city.
Overall, if you find aused vehiclewith about 50,000 miles that has been properly maintained and mainly driven in a less congested area, it’s definitely worth your consideration. It would be ideal if the car appearsrelatively new and shows little wear and tear.
Is Buying a Car With Over 100,000 Miles Bad?
A reliable vehicle with more than 100,000 miles is likely capable of traveling another 100,000 miles or less. If you put about 12,000 miles on the car each year, you may be able to use it for up to 8 years. In this case, it’s also important to consider the age of the car. If it’s a 3-year-old car, it means that its owner has been putting more than 30,000 miles on it each year. Due to the tough life it has had, its engine and other components may have sustained more wear and tear than usual.
It can be somewhat risky tobuy a vehiclethat has racked up more than 100,000 miles. Even if it’s well-maintained and has about 100,000 miles left in it, such a car is already past its prime. Generally, vehicles are likely to start experiencing problems after the 100,000-mile mark. Also, in most cases, they no longer have a validmanufacturer’s warranty, meaning you have to pay for repairs out of your own pocket when something goes wrong.
What’s More Important: Mileage or Age?
When you’re looking for a suitable used vehicle, you may come across some offers that don’t seem to make sense. For example, a 10-year-old car is selling at a higher price than a 7-year-old car with considerably higher mileage. This may leave you wondering why the older car is more expensive when mileage and age are supposed to go hand-in-hand, but this isn’t necessarily true. Mileage and age have a different impact on the value of a vehicle, and they may not be closely related.
Before you search for your ideal vehicle, it’s essential to know how mileage and age differ from one another. The number of miles on a vehicle’s odometer is one of the most important factors determining the price of a pre-owned car. It’s an indication of the amount of wear and tear the car has sustained over time. As such, a vehicle that has higher mileage will most-likely be costlier than a similar vehicle with fewer miles. Generally, a car with lower mileagealso offers better ride quality.
In most cases, the service life of most car parts is dependent on mileage. The number of miles a vehicle traveled has a direct impact on the condition of the engine and suspension, which are parts that usually require major revamping following the accumulation of thousands of miles.
Additionally, you have to understand the different kinds of miles put on the car you intend to purchase. A car that’s mainly used in an urban area will show considerably more wear and tear than one that accumulates most of its miles on the highway. Also, a vehicle that has a dedicated owner tends to have a longer lifespan, especially if it has undergoneregular servicingand prompt repairs whenever problems arise.
If everything in a vehicle is in good working condition, its age isn’t really important.
Most parts of a car wear down according to the number of miles traveled, but there are a few components that will be compromised as a result of aging. For example, rubber parts generally don’t age well, but they aren’t as expensive to replace. Minor problems like these shouldn’t discourage you from buying an older pre-owned car.
It’s also important to be able to determine whether a 10-year-old used vehicle is a “young” 10-year-old or an “old” 10-year-old. This means that you have to find out if the car has been regularly on the road or spent a large part of its life sitting in a garage. A vehicle that has rarely been used is less likely to run smoothly. Otherwise, age shouldn’t matter much if all of the mechanical components are working well.
If you’re in Rochester, Minnesota, we have a large selection ofused vehicles, from sedans to SUVs to trucks, to choose from. Our sales team is also happy to help you find a used car with features you’re looking for. Take a look at our inventory online or come by our location today and take one of our great used cars for a test drive.
Questions before you stop by? Contact us online or give us a call at (507) 215-8923.
Tags: pre-owned auto buying tips, what's a good mileage on a used car
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