How many miles is acceptable for a used car

While expected to last from , to , miles, regular service can largely determine whether a car hits this milestone. That includes automatic transmission fluid sometimes labeled as "sealed for life.

Oil change. Oil is the lifeblood of any vehicle, and dirty oil can wreak havoc on an engine's components. Service records should always indicate oil changes at the manufacturer's recommended intervals. Fluids maintained. Proper maintenance should include topping off — and changing when necessary — all fluids, including the car's coolant and engine oil. Check Engine light. A check engine light being on is cause for raising an eyebrow, too. While it could be triggered for a wide range of reasons, it's worth figuring out the cause.

Another consideration when looking at a high-mileage vehicle is to figure out how many miles are left. For example, if you're looking at a car with , miles that's in good condition and from a brand known for vehicles passing the ,mile mark, the vehicle could easily have a life expectancy of , more miles. And if you drive fewer than 10, miles per year, that could mean at least 10 years of driving.

Some auto brands are more well-known than others for holding their value even with a high number of miles. For example, Toyota, Lexus, Volvo, and Honda are known as brands with models that can go , or more miles with regular maintenance. High scores from studies conducted by publications such as Consumer Reports and J. Power usually conclude Toyota or Honda owners with over , miles have several trouble-free years. That's also why those brands generally command more money on the used market than others with similar mileage.

Toyota has plenty of Tacoma trucks, 4Runner SUVs, and Camry sedans on the road with over , miles and many over , miles, and enthusiasts might say that , miles on one of those is just getting started. In a recent study, Toyota had six of the ten models most likely to see the ,mile mark, while General Motors had three and Ford had one.

Models like the Honda Accord, Honda Civic, and Subaru Outback have an extremely high percentage of vehicles still on the road. Commuter cars may have high mileage, but they often have less wear and tear than similar vehicles with similar miles but are used primarily for city driving. On the other hand, cars that started as rental cars will likely have had a much rougher life than the average car that's been owned privately.

Aside from routine maintenance, driving habits have the most significant effect on how long vehicles last. There can be too few miles on a car as well. A vehicle driven only a couple thousand miles per year is different from a car moved a couple of thousand miles in its entire existence. Proper lubrication of engine and transmission components requires movement. He goes on to say that "in the ss [manufacturers] have been building cars better than they used to".

The Department of Transport states that in the early s, cars only averaged a lifespan of six and a half years. In , official DfT statistics reveal that the average age has increased to 8. Despite this increase, the UK is still behind other European countries who keep their cars for High mileage cars are cheaper than their low mileage equivalents and have now become more appealing because they're likely to last longer.

However, if you plan to keep your car for six years or more, you will be at a greater advantage if you buy it when it's considered to be low mileage. Cars averaging less than 12, miles a year that have been well maintained and cared for should have a longer lifespan.

In addition, it will take them longer to get to the , mile landmark, giving you more time to clock up those miles yourself. Like we touched on before, remember to ask the owner or dealer of the vehicle about its mileage, highlighting whether they have primarily come from city or motorway driving based on any previous owner knowledge.

Considering if it is wise to buy a car with high mileage depends on context, research and the prevalence of information. View more articles. We'll use your criteria to show you personalised quotations to suit your needs. We'd like to send you some occasional news, reviews and offers. We also have some trusted partners who'd like to do the same.

Please choose from below, what you are comfortable with. Does mileage matter when buying a used car? Home Articles Does mileage matter when buying a used car? Latest car guides. This report gives you detailed information on the following:. If the report states that the used car you want has had all recommended maintenance and repairs at the appropriate times, then it'll be more likely to last longer-regardless of its mileage-than a vehicle that didn't get the routine services it needed.

These days, vehicles are built to last, and it renders the old practice of steering clear of high-mileage used cars obsolete. The average car in the U. Proper maintenance and care could help them hit , miles or even more. Buying a high-mileage used car that's in great shape is an awesome investment.

They come with several benefits that could include:. In some cases, it's more important to look at the number of previous owners an older vehicle has had, not the mileage. If a vehicle has only had one or two owners and it has well over , miles, chances are they took good care of it to reach that milestone.

If there has been three, four, or more owners, it's more likely that at least one of them neglected the scheduled maintenance. If you're looking at a used car with over , miles on the odometer, there's a good chance it's over 10 years old-or soon will be.

There's a big difference, however, between a "young" year-old car and an old year-old car. What does that mean? In order for a vehicle to hit , miles, it's likely that the previous owner had to get a lot of components replaced.

That's a good thing for you. At or around , miles, most vehicles will need new:.