what is high mileage?

[cobra_neill]

when buying a used car, what do you consider to be high mileage? do you look at the odometer? if the motor has been built, do you look at the body mileage or motor miles?

do you look at age as a factor? IE 100,000 miles on a car from 1964, all original. is this low mileage due to age, low mileage in general, high mileage?

interested in thoughts.

 

[05satinGT]

Depends on:

Make and Model
Which Engine
Purpose of Car

Example, if I were to buy a Cobra or a Vette or something as a toy. Anywhere from 60-70k would be high to me.

For a DD 100k+ would be fine. But it depends, if its like a civic or a straight 6 cherokee where the things can run 300k+ plus then it wouldn't matter. But cars that have motors which are notorious for shitting the bed then lower miles in my eyes would be "high".

I feel the 100k marker scares people, but it all depends on the purpose of the vehicle. Nothing wrong with 100k as long as the car has been well maintained and runs good. I've seen cars with 100k look better cosmetically then cars with 40k. That's a big factor too. Cars with 100k have the ability to look like they have 10k, and run like they have 10k, it's all about the cars past.

 

[Kiohtee]

Everyone will have a different opinion of what high miles is. But a good generality is 100,000 miles and less is low miles (depending on the year of the car of course). Personally, 150-200,000 miles isn't a deal breaker to me so as long as I know the car has been well maintained. The three cars I've owned up to this point in time (I'm only 20 mind you), have been:

1997 Ford Mustang GT with 140k+ miles
2000 Honda Civic EX with 185k+ miles
1998 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 with 160k+ miles

None of the three EVER gave me engine problems, but all but the Honda has required a fuel pump. Things do wear after that many miles though, so it's only expected at a certain point in time.

And FWIW OP, I think the "average" according to some big automotive group is 12-15,000 miles a year, so anything under that per year is technically low miles.

 

[Riddla]

Meat curtains and sag

On cars 100k imo

 

[BlueSnake01]

What 05satinGT said. Depends a lot on the type of car. Some car's may have high mileage and be in better condition than low mileage car's. I would take a car with 90k highway miles over one that has 60k street miles.

On sport's car's I would stay away from car's that have close to 80k. On family sedan's or even SUV's I would'nt mind purchasing them at 100k. Best way to know if its been abuse, just look at the car, feel and especially the interior.

 

[BlueSnake01]

Also, sometimes the motor mileage can be wrong if the engine has been replaced. My Cobra dials at 80k but my engine, tranny and suspension have barely clocked close to 10k original miles.

 

[VenomousDSG]

on DD vehicles, i've usually considered everything under 100K is low miles, defending on age.

On sports cars and performance cars like vettes and cobras, i wouldnt purchase one with anywhere near 100K miles.

 

[big dad]

It also depends on what part of the country they're from or environment they were subjected too.

 

[CobraBob]

It's definitely subjective and varied. But for me, a high mileage vehicle is one that has reached the need for major maintenance (and new major parts like brakes, suspension work, alternator, etc.).

 

[N2DAMYSTIC]

Meat curtains and sag

On cars 100k imo

Spit coffee out, Check!

 

[DaleM]

15K per year is average.
I think 15,001 and more per year is high

 

[Outlaw99]

my jeep has 198,000 - still runs like a tick

 

[Misquamarauder]

I don't consider my 270,xxx mile Marauder to be high, but I've seen some pretty tore up 50,000 mile Focuses (or would that be Foci).

 

[SLVRBLT]

For one a diesel over 100K doesnt scare me, it depends on the motor though.

 

[cobra_neill]

reason i ask is because my fox mustang's odometer reads 103,000 miles and runs like a dream. the cobra is now on 102,000 miles, 98 MY. had someone come to chat about the cobra and asked me how i got one so low mileage? surprised me. starts first time and runs sweet, i guess it cant have had a hard life.

personally, if i was looking at a car around 5 years ago, i would prefer around the 50k mile mark. but after running nothing but american and having zero problems with them i would have no bother with buying a 100k mile + american/canadian ford.

chevrolet on the other hand, 80k seems to be when the problems start.

 

[Silver2003Cobra]

lets see.. vehicles with over 100K miles in my family.. every one except my wife's 07 Lexus (30000 on it) so, I don't think that 100K is "high mileage" on any thing.

97 F250 Powerstroke (brothers) 402K
95 Ford Bronco II (brothers) over 302K (odometer stopped working 3 years ago, but A LOT more than that now)
95 Buick Park Ave (stepdads) 276K
99 Buick Park Ave (moms) 200K
98 Chevy Malibu (sisters) 210K
01 Explorer Sport (mine) 145K
92 F150 (mine) 134k
04 Silverado (bro in laws) 123K
03 Cobra (mine) 101K

 

[terrible one]

I'd consider a fox with 100k low miles. Your car is over 20 years old, that's only 5k miles a year.

 

[jfsram]

It's definitely subjective and varied. But for me, a high mileage vehicle is one that has reached the need for major maintenance (and new major parts like brakes, suspension work, alternator, etc.).

Brakes is major?


Anyways for me it depends on, as said, many things and for what.

Old cars like a 10 year old car with 35,000. Either babied in a garage for 6 days of the week. Good to go.
Or it's driven 2.5 km per trip. 4 times a day. Everyday for 10 years. AVOID for reuse.

Highway miles are very gentle on aging. Short trip = early death.

 

[thomas91169]

Depends on:

Make and Model
Which Engine
Purpose of Car

Example, if I were to buy a Cobra or a Vette or something as a toy. Anywhere from 60-70k would be high to me.

Agreed.

If im buying a weekend car, I want it to have as little mileage as possible if its a car im wanting to drive/mod lightly and keep pristine. If its a car I want to modify and rape/abuse/pillage/plunder, then ill go a bit higher on mileage to get a cheaper buy and use the rest on mods.

My '10 Fusion has 80k on it already. Bought it in september '11 with 68k. Not even flinching at mileage.

"High" mileage to me for a normal vehicle would be 150k these days, and at that point the only thing bothering me would be the likelyhood the suspension is starting to wear out and get sloppy.

 

[4a7191a]

i worked on a buddys impala today, thought it had around 70k miles, it was a tune up. i looked at the miles on it and she had 221k miles. motor sounded great and i was highly surprised.