What milage would you class as 'Too High to Touch'?
Discussion
219k on our 406 hdi it still drives and feels nice and tight with the bonus that everything bar the aircon still works and nothing's gone wrong in the two years we've had it. Loads of XM's with 2-300k and few issues.
If buying something expensive and diesel would you prefer a 100K car that's mostly original or a 150k car with new injectors, turbo, dmf etc ?
If buying something expensive and diesel would you prefer a 100K car that's mostly original or a 150k car with new injectors, turbo, dmf etc ?
ModernAndy said:
Back to the original question. The thing about the TypeR is that you have to cane it to get the power right at the top. For me, that suggests very high mileage ones might be quite engine-worn compared to other 'normal' cars ( very possible I'm wrong though).
On the other hand, it's a Honda which has been designed to handle that kind of treatment - how do you thrash a car that's built to be used like that?As trade I don't touch anything with over 135k
Modern cars can cope with big miles though, i almost took an e60 530d m sport in with 109k on the clock. Nice car, solid drive, looked well for it's age, after a HPI & VOSA check it turns out it'd actually done 215k!!!!
It really depends on how owners look after the car
Modern cars can cope with big miles though, i almost took an e60 530d m sport in with 109k on the clock. Nice car, solid drive, looked well for it's age, after a HPI & VOSA check it turns out it'd actually done 215k!!!!
It really depends on how owners look after the car
ModernAndy said:
Back to the original question. The thing about the TypeR is that you have to cane it to get the power right at the top. For me, that suggests very high mileage ones might be quite engine-worn compared to other 'normal' cars ( very possible I'm wrong though).
Yes you are wrong.OP- buy on condition, not mileage. As stated, 100k is nothing for these engines so long as they have been well maintained.
I'm surprised no one has suggested investigating the current owner when looking at used cars. Always try to find cars owned by older "enthusiast" drivers rather than kids. I find kids thrash the **** out of cars (like I did when I was young!) whilst older "enthusiast" drivers usually pamper their cars.
Itsnotagsr said:
I'm surprised no one has suggested investigating the current owner when looking at used cars. Always try to find cars owned by older "enthusiast" drivers rather than kids. I find kids thrash the **** out of cars (like I did when I was young!) whilst older "enthusiast" drivers usually pamper their cars.
Good point. Generally speaking that is what I've found in my experience too, there are always exceptions.I'd be wary of something that's had loads of previous owners too. It might have had 2 careful owners and 5 not so careful owners.
Tango13 said:
Have they improved their build quality then? 
Joking apart my dad had a 1.3 new Astra many years ago, D273 RRO that did 70k in the first year and went on to starship mileage in the next couple of years.
Hah. The wife's daily 1.3 Mk2 is on 224k now and had a very healthy ~60BHP at the wheels on the RR at about 210k. Joking apart my dad had a 1.3 new Astra many years ago, D273 RRO that did 70k in the first year and went on to starship mileage in the next couple of years.
For me I'd go on condition and service history and the general feel of the car. I'd rather have a better seviced 100k car over a 50k one that's missed a few services or not had a decent run. My Mk4 I bought a FSH 86k over a 55k one that had no history and looked neglected.
I'd love to know the reasing that a diesel can do mire miles than a petrol, or that at a pre-defined mileage a car will explode into expensive bits. Sounds like your uncle just CBA to help. When was he a mechanic, in the '50s? Will he get you to de-coke the engine first?
So, a car with the most detailed history and regular services is a better buy than a lower mileage one with few services and all original parts?
I've been looking at diesels with 80k on the clock and some mention nothing about work that's been taken out on the car. Would it be better to go for a 100k vehicle that's had money already spent on it? How do you tell if a cars been looked after? Checks under the bodywork for rust? Heavy/ light clutch?
I've been looking at diesels with 80k on the clock and some mention nothing about work that's been taken out on the car. Would it be better to go for a 100k vehicle that's had money already spent on it? How do you tell if a cars been looked after? Checks under the bodywork for rust? Heavy/ light clutch?
I find age tends to be the killer not mileage. I typically buy a barge at around 5 years old (Previous car Vaux Omega 3.0, current Jag XJR) with 60k on the clock then keep for 3 years and sell on with 150k. Yes things mechanical go wrong at high mileage but nothing too bad. My current Jag is supposedly good for 250k with only the known issues needing attention (suspension bushes mainly).
I find that beyond 10 years old things start to perish - rubber seals for example - and you start a cycle of endless fixes and that does get expensive. Also rust starts to be a problem on some older cars.
Having said that I've got a Golf V5 thats 14 years old with 90k on the clock thats never had any real problems so there are exceptions to the age rule - Golfs of that era were galvanised so rust isnt going to be an issue,
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I find that beyond 10 years old things start to perish - rubber seals for example - and you start a cycle of endless fixes and that does get expensive. Also rust starts to be a problem on some older cars.
Having said that I've got a Golf V5 thats 14 years old with 90k on the clock thats never had any real problems so there are exceptions to the age rule - Golfs of that era were galvanised so rust isnt going to be an issue,
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I wonder if high milage is worn better by a bigger car? My only experience is my V6 MGZT-T 180 - I got it with 167K on the clock.
Lovingly maintained before me and mechanically it felt strong, smooth and in its prime right up to the day I sold it back to the guy who sold it to me.
With a massive folder full of evidence of work done, it gave me great confidnece.
I think so long as you make sure you get one that's been serviced to the last letter and there is evidence of that, it is looking good.
Always a gamble though. But so is a lower miles car. I know of a lease car whcih very few miles on it which was returned at the end of its term with about 30K on the clock.I shudder to think how that was abused as a pool car. I'd rather have a loved high miler than an unloved low to average car.
Lovingly maintained before me and mechanically it felt strong, smooth and in its prime right up to the day I sold it back to the guy who sold it to me.
With a massive folder full of evidence of work done, it gave me great confidnece.
I think so long as you make sure you get one that's been serviced to the last letter and there is evidence of that, it is looking good.
Always a gamble though. But so is a lower miles car. I know of a lease car whcih very few miles on it which was returned at the end of its term with about 30K on the clock.I shudder to think how that was abused as a pool car. I'd rather have a loved high miler than an unloved low to average car.
Edited by wildcat45 on Sunday 2nd February 11:20
All about maintenance and the driver(s)
Most 10 year old cars and newer will do astronomical mileages, if serviced, and not thrashed to a mm of their life.
So yup, you take that good advice from your uncle, and leave all the 100,000 mile motorway munchers to us.
My 2005 Toyota has almost 260,000 miles, and runs as sweet as a nut.
Original exhaust, etc.
New alternator at 222,000
Then just consumables like pads etc.
So yup, you take that good advice from your uncle, and leave all the 100,000 mile motorway munchers to us.
vette
Most 10 year old cars and newer will do astronomical mileages, if serviced, and not thrashed to a mm of their life.
So yup, you take that good advice from your uncle, and leave all the 100,000 mile motorway munchers to us.
My 2005 Toyota has almost 260,000 miles, and runs as sweet as a nut.
Original exhaust, etc.
New alternator at 222,000
Then just consumables like pads etc.
So yup, you take that good advice from your uncle, and leave all the 100,000 mile motorway munchers to us.
vette
My EP3 has about 120k on it and drives and goes just as it did when I first got it. The only potential engine problem you need to be aware of at this mileage is that the cam chain could be nearing the end of it's life. They don't tend to snap, but can stretch enough to impact performance and/or raise an error code. Some seem to go on forever, probably the ones that have been looked after properly...
Other than that, just watch out for rattles/clonks in the suspension, just as you would on any other car. Seat bolsters are likely to be quite worn at that mileage as well, they aren't very robust.
BTW these "rules of thumb" about mileage are ridiculous, but are constantly propagated by people that should know better. However, as a buyer this works greatly in your favour.
Other than that, just watch out for rattles/clonks in the suspension, just as you would on any other car. Seat bolsters are likely to be quite worn at that mileage as well, they aren't very robust.
BTW these "rules of thumb" about mileage are ridiculous, but are constantly propagated by people that should know better. However, as a buyer this works greatly in your favour.
It depends very much on how it's been used. A megamiles saloon car has likely been spending its days on the motorway, which is extraordinarily kind on a car on a per mile basis (not a lot of turning, braking or accelerating, generally very few bumps in the tarmac). However, something with very few miles has probably spent its life in town, with hill starts, short journeys, parking abuse, potholes, speed bumps, and all of the nasty stuff that kills cars.
Try and take a look through the service history of the car if you can; you can tell quite a lot about the car from that. On this sort of mileage I would preferably want a low number of personal owners with Full Service History, either at the dealer or a marque specialist (that's the ideal really, people who really took care of the car), followed by a fleet hire company, again with FSH.
As a rule I look for around 8-12k miles a year on a car if I'm going for a daily drive (I usually buy around 7 years old). If I was going to buy something older I would probably go for higher mileage rather than lower mileage if the service history is there.
It's certainly possible to run a car like this (especially Hondas) to mega miles, but you do need to be aware that there are a lot of items that are "lifed" between 100 and 200,000 miles, which may well need replacing during your ownership of the car.
Try and take a look through the service history of the car if you can; you can tell quite a lot about the car from that. On this sort of mileage I would preferably want a low number of personal owners with Full Service History, either at the dealer or a marque specialist (that's the ideal really, people who really took care of the car), followed by a fleet hire company, again with FSH.
As a rule I look for around 8-12k miles a year on a car if I'm going for a daily drive (I usually buy around 7 years old). If I was going to buy something older I would probably go for higher mileage rather than lower mileage if the service history is there.
It's certainly possible to run a car like this (especially Hondas) to mega miles, but you do need to be aware that there are a lot of items that are "lifed" between 100 and 200,000 miles, which may well need replacing during your ownership of the car.
I'd happily go for a high mileage car next time especially as my VW with 93k miles on it feels like new, it's the Longlife servicing that worries me. I change the oil on mine every 9k miles but with Longlife servicing offering up to 20k miles it's a worry long term does this do them harm?
In modern cars its not the mechanical bits you have to worry about, it's the electronics. The manufacturers try to protect the electronics from corrosion but it still happens and electrical gremlins cause major headaches.
IMO if the high miles were put on quickly says over 5 years then it isn't a problem on modern cars but as they get older and start having electrical problems that are difficult and expensive to fix they are much less attractive as a used vehicle.
Having a FSH has no impact on electronics as they are never even looked at unless causing trouble. The chap who said age (in relation to modern cars with lots of electronics) is the biggest factor is I think is correct in his assessment.
IMO if the high miles were put on quickly says over 5 years then it isn't a problem on modern cars but as they get older and start having electrical problems that are difficult and expensive to fix they are much less attractive as a used vehicle.
Having a FSH has no impact on electronics as they are never even looked at unless causing trouble. The chap who said age (in relation to modern cars with lots of electronics) is the biggest factor is I think is correct in his assessment.
If the car has been allowed to warm up, then there's no harm in driving it how it was designed. There are quite a few EP3's with close to 200k miles. High mileage historically isn't what kills Hondas. It's rust. However the EP3 didn't suffer too badly unlike older models.
Don't worry about full Honda history either. I'd be more inclined to buy a car with specialist service history. If the owner doesn't know where the dip stick is, walk away. Some use oil, others don't. Mine didn't use any between services but I still checked it religiously. If you buy a good one the running costs are surprisingly low. They are brilliant cars for the money.
jlmason94 said:
Hi, thanks for the reply's. First of all this is one of a few cars im considering, others being mk4 golf & polo gti's, Peugeot gtis and clio 172 & 182s, any other suggestions welcome? And im 19 now so insurance isn't too much of an issue, the civic type r is £1500 to insure which is a lot but very reasonable especially when you think I don't have a lot else to spend my wages on than a nice car at this age!
Have you looked at the mk7 Toyota celica?Ooh look, there's one here!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
Yes it happens to be mine
and yes its a bit more than your budget but still, that extra 1k buys you low miles and a service history so complete it would take you an hour to read through it all!Edited by dave_s13 on Sunday 2nd February 18:38
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