How many miles is too many?

[focusxr5]

Due to circumstances I'm getting rid of my Focus ST and looking at something cheaper to run and that I'm not going to have monthly payments for. One car I've seen is a rather immaculate looking, 1 owner 2007 BMW 520d for the very cheap price of £3995

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

I'm very tempted to take a punt on it due to it looking very looked after, even down to the total lack of burned on brake dust on the wheels. Clearly looking at this has created a dilemma in my head though, as this car in particular has 190,000 miles on it.

So, general question to you all. How many miles is too many in this day and age of build quality, better fuel and oil and motorway mileages.

Edited to correct spelling

Edited by focusxr5 on Thursday 11th February 02:58

[anonymous-user]

It depends. 200k is reasonably high miles whichever way you cut it so how the car has been looked after will be crucial. These days engines tend to outlast the rest of the car and what kills them is owners not being willing to shell out money to fix things on a low value car.

Don't be seduced by shiny wheels, look at the service history in detail - what's been replaced and what hasn't?

The MoT history doesn't exactly fill me with confidence about how that car has been looked after. I'd find another, they're not exactly rare.

[Benbay001]

It has a strong chance that i could throw up some nasty bills. If youre getting rid of the focus to save money then thats probably not logical

[wemorgan]

190k and no mentioned of any service history. Worth a phone call about that before a wasted visit.

[GregK2]

Who needs wheel bolts anyway?

Test date12 June 2015 Test ResultFail Odometer reading 190,921 miles MOT test number5555 6386 5152 Reason(s) for failure
Nearside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Nearside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Rear Road wheel cracked (4.2.A.1a)
Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

[Sillyhatday]

I'd consider it too many. If I had done most of those miles on the car though, I'd be much less bothered. I know how its been treated.

[paulwirral]

GregK2 said:

Who needs wheel bolts anyway?

Test date12 June 2015 Test ResultFail Odometer reading 190,921 miles MOT test number5555 6386 5152 Reason(s) for failure
Nearside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Nearside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Rear Road wheel cracked (4.2.A.1a)
Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Sounds like someone lost the locking wheel nut key and chiseled the lockers off .

[kambites]

The mileage wouldn't stop me considering the car but it'd make me look much more closely at how it's been treated and what consumables will be mostly consumed by now.

[Ikemi]

Plenty of other, lower mileage cars for £4000. I don't think I'd ever aim for the cheapest example of a particular model. I'm not aware of 2007 520D prices, but if the lowest was £4000 and the highest was nearer £10K, I'd be looking at the higher end of the scale. If that wasn't affordable, either save/finance or look for something else!

How about an older 5 series, or a 3 series? Perhaps opt for a leftfield choice and buy a huge, fully kitted out 90's Lexus for a couple of grand?

[ZX10R NIN]

Nigh on 200k is very high & as others have said the potential for big bills is huge, here are some with around half the mileage for the same money:

110k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

103k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

93k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Or if you don't mind an E Class:

123k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

103k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

107k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

[TooMany2cvs]

wemorgan said:

190k and no mentioned of any service history. Worth a phone call about that before a wasted visit.

GregK2 said:

Who needs wheel bolts anyway?

Test date12 June 2015 Test ResultFail Odometer reading 190,921 miles MOT test number5555 6386 5152 Reason(s) for failure
Nearside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Nearside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)
Offside Rear Road wheel cracked (4.2.A.1a)
Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Such a tempting combination - leggy, no history, image-based-abuse potential, AND an MOT history that shows somebody who didn't give the first flying fkerigar.

And all for only four grand for a near-on ten year old car.

Where do I sign?

[J4CKO]

Get it looked over properly, if it's ok, make a low bid.

A lot may have been clocked anyway, it's a high mileage, low spec, nine year old car but looks smart enough, so many will avoid it so you may get it cheap, ones with half that throw issues so look what has been done, needs to be 500 plus cheaper.

[CX53]

TooMany2cvs said:

Such a tempting combination - leggy, no history, image-based-abuse potential, AND an MOT history that shows somebody who didn't give the first flying fkerigar.

And all for only four grand for a near-on ten year old car.

Where do I sign?

[TooMany2cvs]

J4CKO said:

Get it looked over properly, if it's ok, make a low bid.

A lot may have been clocked anyway, it's a high mileage, low spec, nine year old car but looks smart enough, so many will avoid it so you may get it cheap, ones with half that throw issues so look what has been done, needs to be 500

Yep, that sounds fair.

J4CKO said:

plus cheaper.

Oh. Right.

[anonymous-user]

A 190k 520d is at or past the design life of any number of expensive components. Particularly one owned by someone so dedicated that they take it to an MOT with wheel bolts missing. People wiffle on about "modern engines going forever, miles don't matter" while overlooking the fact that gearboxes, drivetrain components, suspension components, rubber hoses, alternators, AC pumps, steering racks and so on also cost a fortune to repair or replace and they very much DO wear out with miles.

You will very probably end up sinking thousands into that to do any real distance in it, and at the end of it you'll still be left with a nearly unsellable, crap spec, worthless car.

Save up until you can actually afford one worth having, this is scraping the bottom of the 5 series market.

Edited by dme123 on Thursday 11th February 08:57

[ZX10R NIN]

So OP did you buy it or are you still looking?

[Jasandjules]

It is not hugely fast.
It is not hugely economical.
It has high miles.

For 4k I'd spend my money elsewhere I think... OR, if you really, really want a five series, then go for it. As long as you are happy that you may possibly need to buy another 4k car in six months to a year

[Lester H]

That,s still quite a wedge of cash in the circumstances. Of course, it may be ok. The upside to originally expensive cars is that they have probably been looked after for at least 5 years unlike, say a tiny Kia which was bought under the scrap page scheme However, with apologies for the cliche, if the posh old car hits you with a bill it will be a big one, if was dear to run new, it will be dear to run old. We have all seen far too many " 7 series or Silver Shadow for the price of a used Mondeo " articles. If mileage, as in this case is mega, it will have been through its first stage of big bills, but they may be coming round again!

[Patrick Bateman]

High mileage isn't necessarily an issue but I'd be expecting to see a thick maintenance history folder to go with it for it to be worth considering.

[Meridius]

I dont think I would bother considering any car over 200k miles and anything near that would have to be incredibly clean, well looked after with full service history (even more so than normal).

Also depends on the car, if it was a lovely E30 3 Series in my desired colour and spec but happened to be on 170k for example then yes I would consider it. A 2007 520d on 190k though? No chance.