How much would you spend on a car that has done a few miles?

How much would you spend on a car that has done a few miles?

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Discussion

Wafflesmk2

Original Poster:

1,347 posts

169 months

Saturday 26th May 2012
quotequote all
Seen a nice 335d touring, 2007 for £15k, with 73,000 miles. Also seen a 325d (2009) saloon with 87k on the clock for the same price.

I know that isnt too many on the scheme of the things, and i know you buy on condition, but there's something that just doesnt feel 'right' about spending that much cash on a car with a lot of miles on.

Am i just being paranoid/having some weird psychology issue with higher mileages?

E38Ross

36,185 posts

227 months

Saturday 26th May 2012
quotequote all
87k over 3 years = all motor way miles......MUCH less wear on engine, suspension etc etc.

i bet you'd be happy to spend more on a car that had done 40k over 3 years where all of it was sat in traffic and around town which would be more worn out.

wouldn't bother me in the slightest. i bet it drives like a car with far fewer miles.

i know someone with an E39 530i which, as of 18 months ago, had 630k miles on the clock (no, that's not a typo....630k miles; and was still going absolutely fine). having been in it, i can assure you it drove a lot better than many other cars with less than 20% that mileage.

S10 GTA

13,315 posts

182 months

Saturday 26th May 2012
quotequote all
73k and 87k....a lot of miles?

Careful, it will disintegrate when it hits 100k....

FreeLitres

6,115 posts

192 months

Saturday 26th May 2012
quotequote all
Only ever buy a brand new car.

It's the only way you really know how it has been treated.

Right guys?

billzeebub

3,885 posts

214 months

Saturday 26th May 2012
quotequote all
Condition and maintenance far more significant than mileage. Have driven plenty of shagged-out sub 20k mile hire cars, and also driven some absoloutel peaches with well over 100k under the wheels

carreauchompeur

18,191 posts

219 months

Saturday 26th May 2012
quotequote all
FreeLitres said:
Only ever buy a brand new car.

It's the only way you really know how it has been treated.

Right guys?
Yeah, I've got a 12 plate and I'm only 20. :P

rallycross

13,531 posts

252 months

Saturday 26th May 2012
quotequote all
Wafflesmk2 said:
Seen a nice 335d touring, 2007 for £15k, with 73,000 miles. Also seen a 325d (2009) saloon with 87k on the clock for the same price.

I know that isnt too many on the scheme of the things, and i know you buy on condition, but there's something that just doesnt feel 'right' about spending that much cash on a car with a lot of miles on.

Am i just being paranoid/having some weird psychology issue with higher mileages?
Thats not a lot of miles, it sounds like you are only used to new/low mileage cars. There are loads of cars out there with huge mileages that have years of servicable life left in them;

I recently bought a 2006 335i with 180,000 miles and FSH, a great car and was (for me) affordable due to the perceived low value due to the big miles.

The main thing to consider is once it gets passed 100k miles its harder to sell, but if you are keeping it for a while the 100k thing is no big deal, buy based on condition and history not what the odometer says - some bargains to be had.

k-ink

9,070 posts

194 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
rallycross said:
The main thing to consider is once it gets passed 100k miles its harder to sell
This is the issue far more than any mechanical worry. You will lose a lot of money when it comes to resale.

R12HCO

826 posts

174 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
E38Ross said:
i know someone with an E39 530i which, as of 18 months ago, had 630k miles on the clock (no, that's not a typo....630k miles; and was still going absolutely fine). having been in it, i can assure you it drove a lot better than many other cars with less than 20% that mileage.
Bloody hell! That is alot of petrol!

Have you got any pics?

E38Ross

36,185 posts

227 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
R12HCO said:
E38Ross said:
i know someone with an E39 530i which, as of 18 months ago, had 630k miles on the clock (no, that's not a typo....630k miles; and was still going absolutely fine). having been in it, i can assure you it drove a lot better than many other cars with less than 20% that mileage.
Bloody hell! That is alot of petrol!

Have you got any pics?
sadly not. it spends most of it's life doing motorway jaunts around france, germany, belgium, poland etc. i remember the bloke saying that it hardly ever gets turned off other than at weekends. i can't remember exactly (as said, was a good 18 months ago i saw it!) but it was basically shared between a few people used for picking and delivering expensive goods (sounded a bit dodgy to me!) but they were hoping to get 1 million miles out of it before retiring it. it was the original engine and they serviced the car meticulously. if i recall, it was on its 3rd set of shocks/springs though!

goes to show though if cars are just sat on the motorway they really can see ridiculous miles. cold engine starts and town driving really do kill cars.

Pontoneer

3,643 posts

201 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
87 K is just barely run in .

I generally buy my cars with 100 K upwards on them since prices drop substantially .

A few years back I bought a one owner 300TE-24 with 430K on it , full MBSH from the supplying dealer , nothing missed from new - the car looked and drove like new , until an uninsured driver hit it whilst it was parked on my drive and wrote it off . That car cost me seven hundred .

I currently have a 500SEL with 220K on it , done 70 K trouble free miles over the last three years ; 280SE just about to turn 200K ; just bought a W124 E250D with 101K ; had a 190 2.6 past 200K ; W123 280TE to 220K ; W114 280E to 270K and a good many others - all but the first there cost under a grand and none have given any trouble .

I did once pay £15 K , as it happens , for a nearly new W124 , but it was no better than all the others so I resolved never to pay silly money for a car again - I have better things to do with my cash . That car had 50K when I bought it and 200K when sold .

I do have one low mileage car : my 1957 W105 which I bought in 1982 with 22,000 Km , now at 65,000 Km ( 40,000 mi ) for the princely sum of £100 - it is worth rather more now .

Another tip is to buy LHD and you get a lot more car for your money - there are bargains out there because people seem to have something against sitting on the left . I've used mine for continental holidays , where it is perfect , but no problems here in the UK either .

You can buy a very nice car for a grand and do a lot with the other £14K .

DanDC5

19,461 posts

182 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
That's barely run in for most cars, especially BMW's. I've driven a a shagged out courtesy car that had done less than 25k which was horrible, and a friends old E39 540 which had done over 200k and still drove like new.

k-ink

9,070 posts

194 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
Pontoneer said:
I generally buy my cars with 100 K upwards on them since prices drop substantially .
This seems to be the wiser idea. Buy just after the large drop in price, rather than just before!

Hudson

1,857 posts

202 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
My E34 525 had 230,000 on the clock, and aside from a slightly senile gearbox, it ran fine smile

Sifly

572 posts

193 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
Nothing wrong with a few miles (or light years) under the wheels!! biggrin

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-80-TDi-Estate-Stars...

E38Ross

36,185 posts

227 months

Monday 28th May 2012
quotequote all
Sifly said:
Nothing wrong with a few miles (or light years) under the wheels!! biggrin

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-80-TDi-Estate-Stars...
brilliant advert!!