High Mileage

Author
Discussion

Dewi-asl8m

60 posts

76 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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My opinion is that it is a lottery when buying any used car regardless of mileage. Like mentioned previously its all down to wear and tear and how the car has been used or treated by its previous owner/s. I sold my last car (Remapped 2007 Audi A3 S-line 2.0 tdi) at nearly 140k miles after putting over 50k miles on it and apart from an abs sensor and a small water leak it was still going strong

JakeT

5,406 posts

119 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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Dads 2003 3.0i X5. One owner from new, and not given an easy life. Been used to smash around Berkshire lanes all its life, lots of family car type stuff and even done some off roading when needed. Still used daily. Runs dead fine, and has never given any trouble. Costs at least £2,000 per year in maintenance, but it's worth so little I think we'll take it to 250,000 miles and then give it a retirement as a runaround/utility thing.

SystemParanoia

14,343 posts

197 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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Alex_225 said:
That said, would a car which was cheaper when it was new hold together as well, maybe a Focus or Clio? Not entirely sure but a lot of cars don't see 14 years old when a repair is more than the value of the car I guess.
See my 06 Focus.. 186k tight as a drum and still going strong smile

biggles330d

1,525 posts

149 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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Loving these 'tight as a drum' comments. Bet they aren't if you drove one side by side with a new one.
My 330d is 115k now, is pretty spotless and drives faultlessly and has a full main dealer history but I'm also sure it would be transformed with new shocks and bushes all around.

Having said that, totally agree that running up 150k miles and more in any decent car these days shouldn't be an issue if it's been treated ok. Funny you rarely see anything retail with a proud 150k on the clock though. All those 7-8-9-year-old cars for sale with 50-60k on them - desirable forecourt fodder - I'd steer well clear of. Town cars barely warmed up in their life, that's if they haven't been clocked, which I suspect most have.

Alex_225

6,233 posts

200 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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SystemParanoia said:
See my 06 Focus.. 186k tight as a drum and still going strong smile
That's great to hear. What model is it? My other half had a 1.6tdci Focus (13 plate) but I wasn't convinced it would have held together brilliantly. Had 40k when she sold it but a few niggles shook my confidence in it.

I own a couple of low mileage RenaultSport models and I guess if they're looked after meticulously no reason why they wouldn't do a high mileage but a very different prospect to a high mileage German barge which I drive daily.

SystemParanoia

14,343 posts

197 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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Alex_225 said:
SystemParanoia said:
See my 06 Focus.. 186k tight as a drum and still going strong smile
That's great to hear. What model is it? My other half had a 1.6tdci Focus (13 plate) but I wasn't convinced it would have held together brilliantly. Had 40k when she sold it but a few niggles shook my confidence in it.

I own a couple of low mileage RenaultSport models and I guess if they're looked after meticulously no reason why they wouldn't do a high mileage but a very different prospect to a high mileage German barge which I drive daily.
Its the worst model!! ( according to the internet )

The 1.8D LX

It has the ESC light on which they all seem to, this will be solved at MOT time by Taping cardboard over the dash hehe

but otherwise, apart from some really dodgy paintwork.. its absolutely fine smile

Alex_225

6,233 posts

200 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
quotequote all
SystemParanoia said:
Its the worst model!! ( according to the internet )

The 1.8D LX

It has the ESC light on which they all seem to, this will be solved at MOT time by Taping cardboard over the dash hehe

but otherwise, apart from some really dodgy paintwork.. its absolutely fine smile
Don't forget that we're on the internet and there's some utter b*llocks spouted on here hahaha

Loving the unique fix for the light. Thing is I suspect a lot of people would consider the value of the car and then not decide to keep it going if it needs anything major done.

I had an old MKI Clio that I bought for £600, I sold it to my next door neighbour who took it from 70-100k and it was soldiering on mechanically. It was only the fact that it needed rust repaired that they gave up and scrapped it. That was a 1993 so not even a modern plastic Renault.

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

166 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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JakeT said:
Dads 2003 3.0i X5. One owner from new, and not given an easy life. Been used to smash around Berkshire lanes all its life, lots of family car type stuff and even done some off roading when needed. Still used daily. Runs dead fine, and has never given any trouble. Costs at least £2,000 per year in maintenance, but it's worth so little I think we'll take it to 250,000 miles and then give it a retirement as a runaround/utility thing.
15p per mile in maintenance? Ouch.

mrbarnett

1,090 posts

92 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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itcaptainslow said:
I didn’t know Ford were knocking out late 90’s Vauxhall engines?
rofl

Triumph Man

8,669 posts

167 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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George Smiley said:
When will people grow up and accept that 100k isn't really that high mileage, unless its on a new Ford Ecotec and good luck if you get more than 50k out of one...
Well it be on to this...

havoc

29,917 posts

234 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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Willy Nilly said:
JakeT said:
Dads 2003 3.0i X5. One owner from new, and not given an easy life. Been used to smash around Berkshire lanes all its life, lots of family car type stuff and even done some off roading when needed. Still used daily. Runs dead fine, and has never given any trouble. Costs at least £2,000 per year in maintenance, but it's worth so little I think we'll take it to 250,000 miles and then give it a retirement as a runaround/utility thing.
15p per mile in maintenance? Ouch.
As compared to £4,000 a year depreciation if you buy a 3-4 y.o. car. Plus any maintenance that will need as it's out of warranty.
(Or >>£6k a year on a new car, both assuming owned for 3 years)

SystemParanoia

14,343 posts

197 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
quotequote all
havoc said:
Willy Nilly said:
JakeT said:
Dads 2003 3.0i X5. One owner from new, and not given an easy life. Been used to smash around Berkshire lanes all its life, lots of family car type stuff and even done some off roading when needed. Still used daily. Runs dead fine, and has never given any trouble. Costs at least £2,000 per year in maintenance, but it's worth so little I think we'll take it to 250,000 miles and then give it a retirement as a runaround/utility thing.
15p per mile in maintenance? Ouch.
As compared to £4,000 a year depreciation if you buy a 3-4 y.o. car. Plus any maintenance that will need as it's out of warranty.
(Or >>£6k a year on a new car, both assuming owned for 3 years)
You could by a new Dacia Sandero every year for about £6k

aaron_2000

5,407 posts

82 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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I'd count average miles as around 10k a year, bought my car with 105k on it, below average. Needs a few small things doing, but really nothing else. I'd be more surprised at a 58 plate making it to 150k than I would an S reg, just look at the Sierra/MK1 Mondeo, they were run until they rotted, not until they broke. Cars don't/won't rot that badly anymore, so it'll be the overly complicated engines and electrics that kill them, then there's the viability of owning one. Imagine how awful the new S-Class will look in 15 years time when all those screens (which consume the interior) are outdated and faded, it'll make the car awful to live with, and no chance someone will replace them when they get down around £8k. People used to fear high mileage cars when they really didn't need to, yet they don't so much anymore when they should be more than ever. You could've taken your 5 year old 2.0 Sierra to a local garage for any repairs doing, pretty cheap too, good luck doing that with a new car pretty soon. I'd have no issue buying a MKIV Golf on 150-200k because I know they'd make it no issue, especially on the godsend VAG 1.9 TDI, I just don't know if I'd trust a new car to do the same, only time will tell.

coldel

7,730 posts

145 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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Small island mentality and a fickle car buying public. Having lived on the continent no one there gives a hoot about mileage more about condition. On our island though a car is a brilliant bargain whilst on 95k miles but a becomes a bomb about to explode the second it gets to 100k miles. Quite hilarious when you think about it.

Superchickenn

687 posts

169 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
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Pretty much my whole collection is high miles

2003 Golf GT TDI - PD130 - 230,000
2003 Golf GTI TDI - PD150 - 198,000
2003 Golf GTI 1.8T - 180bhp - 155,000
2003 A4 Quattro - PD130 - 229,000
2001 Saab 95 Aero Hot - 230bhp - 164,000

each car I would happily jump in and drive miles without a worry :-)

aaron_2000

5,407 posts

82 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
quotequote all
Superchickenn said:
Pretty much my whole collection is high miles

2003 Golf GT TDI - PD130 - 230,000
2003 Golf GTI TDI - PD150 - 198,000
2003 Golf GTI 1.8T - 180bhp - 155,000
2003 A4 Quattro - PD130 - 229,000
2001 Saab 95 Aero Hot - 230bhp - 164,000

each car I would happily jump in and drive miles without a worry :-)
Except maybe the old Ford 55 diesel, I've never seen anything rack up the miles like the VAG 1.9 TDI

Superchickenn

687 posts

169 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
quotequote all
aaron_2000 said:
Superchickenn said:
Pretty much my whole collection is high miles

2003 Golf GT TDI - PD130 - 230,000
2003 Golf GTI TDI - PD150 - 198,000
2003 Golf GTI 1.8T - 180bhp - 155,000
2003 A4 Quattro - PD130 - 229,000
2001 Saab 95 Aero Hot - 230bhp - 164,000

each car I would happily jump in and drive miles without a worry :-)
Except maybe the old Ford 55 diesel, I've never seen anything rack up the miles like the VAG 1.9 TDI
6 speed gearbox helps ... great mpg

aaron_2000

5,407 posts

82 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
quotequote all
Superchickenn said:
6 speed gearbox helps ... great mpg
Has to be one of the greatest engines ever made. Highly tuneable too if you're into that.

itcaptainslow

3,694 posts

135 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
quotequote all
mrbarnett said:
itcaptainslow said:
I didn’t know Ford were knocking out late 90’s Vauxhall engines?
rofl
It took three pages for someone to get it, I’m a bit gutted! biggrin

MikeDrop

1,646 posts

168 months

Friday 2nd February 2018
quotequote all
Superchickenn said:
Pretty much my whole collection is high miles

2003 Golf GT TDI - PD130 - 230,000
2003 Golf GTI TDI - PD150 - 198,000
2003 Golf GTI 1.8T - 180bhp - 155,000
2003 A4 Quattro - PD130 - 229,000
2001 Saab 95 Aero Hot - 230bhp - 164,000

each car I would happily jump in and drive miles without a worry :-)
Similar for my history:
2002 Bora PD150 - 169,000
2002 Bora PD130 - 196,000
2004 Golf GT TDI PD130 - 198,000
2001 Skoda Octavia 1.8t 150bhp - 223,000
1996 Golf GTI - 179,000
1997 Golf GTI - 124,000

Plus much more.

Actually, easier to list cars I've had under 100,00:
1997 Golf VR6 - 62,000
P38 Range Rover 4.6 HSE - 96,000

Ironically the above being the least reliable cars I've owned rofl