Who buys nearly new cars with high miles?

[raspy]

The S class will probably appeal to a retired person (who has some cash and doesn't need finance), doesn't do many miles a year and this will probably be their last car that they own and possible something they dreamed of owning whilst working but never had the ability to buy/run a new or nearly new one.

[croyde]

Won't something like an S Class with such high mileage be due major engine servicing.

Belts, chains, valves and what not?

[ritch]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

I buy newish cars for my wife with high miles, because she does very low miles. If I can buy a 9 month old car with 40K miles well below market value as a high miler, I can sell it in 4 years time when it's nearly 5 yrs old, with 50K miles, as a car with average mileage, and get full market value.

Where do you tend to find or search for these cars? For me this makes perfect sense as an ownership proposal when doing low miles. searching for nearly new with higher miles - I cant see much if any.

[Summit_Detailing]

croyde said:

Won't something like an S Class with such high mileage be due major engine servicing.

Belts, chains, valves and what not?

Not if it's been maintained properly.

I bought an S-class a couple of years ago from a chauffeuring company I used to work for - tight as a drum at 286k miles, if you didn't know it would easily pass as a 50k mile example.

As with any car I'm sure there are some at the other end of the spectrum where they are tired and cost several thousand a year to keep on the road.

Another example from years ago a good friend bought his dad's company car after 3 years (2003 Skoda Superb 1.9TDI) with 90k, took it to 302k miles before selling it on. Used to drop the oil every 5k miles but it was still on the original engine, turbo, clutch, exhaust etc.

Do your research, buy with your eyes open and just enjoy whatever car you choose.

Cheers,

Chris

[GMac1]

With cars under 3 years this is even more likely as they won't have had an MOT record. I've seen 2 year old Skoda Superbs with 150k miles on the clock which look like they could pass for 50k... again, these end up being incredibly cheap in trade disposals, so whoever picks it up only needs to change the odo to 50k, and job done.

That's the reality for almost all of these nearly-new high mileage outliers...
[/quote]

Surely any car that gets clocked would be traceable using the online service history. I've often wondered about cars under 3 years old with high miles being clocked as the mot check won't start till year 3, however I'd just look at the online service record. I have seen some posts about high mile cars not being serviced when new, maybe part of a plan to clock it. Always pays to do your homework I suppose. OP is right, these cars will be very difficult to shift.