High v Low Mileage

[Glassman]

What's considered to be high/low mileage these days?

[ikarl]

depends on the context

70,000 miles on an Elise = High mileage
70,000 miles on a Volvo = Low mileage

100,000 miles on a 20 year old S class = Low mileage
100,000 miles on a 2 year old Focus = High Mileage

[Glassman]

With two registrations a year and cheap parts I just wondered how over the years we've moved the parameters.

My six year-old van with 120k miles is considered/suggested to be past it, yet a five year-old van with 80k on it is low mileage.

[philmots]

I think plenty of people draw a line at 100k...

I'd probably not buy a car with over 100k, but i'd take one past it if i'd had it for a while and was in good shape.

[obob]

I buy on condition, not mileage but I make sure the price reflects the mileage.

[billzeebub]

The psychological figure for the layman is 100,,000 regardless. On Pistonheads we obviously know it is generally about condition, sympathetic driving and maintenance-with mileage a secondary consideration. I have had some cracking cars with nearer 200,000 on the clock and have been in knackered shed courteousy cars with little over 10,000 on the clock.

[Glassman]

Mt 120k engine has just had a load of work done on it (top half). I'm a bit old school in thinking it's good for another half decent run (on the count of how it's kitted out).

But all considered, everything is pointing towards moving it on and going for a new one (which I am, just waiting for the new model in March 2013!)

[carreauchompeur]

I've always bought with fairly high mileage, my current E36 M3 is on 109k at 13 years old so not high really per year but high overall.

Conversely at this age the low mileage ones seem to be the one with some glaring gaps between services etc. Mine has been serviced every year/8 months without fail and spent 7 years of its life trundling up the motorway.

Edited by carreauchompeur on Thursday 15th March 11:31

[LuS1fer]

The first car I ever bought with over 100k on it was a Toyota Carina II 1600 which "cured" me of the aversion I once had though it was very well maintained. My current 96 Golf GTI had 102k on when I bought it and now has 122k and still runs sweetly and lives off the drained Mobil 1 from my Mustang which requires changing every 5k.

I would still baulk at cars with 140+k as the suspension, steeering and driveline will probably all be a bit worn but much depends on what's been done.