Mileage and hassle
Discussion
Following on from a now closed GT2 thread, it got me thinking. I seem to have had more trouble/hassle/problems with very low mileage cars than I have with more well used examples. It doesn't seem like there's much of a relationship between how many miles a car has done and what it's likely to cost you - at least not a positive one. Despite that, I still look for low miles, and I'm not sure why. Anybody find that low miles means lower bills, or are we all chasing something for no good purpose.
jdh1 said:
chasing something for no good purpose.
condition condition condidion
low milage may be a city car - loads of short trips - higher engine wear, clutch, parking dings etc..
never understood the UK obsession with mileage - age and type of use are, IMHO, far more important
opportunity for me to plug shamelessly my 107k mile 964 that is still tight as a knats:
and a bargain to boot! www.pistonheads.com/sales/105672.htm
cheers
Low mileage cars "should" have better condition interiors, ie less seat wear, gear knob wear and "hopefully" better exteriors ie fewer stone chips, dents.
Mechanically there's potential for them to be poorer due to lack of use ie seals.
Its basically trying to find the right balance between the two and going for overall condition -v- mileage
Mechanically there's potential for them to be poorer due to lack of use ie seals.
Its basically trying to find the right balance between the two and going for overall condition -v- mileage
997gt3 said:
Low mileage cars "should" have better condition interiors, ie less seat wear, gear knob wear and "hopefully" better exteriors ie fewer stone chips, dents.
Mechanically there's potential for them to be poorer due to lack of use ie seals.
Its basically trying to find the right balance between the two and going for overall condition -v- mileage
Mechanically there's potential for them to be poorer due to lack of use ie seals.
Its basically trying to find the right balance between the two and going for overall condition -v- mileage
Not necessarily. A higher mileage (long journeys) car can have much nicer interior than lower mileage (short journeys). The interior generally gets worn depending on the number of exits/entries that have taken place in the car.
My low mileage (used) cars have always given me more hassle than expected (the worst being the mini, one careful lady owner indeed - front NS wheel overtook me once late at night soon after I came off the A40, LOL!).
Probably the best high mileage car I had was a R5GT Turbo, bought new (way back then!), run at 18k miles annually initially, mixed city and motorway driving and taken frequently onto the Continent (at sustained high speeds). Fully synthetic oil used, changed every 3-5k miles and no racing on a cold engine. The car ran better than a mate's low mileage Golf GTi (which cost him comparatively more to maintain over the same time frame).
Never had any major problems, ran it to 134k miles before selling it to said mate, with the original engine, gearbox, turbocharger and clutch still intact (never changed, no sign of slip in the clutch either). Sure, had some minor niggles (radiator, clutch cable - clear warning signs so could pre-empt being let down), but it was excellent.
It ran to 165k with him before he sold it on to an enthusiast. Interior was in good shape (driver's cloth seat was a bit worn, but easily replaced and better IMO to do so than a clutch, gearbox, etc). Perhaps leather would wear better?
I'd buy a high mileage used car if the owner used synthetic oil, serviced it regularly (specialist or dealer), kept receipts for the work, and had a traceable mileage (MOTs, service records - not just stamps, but invoices).
A higher than average mileage (used) Porker wouldn't bother me at all (especially if I could get a warranty).
Probably the best high mileage car I had was a R5GT Turbo, bought new (way back then!), run at 18k miles annually initially, mixed city and motorway driving and taken frequently onto the Continent (at sustained high speeds). Fully synthetic oil used, changed every 3-5k miles and no racing on a cold engine. The car ran better than a mate's low mileage Golf GTi (which cost him comparatively more to maintain over the same time frame).
Never had any major problems, ran it to 134k miles before selling it to said mate, with the original engine, gearbox, turbocharger and clutch still intact (never changed, no sign of slip in the clutch either). Sure, had some minor niggles (radiator, clutch cable - clear warning signs so could pre-empt being let down), but it was excellent.
It ran to 165k with him before he sold it on to an enthusiast. Interior was in good shape (driver's cloth seat was a bit worn, but easily replaced and better IMO to do so than a clutch, gearbox, etc). Perhaps leather would wear better?
I'd buy a high mileage used car if the owner used synthetic oil, serviced it regularly (specialist or dealer), kept receipts for the work, and had a traceable mileage (MOTs, service records - not just stamps, but invoices).
A higher than average mileage (used) Porker wouldn't bother me at all (especially if I could get a warranty).
I think you are on to somthing my last 2 996'were sold as high mileage cars(50K)both ran very well and used less oil than when new.my largest bill was for tyres and fuel the guy that bought my C4s from Joel(RSJ) got a great car for the cash and I get a lump in my throat evrery time he roars past me.
The problem if you use modern porsche cars as intended is that the polishing cherishing bregade all say they hate OPC prices OPC.....are crap....(I dont Agree) but then buy the line anything over 6k PA is high milage.
On the OPC note Rees(Salesman) at Reading wins OPC employee of the year in my book yesterdays rain was cats and dogs so not the time to split your wiper blade I pull off M4 at PCGB 4pm is parts open? no. what do you need ?.... new wipers fitted then and there .
Great service.
The problem if you use modern porsche cars as intended is that the polishing cherishing bregade all say they hate OPC prices OPC.....are crap....(I dont Agree) but then buy the line anything over 6k PA is high milage.
On the OPC note Rees(Salesman) at Reading wins OPC employee of the year in my book yesterdays rain was cats and dogs so not the time to split your wiper blade I pull off M4 at PCGB 4pm is parts open? no. what do you need ?.... new wipers fitted then and there .
Great service.
Interseting Topic - round here we all tend to view mileage as a badge of honour, with the most kudos to the owner of the highest mileage vehicle.
Is that just us being odd, or are there others who respect the car's abilities to clock up huge mileages?
On Topic, all the problems (bar 1 - which was due to the previous owner being a terminal cretin) I've had with my 944 have been due to it not being used enough...
Is that just us being odd, or are there others who respect the car's abilities to clock up huge mileages?
On Topic, all the problems (bar 1 - which was due to the previous owner being a terminal cretin) I've had with my 944 have been due to it not being used enough...
I was driving home home down the M6 in the horrible rain with 2 kids under 4 on board, thinking I'm glad I'm not in the Jag (which has an intermittant wiper problem), when the wipers on the BMW packed up
RAC arrive, can't do anything so arrange a recovery. Recovery truck arrive 3 hours later and we get in.
Very clean truck, looks as new inside, is v quiet and smooth. All in all very comfy. I ask the driver what sort of millage he does. "Well" comes the reply "this one is 4 yrs old and had 560,000 miles on the same engine and gearbox with only one clutch change"
I have 3 cars all with 100k+ but I am strictly non-league
RAC arrive, can't do anything so arrange a recovery. Recovery truck arrive 3 hours later and we get in.
Very clean truck, looks as new inside, is v quiet and smooth. All in all very comfy. I ask the driver what sort of millage he does. "Well" comes the reply "this one is 4 yrs old and had 560,000 miles on the same engine and gearbox with only one clutch change"
I have 3 cars all with 100k+ but I am strictly non-league
Fatboy said:
Interseting Topic - round here we all tend to view mileage as a badge of honour, with the most kudos to the owner of the highest mileage vehicle.
Is that just us being odd, or are there others who respect the car's abilities to clock up huge mileages?
On Topic, all the problems (bar 1 - which was due to the previous owner being a terminal cretin) I've had with my 944 have been due to it not being used enough...
Is that just us being odd, or are there others who respect the car's abilities to clock up huge mileages?
On Topic, all the problems (bar 1 - which was due to the previous owner being a terminal cretin) I've had with my 944 have been due to it not being used enough...
That's it. All the problems I've had with Porsche, Ferrari etc have been down to too little us, not too much.
I dont know how that guy can imply that R5GTT is easy going motoring. I have had 3 of the b****ers and they are fantasticly fun (and fast) cars to drive and own but they are a massive pain in the rear to look after as they are v difficult to work on and have a mind of their own like herbie!
On a more relevant point to this link...2 of mine were v low mileage (23K and 27K both on an F)and one of them was not too bad. The other one gave me no end of grief despite looking and driving excellently (when it chise to start). The relevance if this to this discussion is that I chose these low mileage ones cos i immaturely though that a low mileage car would have been looked after better. This is not the case....never buy a total garage queen. They have received such little tlc and maintenance compared to a daily driver. My third GTT was G reg with 80K - suffice to say I drove this for 2 years and had a total outlay on maintenance of less than 350 quid (2 services)!
Moral of the story is do not buy a garage queen car. By all means buy with lower than average mileage but do not be sucked into the 25 000 in 10 years business....there is probably a reason the car has only done 25k in that time and the reason is probably cos the owner is fed up with it being an unreliable piece of shit!
Sorry for the rant guys
On a more relevant point to this link...2 of mine were v low mileage (23K and 27K both on an F)and one of them was not too bad. The other one gave me no end of grief despite looking and driving excellently (when it chise to start). The relevance if this to this discussion is that I chose these low mileage ones cos i immaturely though that a low mileage car would have been looked after better. This is not the case....never buy a total garage queen. They have received such little tlc and maintenance compared to a daily driver. My third GTT was G reg with 80K - suffice to say I drove this for 2 years and had a total outlay on maintenance of less than 350 quid (2 services)!
Moral of the story is do not buy a garage queen car. By all means buy with lower than average mileage but do not be sucked into the 25 000 in 10 years business....there is probably a reason the car has only done 25k in that time and the reason is probably cos the owner is fed up with it being an unreliable piece of shit!
Sorry for the rant guys
Nothin much to add but haven't posted for a while and bored so here goes...
964 has been promoted to daily driver following recent relationship-related loss of usual hack and has been faultless so far. Just clicked over 100k in fact, which makes 4k in 5 months.
More specifically, the only time I did leave it unused for a week, it sulked for 20 mins before getting back to normal (heater inexplicably stopped working, driveline-shunt more pronounced than usual).
The moral of the story (for me anyway) was make sure you keep using the thing and it will be fine.
964 has been promoted to daily driver following recent relationship-related loss of usual hack and has been faultless so far. Just clicked over 100k in fact, which makes 4k in 5 months.
More specifically, the only time I did leave it unused for a week, it sulked for 20 mins before getting back to normal (heater inexplicably stopped working, driveline-shunt more pronounced than usual).
The moral of the story (for me anyway) was make sure you keep using the thing and it will be fine.
peppersgonecrazy said:
I dont know how that guy can imply that R5GTT is easy going motoring. I have had 3 of the b****ers and they are fantasticly fun (and fast) cars to drive and own but they are a massive pain in the rear to look after as they are v difficult to work on and have a mind of their own like herbie!
Maybe you were unlucky with yours!
Agree it was a pain to work on (for others -remember, I did little or nothing on it!). The car was used practically every day, and broke down in my ownership only once (clutch cable). It had a minor electrical problem with my friend on the M40 (once, at circa 150k miles). I'd almost forgotten about it until I was swiftly overtaken by one on the Northbound A75, south of Clermont Ferrand only two weeks ago (bear in mind I was doing circa 140kph at the time). It looked mint and sounded great, but I didn't dare give chase to find out the mileage (whilst driving a GB plated car towards the local Gendarmes). By contrast, the mini I referred to earlier had less than half the average mileage when I bought it. Big mistake. The most expensive car I ever ran. The low mileage Golf was not much better either. Learnt my lesson and will only ever buy new (to rack up the miles myself), or well used high milers (with evidence of care). When my porker arrives, it will not be a low mileage car either.....
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