High mileage ? Why the concern ?

M

mr wilks

Lifer
 Lancashire
With the discussion on current post RE coupe on 100k miles it got me wondering :wink:
Ok so we all want to buy with lowest mileage,with the best spec & as cheap as possible but WHY does mileage put people off buying a certain car ?
Why do some buyers set out with a max mileage they won't buy over ?
Is it the fear that more things will go wrong or the fear that the car will be worth less £££ ?
If its the latter & the price paid reflects the miles then you haven't lost anything .
I have had low mileage cars & TBH they did'nt drive or feel any different to some 100k cars i've owned
Mileage & spec is just a measure by which the trade values a vehicle , it doesn't indicate they are about to expire , sometimes its a way into a car you wouldn't otherwise be able to afford .
Anyhow my coupe just rolled over 92k today , better enjoy it before it falls apart :P :thumbsup:
 
It's a fair point I had a 325 that had done 140k and it drove like new. My mate has a 328 it's about 16 years old and has 190k still running strong :thumbsup: I hope my zed lasts that long. It only has 63k on it.
 
I think its just the safety factor which low mileage generally brings to people who either dont know the common issues with a car, are not mechnically minded or people who think an expensive car means expensive bills.

im in the process of selling my 3.0si with 108k miles on the clock and the interest is not exactly flooding in - yet its a prime example, brilled with options, FBMWSH, under warranty and drives like a car with less than half its mileage.
 
when I was searching for mine, my parents where fully against anything with more than 35k on the clock, mainly for reliability though.

the logic being these cars are designed to do x amount of miles therefore the more covered the sooner problems are likely to arise.
 
Depends on the type of car. A two seater falls into third car territory so low miles is preffered for quick resale.
Frugal Mid range cars sell all day long with over a 100k on the clock.

Although bills can roll in with a low miles car it goes without saying suspension components etc are more likely to have had a harder life if the car has high miles.

If i was to buy a high mile 2 seater it would have to be CHEAP.
 
Accumulating mileage is a big reason why most people with sports/super cars don't drive their cars that often, which I think is a bit silly because the main reason for buying these sorts of cars in the first place is to drive and enjoy them.
 
I've just bought a 3.0si 06 with 64k on the clock people told me that was high mileage WHAT ! my 525d has 135k on the clock and drives like a dream, cars are made for driving right ?

Si-forks on tapatalk
 
Higher mileage = greater usage = more wear and tear = more parts needing replaced = more expense
Higher mileage = greater usage = more wear and tear = more servicing required = potentially poorly maintained car = more expense / engine waiting to go
Higher mileage = greater usage = more wear and tear = more time on the road = more corrosion potential to the bodywork
Higher mileage = greater usage = more wear and tear = more usage to the interior = lesser condition interior

I agree this is not always the case and that cars should be judged on their merit but when there are hundreds to choose from (usually speaking not in unique circumstances such as E86s) then you tend to use this as a rule of filtering out a lot of cars.

Having owned 2 cars over 100k but also over 15 years of age, they did need more maintenance (replacement parts), had more corrosion and I spent about £1000 per annum on parts and labour.
Having owned a 55k car over 10 years of age it needed very little maintenance virtually no replacement parts (air flow meter and window regulator in 5 years of ownership) and spent under £200 per annum on part and labour.

Again its not a general rule of thumb but people get it in their heads.

10 months ago I purchased a 2001 E46 Compact with 96k on the clock. Air con needed gassing, boot button doesnt work, suspension is clunky over bad roads and clutch is hard to stick into 1st..
13 months ago I purcahsed my 07 E86 3.0 auto. Handbrake cable needed re-routing, washer tank and valve needed replacing and wishbone bushes need changing ideally..
I owned a 2 year old Mitsubishi Colt for 9 months which wanted for nothing during my ownership..
 
bluestreak56 said:
Higher mileage = greater usage = more wear and tear = more parts needing replaced = more expense
Higher mileage = greater usage = more wear and tear = more servicing required = potentially poorly maintained car = more expense / engine waiting to go
Higher mileage = greater usage = more wear and tear = more time on the road = more corrosion potential to the bodywork
Higher mileage = greater usage = more wear and tear = more usage to the interior = lesser condition interior
Click to expand...

Pretty much my position. I guess it depends whether you are willing to take risks.
 
IMO its really simple... I have bought and sold over 70 cars now and the reality is there is a market for buyers who purchase high mileage cars as its the car they want at a price they can afford.

You will always have the sub 40k club that are fighting a losing battle, and will pay a premium for it.

I'm not sold on the more wear etc argument a 09 plate with 90k will be fair more maintained than an 09 with 10k issues will show there head sooner,.......... and the price difference well... As we discussed a couple year old car. When looking at a 10-15 year old car this situation I feel the failure rate will be much higher on an older car

Coupe Example:

Say 13k for a 30k miles example or a 7.5k for a 100k miles example -
Is the other coupe really worth 42% more???? I think not, also less depreciation etc, your never have a problem selling a 100k+ or CAT D tbh as they is a market always there.
 
I dont think the depreciation is in question for a high miler / cat D car its more about the cost of maintenance and peace of mind..
 
bluestreak56 said:
I dont think the depreciation is in question for a high miler / cat D car its more about the cost of maintenance and peace of mind..
Click to expand...

I disagree wholly on this point, were talking about a modern 5 year old car. A car typically a few years old with high miles will be meticulously maintained, I do 25-30k miles a year in the daily shed and nothing wants doing, it’s a fair better purchase for peace of mind with a faultless full dealer history and every bill and job ever suggested done. I do agree that on a 10-15 year car the “wear & tear” argument comes into play but not on car a few years old.

Cleary I fall in the happy with a "high mileage" right price camp , and others fall in the low mileage pay a premium camp... way of the world I guess
 
Guess i am also a member of the "happy with high miles at low price" gang :)
have done the low miles /high price & also done the middle of the road & looking back can't say any of the 3 have been exceptional in any way .
Always been happy with what ive bought at price i paid & also what i received when selling on :wink: see no reason to change now
 
And thats the crux i guess Andy..... If you buy shrewdly and then sell when you have done at the "right" price then what harm is done ?

Some cars just wont sell with high miles on,but BMW's will always go at the correct screen price.

You still have to be canny to achieve minimal loss and there are a few rules to follow but in general its all about purchase price and longevity of ownership.
 
On the "longevity of ownership " ? would you say that keeping longterm or switching shorterm is the secret to playing with high milers ?
& BTW , are we getting any pics of the new Z ? :oops: or some details ?
 
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