How Many Miles Should A Car Have When Buying Used
Because mileage can be misleading, there is no definitive answer on how many miles on a car is too much. That said, based on the 12,000 miles per year rule, you can get a general idea of what type of mileage to expect on a used vehicle. If a car has accumulated far more than 12,000 miles per year, you may want to consider a different vehicle.
how many miles should a car have when buying used
When it comes to car buying, you want your new-to-you used car to give you thousands or tens of thousands of miles of trouble-free transportation. And common sense seems to suggest that the fewer miles a used car has, the longer it will faithfully serve you. But with used car prices at record highs, a higher mileage car may better suit your budget.
When buying a used car, the age of the vehicle under consideration merits serious consideration, too. Used cars that are newer with low mileage (at or below the 14,300 miles per year gauge mentioned above) might be well-positioned to provide long-lasting, reliable service.
A 10-year-old car with 100,000 miles may have received more TLC than a five-year-old model with 50,000 miles. Another consideration is how the previous owner used the vehicle (less demanding highway mileage vs. stop-and-go city driving) and the vehicle type (how a model stacks up in reliability rankings). Certified pre-owned cars may be another option as dealers typically put them through rigorous inspections before selling.
A question that is asked often is how many miles is too much on a used car? It is true that the age of the engine can be measured by how many miles are on the car but it is also true that if a car is taken care of the engine can last well into the 200,000-mile range. To decide whether or not a used car has too many miles you will need to also assess the age of the car. For example, if you want to buy a 2019 car but it already has 100,000 miles on it then most likely it has been driven hard to accumulate that many miles in a short amount of time. Even though it is a relatively new car, the engine has a lot of use on it already and the average miles per year is high.
First you must choose between buying a new car and buying a used car. A new car may cost more but will come with a longer warranty and no history of abuse or neglect. However, new cars depreciate (lose value) almost immediately when they leave the new car lot, which means that if you can find a well-cared-for used car, it might be a good bargain.
The law prohibits rolling back or changing the number of miles on an odometer. Texas law requires the seller of any used vehicle to state on the title assignment the total number of miles the vehicle has traveled. Make sure you get a copy of the odometer statement when you sign the contract.
When may a used car be sold without a warranty of inspectability? A car will not have an inspection sticker when is it is posted with an 'Unsafe Motor Vehicle' certificate. This certificate is completed by a licensed inspection mechanic and indicates the car was inspected, but did not pass the inspection. The certificate will list the items that failed inspection. If you are interested in purchasing a car with this designation, you should keep in mind that the car must be towed from the dealer's lot, cannot be test driven on Maine roadways, and cannot be issued a temporary plate.
The Used Vehicle Buyer's Guide indicates damage to the "unibody." What is a unibody? A unibody is what used to be called a frame, with the body engineered to resist buckling. Quite often unibody damage is an indicator that the vehicle was a total loss in a collision. You may want to have the car examined by your mechanic. You should also consult with your insurance agent and lender prior to purchasing a vehicle with this designation.
Does the Lemon Law apply to used cars? Generally no. Maine's Lemon Law applies only to new vehicles, OR IN VERY LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES TO USED CARS. The problems would have to occur within three years of original delivery of the car or within the first 18 thousand miles, whichever comes first, for the car to qualify. You should contact the Attorney General's Lemon Law Arbitration Office and find out if you are eligible for a free Lemon Law Arbitration hearing.
While some people are sticklers for low mileage on a used car, it doesn't mean that you should write off every decent-looking car with high mileage. Back in the day, old school odometers would "roll over" or go back to 000 miles/ kilometers once they reached a certain threshold (99,999 miles). This is probably how folks came up with the 160,000 km number, as it roughly converts to just under 100,000 miles.
Buying a used car means considering both deferred and upcoming maintenance. Deferred maintenance refers to any upkeep and repairs that should have been done, but were ignored by the previous owner. Upcoming maintenance, on the other hand, refers to all the common issues that arise in cars that register mileages around 160,000 km and over.
Before you buy that used car you've been eyeing, make sure to bring a mechanic with you when you meet up with the dealer or private seller and take it out for a test drive. Your mechanic should be able to help you scope out issues in their early stages and tell you what to prepare for in the near future.
As I mentioned, driving your vehicle frequently through stop-start traffic will wear out your brake pads faster than driving long distances. Even more so when you live in areas with a lot of steep hills. Make sure to ask the seller what their previous driving conditions were like, then test out the brakes as much as you can during the test drive to see if you'll have to replace the brake pads soon. Remember however, brake pads are one of the cheapest fixes you can do on your car so don't let that steer you away from an otherwise perfect used car.
Improvements in technology and production techniques mean that with proper maintenance, a traditional gas-powered car should run for up to 200,000 miles. Modern electric and gas/electric hybrid vehicles, however, have fewer moving parts than traditional drivetrains, which reduces mechanical trouble to the point they're projected to keep running for up to 300,000 miles.
A curbstoner is a person who makes money from buying used vehicles and reselling them. They're unlicensed dealers who don't comply with state or federal laws. You have no legal protection when dealing with them.
So, assuming a used vehicle is 10 years old, it might be expected to have around 124,270 miles on it. Whether a used car is considered high mileage or not depends largely on the year to mileage ratio.
A lot of us have been in the same position before. We're getting ready to buy a used car, and then we see the odometer. Is that number too high? Is it suspiciously low? What is good mileage for a used car, really? While there isn't always an exact answer for the best mileage for used cars, we can give you a few good places to start when you're getting ready to buy any of our used cars.
While there are general standards surrounding what mileage you might ideally want to go with when you buy a used car, the specific number can vary. If you have an incredibly tight budget with no wiggle room whatsoever, for example, you might have to compromise by getting a used Nissan or other used car with a higher number of miles on it. Cars with more miles on the odometer are generally worth less, so you'll be able to get them cheaper. Opposingly, cars with fewer miles on the odometer usually hold a higher value, barring any major mechanical or electrical failures, which will make them slightly more expensive.
To answer this question, it also makes sense to do a little bit of math (don't worry, we promise this isn't trigonometry or anything). How many miles do people usually drive in a year? We find that a good measuring point to start with is 12,000 miles per any given year. So, if you take that assumption and multiply it by how many years the car has been on the roads, you'll have a rough estimate of how much mileage is good for a used car. So, if you're looking at a used Toyota that is five years old, the mileage should probably be somewhere around 60,000 miles (12,000 x 5). Anything less than that will usually just mean that the previous owner(s) didn't drive a lot. Anything substantially more may be worth looking into and double-checking to make sure everything is in running order.
There is rarely an instance where a certain number of miles is too many to consider buying the vehicle in question. When considering how many miles is too many for a used car, also take a look at how old it is. If the car is only three years old and has upwards of 200,000 miles, that could be a red flag. Just use the simple equation we talked about above (age x 12,000) to figure out a general approximation of how many miles should be on the vehicle. And, as always, make sure to request a vehicle history report.
While mileage is definitely an important factor to consider when buying a used car, it shouldn't be an end-all-be-all element. If you don't have a lot of room in your budget for a car that has fewer miles on it, then it's totally okay to go with one that has more miles on it. Just because a car does have more miles on it doesn't mean it's indicative of it being a low-quality vehicle. Always take a test drive and request a vehicle history report to see the facts for yourself and make an informed decision.
If you've considered your budget and the car has been on the road for about eight years, 100k miles is a pretty fair mileage to be seeing. If you're in love with the vehicle, it runs exactly how it needs to, and it's within your budget, it can definitely be worth it. As we mentioned, the mileage doesn't have to be the determiner. Every other variable in the car's history, in addition to your financial situation, should all come into play before making the ultimate decision to buy a used car with over 100k miles on it. 041b061a72