Does mileage matter when buying a used car?

The number of miles on a vehicle's odometer is one of the most important factors determining the price of a pre-owned car. It's an indication of the amount of wear and tear the car has sustained over time. As such, a vehicle that has higher mileage will most-likely be costlier than a similar vehicle with fewer miles.

What mileage is too high for a used car?

What is considered high mileage on a car? Often, 100,000 miles is considered a cut-off point for used cars because older vehicles often start requiring more expensive and frequent maintenance when mileage exceeds 100,000.

Is it good to buy a used car with high mileage?

High Mileage Used Cars Can Be a Great Choice for Your Budget

If you're looking at used cars, know that cars with high mileage can still be dependable. A lot of times these cars are in great working condition from reliable manufacturers and may need a few parts replaced or scheduled maintenance.

How much does mileage affect used car price?

Price Drop in Used Cars Per Mile

For the first three thousand miles or so, cars usually drop about $5,000-$10,000, so it averages out to around $1.50 to $3 per mile. After that, the price drop is lower, and can go from around $. 25 to $. 5 per mile.

What is considered high mileage when buying a car?

What is Considered High-Mileage? Typically, putting 13,000 to 14,000 miles on your car per year is viewed as “average.” A car that is driven more than that is considered high-mileage. With proper maintenance, cars can have a life expectancy of about 200,000 miles.

Should You Buy A Car With High Mileage

At what mileage do cars start having problems?

As a general rule, most vehicles begin to seriously degrade at around 150,000 miles. It is considered rare, and therefore outstanding longevity, if a car reaches 200,000 miles on the road. That said, there's more to identifying good versus bad mileage on a used car than just the odometer reading.

Is mileage more important than age?

Ultimately, car age and mileage both matter when buying a used car. They both affect the vehicle's depreciation rate and they are both interlinked – mileage is taken as being high or low based on a car's age and the older the car, the more miles it's likely to have driven.

Is it better to get an older car with less miles?

Generally speaking, it's a great decision to buy low-mileage used cars, even if the mileage seems unusually low. With the lack of affordable cars on the market right now due to the chip shortage, many more buyers seek used cars. As a result, it could be hard to find a 5-year-old car with a few thousand miles on it.

What is the best age of a used car to buy?

What's the “Sweet Spot” for Used Car Age? In retaining “like new” quality and inheriting a slower depreciation rate, the best used car age for buying is 2-3 years. In fact, Americans are saving up to $14,000 on a 3-year-old vehicle.

Is 70 000 miles a lot for a used car?

This is not a good idea. Buying a car with 70,000 miles on it is risky because the engine and other basic parts of the car will be worn down from all the use. This tired part of the car has been running around for so many years that it's likely to cause problems when they inevitably break.

Is it okay to buy a used car with over 200k miles?

In general, most modern cars can cross 200,000 miles without any major issues, provided the vehicle is being well-maintained. Considering that an average person drives 10,000-20,000 miles per year, this will account for roughly 15 years of service.

Should I buy a car with 120k miles?

Mileage will vary between vehicles, but a decent rule of thumb to follow is that people drive an average of about 12,000 miles a year. Therefore, 120,000 miles would be a good mileage for a used car that's about 10 years old. Determining good mileage for a used car will require a bit of math.

Is it worth buying a car with 100k miles?

In many cases, the answer is yes! The 100,000-mile marker is the sign of a true veteran. You'll know the vehicle has experience and proven capability you can rely on. If you'd like to learn more about what to look for when checking out the odometer on a used car, read our guide below.

What should I keep in mind when buying a used car?

Is a 10 Year car Too old?

When buying a used car that's 10-years-old or older, your primary concerns are purchase price and reliability. Don't pay more than that 10-year-old car is worth. And, pick a car with a solid reputation for dependability. No car is really too old if you follow those rules.

How many miles should a 10 year old car have?

A wary buyer should use as a general rule of thumb that most cars are driven 12,000-15,000 miles per year. If a vehicle is 10 years of age, it should have between 120,000 miles and 150,000 miles on the odometer.

How many miles should a 5 year old car have?

For instance, a five year old car should have 60,000 or less miles on it. At a Glance: Car owners drive around 12,000 per year on average, which is a good rule of thumb for deciding how many miles a used car should have. For example, if the car is 5 years old, it should have 60,000 miles or less.

Should I worry about mileage?

A car's life isn't determined by miles driven.

Mileage is just one indicator of a vehicle condition. Theoretically, a vehicle that has covered more miles has more wear and tear, but a car with 60,000 miles on the odometer can easily be in worse shape than one with 120,000 miles. Cars and trucks like to be driven.

Is 75000 miles a lot for a used car?

If you would like to drive your next used car for five years, for example, you'll want to find a car that has at least another 75,000 miles of expected life ahead of it. With that in mind, a good mileage range for a used car would be between 75,000 and 100,000 miles, since many cars last beyond the 150,000-mile point.

Is it good to buy a car with 80000 miles?

Ideally, you will want to choose something under 80,000 miles and take reliability into account. For example, a reliable vehicle like a Honda Civic with 50,000 miles may be a better purchase than a Ford Taurus with 30,000 miles of the same year or age.

Is 40000 miles a lot for a used car?

And while 40,000 miles might be a lot to have driven within a year or two, at the end of the day, that's still a pretty new car—and probably young enough that you'll have some time before it runs into issues. If you're looking at a used car that's 3 or 4 years old and has 40,000 miles on the odometer, you're cookin'.

How many miles should a 12 year old car have?

The average car in the U.S. is about 11 to 12 years old, which means most will have 132,000 miles to 144,000 miles on the odometer. Proper maintenance and care could help them hit 200,000 miles or even more.

How long does 150000 miles last on a car?

According to Consumer ReportsOpens a new window, the average lifespan of today's cars is about eight years or 150,000 miles. That's shorter, however than many well-built cars that are properly maintained.

How long will a car with 200 000 miles last?

Providing regular maintenance is done, most modern automobiles may travel over 200,000 miles without significant wear and tear. Assuming a yearly mileage of 10,000 miles per vehicle would be sufficient for about 15 years of operation.

Can you reset the miles on a car?

Can you reset miles on a vehicle? No. In fact, it's illegal to alter or tamper with your car's odometer, especially intending to deceive potential buyers or sellers about the car's actual condition. Mileage is one of the primary factors being looked at during vehicle appraisal and determining its sale value.