Buying a Car with 100k+ Miles? All You Need to Know - YourGreatCar.com (2023)

FAQs

Is buying a car with 100 000 miles a good idea? ›

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.

A car with 100,000 miles is no longer the maximum life expectancy for a vehicle. If you keep up with routine maintenance, you could push your vehicle to well over 200,000 miles. Keep reading to find out how – and why – some drivers are keeping their cars on the road longer.

Average car mileage per year

Experts agree that the common rule of thumb on mileage for a used vehicle is roughly 12,000 miles added each year of ownership. That means if you are looking at a 5-year-old vehicle, it should have about 60,000 miles on it.

A conventional car can last for 200,000 miles. Some well-maintained car models will reach 300,000 or more miles total. The average passenger car age is currently around 12 years in the United States.

Holding onto your car for longer than average can sometimes be a benefit at trade-in time if the vehicle is in good condition. However, the rate of depreciation tends to slow after the odometer hits 100,000 miles.

Last summer, the average used vehicle with between 100,000 and 110,000 miles on its odometer was worth about $12,700, according to Edmunds.com. That was just a few dollars more than it had been worth the year before. This year, that same sort of vehicle would be worth about $16,500, a roughly 30% increase in value.

Given that number, the average 10-year-old car should have roughly 120,000 miles on the odometer. You can use these numbers to determine if the car you're looking to buy is considered to have high mileage or low mileage for the age of the vehicle. Usually, the fewer miles that a car has been driven, the better.

Better electronics help your car run more smoothly and precisely, which adds to a car's life expectancy. Some estimates for the average lifespan of a car come in lower. According to a report from Consumer Reports, the common lifespan of a car is still estimated to be about eight years or 150,000 miles.

In all likelihood, your transmission fluid, oil, coolant, power steering fluid, and brake fluid will all require to be replaced during your 100,000 mile maintenance appointment.

What to check on a high mileage car? ›

Average mileage on a vehicle will usually be in the range of 7,000-12,000 miles per year. If the vehicle is only a few years old and already has 100k miles on the clock, it has seen a lot of usage and may be experiencing higher levels of wear and tear, which could quickly become costly through repairs.

While it's a good idea to consider the age of a vehicle and the number on its odometer, it's more important to look at how well the owner maintained the car. A 10-year-old car with 100,000 miles may have received more TLC than a five-year-old model with 50,000 miles.

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. For example, a car that may have cost you $30,000 when new would cost around $16,000 after just 3 years.

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.

Generally, vehicles are likely to start experiencing problems after the 100,000-mile mark. Also, in most cases, they no longer have a valid manufacturer's warranty, meaning you have to pay for repairs out of your own pocket when something goes wrong.

Depending on the car's value, repairing it might be worth the money to keep it going for a few more years. However, most modern gasoline-powered vehicles will start to struggle after the 200,000-mile mark. Electric cars can usually make it up to 300,000 miles before they're considered well used.

Average engine lifespan

For some time, the average lifespan of a car's engine was eight years, or 150,000 miles. New designs, better technology and improved service standards in recent years have increased this average life expectancy to about 200,000 miles, or about 10 years.

If you think you might want to trade it in again, choose an optimal time. That way, you increase your potential trade-in value. There is no exact mileage number that will make or break your vehicle's trade-in value — but if it's possible, you should trade your vehicle in before it reaches 100,000 miles.

Older tires may decrease the value of the car, while newer tires can add value. Tires wear over time, which can cause cracks or bulges. If you notice these signs on the vehicle's tires, you can often negotiate a lower price because you'll have to replace the vehicle's tires soon.

Is it worth buying a car with 150k miles? ›

While the exact point at which a vehicle reaches this threshold is somewhat subjective, 150,000 miles is a realistic estimate. A modern car with 150,000 miles on the road may be considered high mileage, but it can still provide years of reliable use.

Your vehicle's transmission fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, and coolant should be inspected during your 100,000-mile maintenance check to determine their condition and if they need to be topped off or changed.

Mechanics usually agree on the figure as 'average' car use. More than that is considered high mileage, so a three-year-old car with 40,000 miles, for example, would be in the high mileage range. Still, mechanics typically use the phrase 'high mileage' when a car has 100,000 miles or more on the odometer.

Used Car Mileage Shopping Tips

If the car has 100,000 miles on it, that's still nearly four years of driving to get to the average. In some cases, you can be fine buying a used car with 150,000 or even 200,000 miles on it, because maintenance helps them last far beyond what many people have come to expect.

At a Glance: As a rule of thumb, a used car should have no more than 12,000 miles for each year since the car was originally bought.

There is only so low a car goes in value. In general, buying a higher mileage newer is better than buying an older car with less miles. The reason for this is simple: parts in a car, especially the rubber components deteriorate over time, regardless of mileage. It's entropy at work.

The longest-lasting car brands are Toyota, Honda, GMC, Chevrolet, and Ford, but Japanese SUVs are the longest-lasting vehicles out of all the options. Share: Finding a reliable car, truck, or SUV is even more important these days as costs are higher across the board.

The average lifespan for a Toyota vehicle is 200,000-250,000 miles. With proper care and maintenance, some Toyota models can last as long as 500,000 miles.

Is it a good idea to buy a 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. Here are some factors to consider when assessing used car mileage.

Zero to 30,000 Miles

New vehicles experience their biggest decline in value during their first year of ownership. Subsequently, they continue to depreciate sharply until their manufacturer's warranties expire, which is usually after three years or 36,000 miles.

Although it may have been well maintained, the purchase of a vehicle with over 200,000 miles on the odometer might lead to significant maintenance costs. At this point, the car is likely nearing the end of its useful life, and you may soon need to either invest a significant sum in repairs or replace it entirely.

Given that number, the average 10-year-old car should have roughly 120,000 miles on the odometer. You can use these numbers to determine if the car you're looking to buy is considered to have high mileage or low mileage for the age of the vehicle. Usually, the fewer miles that a car has been driven, the better.

Average mileage on a vehicle will usually be in the range of 7,000-12,000 miles per year. If the vehicle is only a few years old and already has 100k miles on the clock, it has seen a lot of usage and may be experiencing higher levels of wear and tear, which could quickly become costly through repairs.

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.

The highest mileage car on record is a 1966 Volvo P1800S, with over 3 million certified miles.

iSeeCars analyzed more than two million vehicles to find out which models have the potential to last the longest. On average, 1 percent of cars built every year make it past 200,000 miles.

The general rule, though, is that anything under 200 miles is acceptable for a new car. That allows enough capacity for transport from the shipping port or between dealerships if the car is sent to a new showroom. It's also unlikely that the car would suffer any technical issues with fewer than 200 miles.

What should be replaced on a high mileage car? ›