What difference does mileage make to the value of a car?

Talc1234

forgotmyname wrote: »

16,000 miles is so neglible its not working even giving it a 2nd glance. What counts is which one got serviced properly.

The service intervals are a maximum which is perfect for fleet users that spend as little as possible on servicing.

Doubt that is the case. Franchise dealers need to make money, Manufacturers need to be seen to have something that is reliable. Besides in many countries the road conditions are far harsher than in the UK. Service intervals will have taken that into account as well.

You might not give 16K miles a second glance. For me that is a nearly new car at a knock down price. Never did me wrong

redpete

I was looking to buy a specific model and age (special edition produced over a very short period) so the mileage was the main variance between different cars that were for sale. I reckoned it gave something like 2.8% / £410 reduction in the price for every extra 5000 miles - although there was a lot of variation round this; prices varied between around £12000 and £17500

WellKnownSid

Trade in vs buying is an interesting point. My last lease car cost £240 extra over the lease term to cover an extra 20,000 miles. Rates vary but in my experience 1-2p per mile is not uncommon for a small leased hatchback if arranged before the start of the lease - obviously far more - 5p or more if you just return the car with more miles. That must reflect the fact that, at auction, there won't actually be that much difference on a two year old car.

Clearly, once on the forecourt, the lower mileage car then gets a bigger markup as it's "nearly new".

[Deleted User]

forgotmyname wrote: »

16,000 miles is so neglible its not working even giving it a 2nd glance. What counts is which one got serviced properly.

The service intervals are a maximum which is perfect for fleet users that spend as little as possible on servicing.

A "service " is an oil and filter change and a young mechanic ticking off a lot of check boxes. My last "service " for a small fleet car the fiddling garage mechanic had kept the oil for himself and never even bothered to change the oil which was black as the fireback when I took it in and just as black when he delivered the car back, which had had a wash !. I dont trust garages, never have had and I will change my own oil with the best semi synthetic every 6 months and not pay out £200 for an oil change with £15 a gallon oil.

getzls

I usually equate 12,000 = one year.
So if a car has 120,000 miles that = to ten years old, engine wise.

Same thing if a car is say, 2008 but has 48,000 miles it is to me only four years old.

I know it's not very scientific.

bigjl

I personally wouldn't pay a premium for a low mileage car of that age, as it is unlikely to be better in any way than a vehicle with fractionally more miles.

Even small cars take miles well these days. Though sometimes the term "small car" is a bit disingenuous, I walked past a 5 door "Mini" the other day, it wasn't far off the size of a MK1 Focus, and for some reason it reminded me of a Maxi.
The rule of thumb used to be £50 per thousand miles, but that is going back 20years.
I would probably go for the cheaper one unless it proves to be cosmetically challenged or has incomplete history.

securityguy

"I walked past a 5 door "Mini" the other day, it wasn't far off the size of a MK1 Focus"

A few years ago, someone remarked that then then-current Polo was larger than the Mk1 Golf. In broad terms, cars have got a class larger: a Fiesta now is larger than a 1970s Escort.

jimjames

sacsquacco wrote: »

To me mileage is everything. The nearer the car is to rolling off the production line the better.All components wear, I don t care who makes it or what the reputations for longevity are I personally want the lowest possible mileage. My last car was an ex motobility Vauxhall Corsa ( from CEJ 3000 ) three years old with 3k miles on the clock. Its now on 33k 5 years later and I ve never touched it apart from plenty of oil changes every 6k miles. Anyone who buys cars with say 80k are getting cars all ready for big items to fail, clutches , DPF filter, suspension, brakes, . the newer the better. Engines are better and the days when 100k was the limit before it started rattling everywhere seem to have gone.

Personally I prefer the higher the better. My current car was 110k at just under 3 years old. £7k compared to £23k new so mileage does make a massive difference.

Now it's at 162K and no issues of significance in the last 6 years since I owned it so it's not always true to say there are massive bills about to happen at 80k.

xHannahx

The price guide books in supermarkets give a price per 100 miles adjustment guide. Have a look for one next time your in the supermarket, don't buy it just glance.
Asda for example in my local store stock it with the magazines. Last time I looked it gave my car a mark down of £2 per 100 miles over average mileage, or reverse it for below average miles. It varied from car to car, Citroens for example had bigger mark downs than VWs.

JP08

The other thing that can affect the value of a car mileage wise is if it is coming up for a major service. Eg a lot of cars require a new cambelt at around the 70k mark. I'd expect a chunk off if it hadn't been done on a 65k+ car.