what is too high mileage?

catoutthebag

I normally buy cars 9-10 years old.

I was wondering what people consider to be too high mileage for either petrol or diesel? .

Assume you keep the car for 2-3 years and do 12k average miles.

I know SH is important.

Currently I'm seeing petrols in my range for 90-105k miles and diesels with 100-120k. Never had a diesel.

The petrol mileages are not uncommon miles I'd purchase a vehicle with.

Ebe_Scrooge

Who can say ?


As you've already said, SH is very important. A car with low mileage that's only been driven to the shops and back once a week may be dead after 50K. At the other end of the spectrum, an ex sales-rep mobile that's done 150K of motorway miles, serviced meticulously, may have another 100K or more left in it. Certainly for a diesel, 250k or more is not uncommon as long as it's well looked after. And in the past I've had petrols that have done 180k with no issues. Buy on condition and history, rather than mileage.

jaydeeuk1

Lexus petrol engines have been known to be good for 500k miles. I believe some french cars have made 10k without blowing up

WellKnownSid

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

I believe some french cars have made 10k without blowing up

My French car made 31k / two years before the large red oil can appeared on the MFD and it stranded it me in the middle of nowhere needing a new oil pump, seals, relief valve, etc.

On the other hand my Volvo petrol still purrs along with 180k on the clock.

I got rid of my Fiat diesel after 315k - out of boredom because the damn thing just kept going and going.

I don't think there's a particular limit to longevity if you're prepared to keep the thing well serviced..

jimjames

I sold my 14 year old VW Golf diesel with 250k miles on the clock. I notice from the MOT check site that it's just passed another MOT with no advisories.

worried_jim

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

Lexus petrol engines have been known to be good for 500k miles. I believe some french cars have made 10k without blowing up

I spotted a GS300 with 217,000 on the clock for £550 and was going to view today and its gone already. Gutted, looked great in the pics.

catoutthebag

jimjames wrote: »

I sold my 14 year old VW Golf diesel with 250k miles on the clock. I notice from the MOT check site that it's just passed another MOT with no advisories.

Snooper :shhh::wave:

BeenThroughItAll

A lad I know has an Alfa 147 JTD with 340K on the clock. A miracle.


I've had a few 200K+ cars, none of which were unreliable or near death, and I know that my first ever diesel car, an 02 S40 1.9D which I sold with 115K on the clock was MOTd in November with 270K on it.

EdGasket

I aim to buy a car for less than £1K with around 100 thousand miles or less. Then it should have another 50K miles in it. Once you get up to the 130K to 150K range you can start getting wear in steering and suspension components which gets costly. Even the doors and seats can start to sag around that mileage.
Engines can go on for ever if looked after so you just have to check it out when you buy; no smoke, no cream in the oil, no rattles etc.

bigjl

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

Lexus petrol engines have been known to be good for 500k miles. I believe some french cars have made 10k without blowing up

10k miles eh?

Would you be talking about the 1.6HDi or 1.4 HDi?

The 1.6 is made in Dagenham, not sure about the 1.4 but it could well be made there aswell.

Can't say I have ever had an engine fail in any French made car.

I know people that have had engine problems with German cars though.

bigjl

catoutthebag wrote: »

Snooper :shhh::wave:

That's nothing!

I checked the Reg No of my first car a few months ago and it is still MOTed and taxed.

It was a 1966 A40 and I sold it in 1989.

I know people that have seen it around not far from my home town and they reckoned it is still owned by the same family that I sold it to.

It could well be a bit like Tiggers broom, though it was garaged for years before being bought by my sister and had under 50k on it when I sold it.

I wish I had kept it and stuck a Rover V8 in it!