Does mileage matter?

gonthemicrobe

Hi all

As some may remember from my previous posts I got stung on a very old low mileage car that turned out to be a lemon. Got the cash back after a few sleepless nights but don't fancy that again.

So in general, how much should I be taking mileage into account when buying? For example I saw a 2012 VW Up with only 11,000 miles on the clock today, priced around £1.5k more than an identical 2012 car with the expected 45,000 on it. At this kind of age would the lower mileage car already have started displaying some of the negative issues associated with minimal use?

foxy-stoat

Buy on condition and previous servicing - its a risk no matter what car/age/mileage.


For me, buy the cheaper car and put £1500 in Premium Bonds ready for any large bills that may or may not come up.

BeenThroughItAll

Key thing to remember is that a low mileage car has quite likely been used for short trips (therefore never fully warmed through leading to greater engine wear) or has done only irregular trips (therefore sitting around unused a lot, which isn't great for all kinds of reasons).

It's probably sat in traffic a lot, so the clutch will have been used proportionately more than a car that's done more mileage on longer runs.

Plus, many low mileage drivers think that because they only do tiny mileages their car needs less regular servicing, whereas the opposite is actually true. Check the manual and you'll find most refer to very low mileage/sporadic use as 'harsh usage' and suggest a different service regime.

Personally, I don't worry about mileage at all when buying. The last five cars I've bought have had 112K, 96K, 98K, 122K, and 127K on them. None have been unreliable or bangers. They've all been used properly and had comprehensive service history and receipts.

Volvo V70 (112K) I got rid of because I didn't need an estate at the time
Jeep Grand Cherokee (96K) I gave to my dad - now has 120K on
Audi (98K) my wife drives daily, now on 108K
BMW 330Ci (122K) I got rid of because 18MPG was getting tedious
Honda Accord (127K) I bought 28th Feb and use every day, now on 129K.

Mileage is really not something to be scared of.

MataNui

Low miles can mean short trips and sitting around on the drive unloved. Not good for a car but if its one owner from new and has good service history then you might be onto a winner. Low miles plus a few owners though means its a lemon thats been shifted around a lot because its duff. Low miles / very low miles and more than one or lots of owners means avoid like the plague.

Herzlos

If you do huge mileage it's potentially worth getting a lower mileage car so that when you sell it on it's average rather than high, but beyond that I wouldn't put much value in the lower mileage. How do they compare in terms of features and condition?

gonthemicrobe

Specs and condition look similar, just really mileage that sets them apart. I'm not seriously looking to buy right this minute but more trying to get a better understanding of the used car market after getting stung last time.

I used to also assume that "lots of owners = lemon" was a given, but my gf picked up a Lupo with low miles and 5 previous owners in 2010. It never broke down once in the subsequent 45k she put on it. Cars are strange beasts indeed...

Strider590

People who do low mileage are often tempted to skip servicing, on an 11'000 mile car, you could well find it's never even had an oil change.

System

I'm no expert but I've never really got the whole low milers stay in traffic argument. No one lives on a motorway so even the high milers would have significantly done a damaging amount of miles of cold town miles just to get to the motorway.

Until 2 months ago I used to do 15k a year and either way my car probably saw 10 minutes of cold mileage in town and then the bulk of its mileage on a motorway and then 'warm' miles on the other end to get to home or work.

15k a year isn't astronomical but at 5 years that's 75k. I seriously doubt a 20k mileage 5 year old car saw that many less harsh miles than mine has in the cold.

jimjames

Herzlos wrote: »

If you do huge mileage it's potentially worth getting a lower mileage car so that when you sell it on it's average rather than high, but beyond that I wouldn't put much value in the lower mileage. How do they compare in terms of features and condition?

Conversely if you do low mileage it could be worth getting a high mileage car so when you sell it is average to low rather than high. Then you win with depreciation.

Personally I prefer high mileage cars. I've never found them any less reliable and high miles gets the price down. My current car was 30% of the new price at 3 years old because it had 110k miles on it.

Walcott wrote: »

15k a year isn't astronomical but at 5 years that's 75k. I seriously doubt a 20k mileage 5 year old car saw that many less harsh miles than mine has in the cold.

The difference is the 20k miles car gets a chance to warm up on every journey. The low miles one doesn't and gets turned off before the oil has even warmed up.

System

That is what I don't get. So what if one has warmed up and the other hasn't? Both have done their harsh town miles in the cold.

Not arguing - genuinely interested in understanding why warming up the engine on the motorway once it has done the harsh part of the journey is making the better car 2nd hand buy

BeenThroughItAll

Walcott wrote: »

That is what I don't get. So what if one has warmed up and the other hasn't? Both have done their harsh town miles in the cold.

Not arguing - genuinely interested in understanding why warming up the engine on the motorway once it has done the harsh part of the journey is making the better car 2nd hand buy

Hot oil boils off any condensation that's been created inside the cold engine whilst it's been sitting. Cold engine doesn't boil off the condensate.

Water when mixed with combustion by-products forms acid inside the engine which is, obviously, !!!!.