Is 70k - 100k miles too much for a second hand car?

Eternal1

I've read that nowadays that isn't too many miles for most cars but when I see a car with 100k miles I get put off because it seems like it's a lot and I'd hate to buy the car and run into issues 20k miles down the line.

Obviously there's no golden rule but how many miles would you consider "too many" when buying your first car?

I've been looking at cars with between 50k and 70k miles but this ramps up the price a fair bit.

wgl2014

Service history is more important as is how the car has been used.

100k miles sitting at 60mph on the motorway with the engine at operating temp will place minimal strain on the engine, gearbox and suspension.

10k miles of short journeys with a cold engine around town and with lots of stop/ start, pot holes and speed bumps will wear everything out much quicker.

Personally I would buy on condition and evidence of regular maintenance rather than age or miles.

iolanthe07

So much depends on how it has been looked after. With regular servicing and care of the bodywork most modern cars should be good for 200K+. My MX5 with 112K never missed a beat - the problem was corrosion. It is a risk, of course, but I would rather buy a car with 100K that has been cared for and not done too many short runs than a car with 20K that's been used twice a week by a little old lady to go to church and to the shops.

Eternal1

wgl2014 wrote: »

Service history is more important as is how the car has been used.

100k miles sitting at 60mph on the motorway with the engine at operating temp will place minimal strain on the engine, gearbox and suspension.

10k miles of short journeys with a cold engine around town and with lots of stop/ start, pot holes and speed bumps will wear everything out much quicker.

Personally I would buy on condition and evidence of regular maintenance rather than age or miles.

I plan on buying from a dealership but I've never bought a car before and I wouldn't really know (beyond the obvious) whether a car is in good condition or not (engine, transmission, various pumps etc).

So if a dealership says something like "full service history" does this mean they probably don't have anything to hide and the car is in good shape?

DigForVictory

Or that they have a good forger. (I do hope I do them an injustice.)

Find someone you trust who knows one end of a car from another & ask their help.
Test drive the beast if they shrug OK.
Consider getting an AA or RAC check (costs you but may save you longer term.)

Research the cost of insuring it before you buy it.

I'd pay a couple of hundred for a 100K plus car if I thought it was legal & would get me to my destination, & go up from there if I thought/was advised it would operate reasonably reliably for several months.

If I want serious reliability then I'd definitely be towing a mechanic along with me.

eamon

Have a look through this thread for ideas. The vast majority are people that know what they are doing and are capable of doing lots of their own maintenance and repairs, nevertheless its a useful resource for the novice.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3803929/your-bangernomics-successes&highlight=banger

kinger101

It would depend on (a) the car and (b) the service history.

The last two cars I bought had >100,000 on the clock. I still have the second one. The first kept me going 7 years (I would have been pleased with 4).

So first do research on the longevity of the car, and then check the service history.

Arklight

Eternal1 wrote: »

I plan on buying from a dealership but I've never bought a car before and I wouldn't really know (beyond the obvious) whether a car is in good condition or not (engine, transmission, various pumps etc).

So if a dealership says something like "full service history" does this mean they probably don't have anything to hide and the car is in good shape?

If the car is 18 years old and has been serviced once and there is one stamp then that is a full service history.

ratrace

Arklight wrote: »

If the car is 18 years old and has been serviced once and there is one stamp then that is a full service history.

I think the op means that the car has been serviced in in accordance with the manufacturer service intervals so at least once a year as a minimum

kinger101

ratrace wrote: »

I think the op means that the car has been serviced in in accordance with the manufacturer service intervals so at least once a year as a minimum

Indeed. Often you'll get receipts for all the work done too if the previous owner has been meticulous.

iolanthe07

kinger101 wrote: »

Indeed. Often you'll get receipts for all the work done too if the previous owner has been meticulous.

I always keep receipts, and expect to see them if I buy used. You can buy fake stamped service books on line, so I wouldn't trust them to be an accurate record of the car's service history by themselves.