What mileage does a car start to have problems?
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.
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.
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.
The more miles a car has driven, the more likely it is that it'll need some repairs or parts replacing. A vehicle's age is the key factor in determining car depreciation – that's how much value the car loses over time. The older a vehicle, the less it's worth.
What is considered high mileage on a car? 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.
Up to 1000 miles a month – or 12,000 miles per year – is seen as average car use, any more than that would be considered high mileage – a two-year-old car with 40,000 miles, say. That said, the term 'high mileage' is usually reserved for cars that have covered 100,000 miles or more.
Toyota earns the top spot as the best automaker for dependability. Toyota vehicles are known for their longevity, and they are proven to last longer than any other brand. Toyotas are built so well they have below-average maintenance and repair costs, which helps contribute to why they remain on the road for so long.
On average, a vehicle will last approximately 11-12 years on the road. However, with good maintenance and attention, your vehicle can last even longer. Believe it or not, the Guinness World Record for the highest vehicle mileage on a personal car has over 3,000,000 miles on it! So - anything can happen!
Rank | Most Reliable | Least Reliable |
---|---|---|
1. | Toyota Prius | Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 |
2. | Lexus NX | Subaru Ascent |
3. | Buick Encore | Volkswagen Atlas |
4. | Lexus GX | Jeep Compass |
Seeing as the average driver covers about 12,000 miles a year, you'll want to see the following: About 60,000 miles on a 5-year-old car. About 84,000 miles on a 7-year-old car. About 108,000 miles on a 9-year-old car.
When should I replace my car?
A good rule of thumb is to employ the so-called “50-percent rule.” When repairs cost 50 percent of what your car is worth, it's time to replace.
Unusually Low Miles are OK
Generally speaking, it's a great decision to buy low-mileage used cars, even if the mileage seems unusually low.
- 'I love this car. ' ...
- 'I'm a doctor at University Hospital. ' ...
- 'I'm looking for monthly payments of no more than $300. ' ...
- 'How much will I get for my trade-in? ' ...
- 'I'll be paying with cash,' or 'I've already secured financing. '
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.
The average mileage a car accrues per year is 12,000 miles. 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.
For instance, a five year old car should have 60,000 or less miles on it. At a Glance: Car owners drive around 12,000 per year on average, which is a good rule of thumb for deciding how many miles a used car should have. For example, if the car is 5 years old, it should have 60,000 miles or less.
Depending on how well you treat your car, you could potentially reach over 500,000 miles. In fact, there's a driver whose car reached even more than that.
High Mileage Used Cars Can Be a Great Choice for Your Budget
If you're looking at used cars, know that cars with high mileage can still be dependable. A lot of times these cars are in great working condition from reliable manufacturers and may need a few parts replaced or scheduled maintenance.
One of the best reasons to buy a car with 100K miles or more, is that cars have become more and more reliable. It has gotten to the point where it's common to see cars running well past the 200,000-mile mark. That means a car with 100,000 miles on it, would last you more than 6 years if you drive 15,000 miles per year.
A car that is six years old should have around 90,000 miles.
Is it good to buy a car with over 200k miles?
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. When considering mileage on a used car, don't take it at face value.
- Lexus LS 400. ...
- Lexus RX 350. ...
- Acura TSX. ...
- Ford Escort. ...
- Subaru Outback. ...
- Audi A4. ...
- Volvo 850. The 1997 Volvo 850 may look dated compared to today's pickup trucks and SUVs. ...
- Hyundai Elantra. Finally, we have the Hyundai Elantra.
Of course, who could forget the ever-lasting Lexus 1UZFE engine? This engine is known to reach a million miles and remain smooth-running. The 1UZFE was known to be placed in Lexus' flagship car, the LS400.
Keep driving it and you save money not only because you don't have to make payments on a new car, but also because insurance premiums are lower, and in some states, so are registration fees and personal-property taxes.
Reliability does depend on the vehicle and how many miles it's covered. We wouldn't go too far beyond the mid- to late-1990s for any car, as parts can be harder to find once a car crests 20 years of age.
- Kia. Reliability rating: 95.8% ...
- Mazda. Reliability rating: 95.9% ...
- Mitsubishi. Reliability rating: 96.9% ...
- Dacia. Reliability rating: 97.3% ...
- Lexus. Reliability rating: 98.7% ...
- Alfa Romeo. Reliability rating: 86.5% ...
- Land Rover. Reliability rating: 82.5% ...
- Fiat. Reliability rating: 82.0%
- Lexus. This brand stays at the top, year after year. ...
- Toyota. Many Toyota models are among the most popular cars worldwide because they are affordable, dependable, and easy to maintain.
- Mazda. ...
- Kia. ...
- Honda. ...
- Buick. ...
- Hyundai.
The report found that Lexus and Toyota make the most reliable cars, while Jeep and Mercedes-Benz make the ones you can depend on least. But those rankings reflect an average of all the cars each manufacturer builds.
Since there are so many factors that can have a negative effect on your vehicle's gas mileage, maintenance is key to the engine's performance, and vehicles were built differently in the past than they are today – we're going to say that “gas mileage drops as a vehicle ages” is a myth!
- Your car constantly breaks down and needs repairs. ...
- Your car needs refuelling all the time. ...
- Your car insurance premium keeps increasing. ...
- Your car's done many miles over its lifetime. ...
- Your car no longer meets the emissions standards. ...
- Your car doesn't feel safe anymore.
What tricks do car salesmen use?
- 1) The Hard Sell. This is the salesperson that simply won't leave you alone. ...
- 2) Selling on Payment Instead of Price. ...
- 3) The Trade-In Trick. ...
- 4) Bad Information. ...
- 5) Hidden Fees. ...
- 6) The Waiting Game. ...
- Now for the Good News.
Best day of the week to buy a car
Studies have shown that car buyers get better deals shopping on Mondays than any other day of the week. This is likely because car dealerships are generally not very busy early in the week which means the sales staff has more time to negotiate.
Paying cash vs financing
Some dealerships love financing because they earn a commission from the lender, making an extra profit on the loan. Other dealers may prefer cash sales because they immediately close the deal. They might even offer a cash discount. Ask the dealer about their preferred paying methods early on.
What Is the Used-Car Sweet Spot? It's the period after the vehicle's first — and most significant — depreciation and the second steep depreciation, which comes around the fourth year. This pattern is fairly consistent across all vehicles.
...
Used Cars to Avoid Buying.
Model | Year(s) to Avoid | |
---|---|---|
Chevrolet | Silverado 1500 | 2015, 2017, 2019-2020 |
Chevrolet | Silverado 2500 HD | 2015, 2017 |
Chevrolet | Sonic | 2013 |
Chevrolet | Suburban | 2011-2012, 2015-2016 |
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.
One of the best reasons to buy a car with 100K miles or more, is that cars have become more and more reliable. It has gotten to the point where it's common to see cars running well past the 200,000-mile mark. That means a car with 100,000 miles on it, would last you more than 6 years if you drive 15,000 miles per year.
A vehicle should have 10,000 miles put on it per year on average so any vehicle with less than 10,000 x Years = X is considered low mileage. Another standard of mileage is a car with over 100,000 miles is considered high mileage.
Believe it or not, a lot of vehicles don't last that long. Only 1% of vehicles make it past the 200,000 mile mark. Just . 03% of cars roll over the 300,000 mile mark, which is pretty incredible.
- Toyota Land Cruiser (18.2% still running after 200,000 miles)
- Toyota Sequoia (14.2%)
- Chevrolet Suburban (6.6%)
- GMC Yukon XL (5.2%)
- Toyota 4Runner (4.6%)
- Ford Expedition (4.5%)
- Chevrolet Tahoe (4.4%)
What needs to be replaced after 200000 miles?
Replace the timing belt and tensioners according to the recommendations given in your owner's manual. These are just a few important 200,000-mile car maintenance tips to help keep your car on the road.
Louis County, Missouri, recently drove his Volvo 740 GLE past the million-mile mark. “The good thing about this car is, it can't get me in any trouble because it goes about 75 miles per hour, tops,” said O'Shea. Thirty years, two engines and two transmissions later, the Swedish sedan still runs despite its rust.
In a vacuum (and with infinite fuel), your engine would continue to run forever. But in reality, several things might occur if your car idles for too long. To avoid running your car for too long, you should only idle your vehicle for a few minutes at most before either moving your vehicle or turning the engine off.
The Bottom Line. Toyota vehicles have exceptional longevity and some of the most reliable engines in the industry. This is due to the company's meticulous approach to design and production. The quality management systems ensure any defects are detected and eliminated before the vehicle is sold to the customer.
If you buy a vehicle with 100,000 miles, you could still get another four or five years of driving out of it—sometimes more. It's important to remember that, with most modern vehicles hitting 200,000 miles, a car with 100,000 miles on the odometer has only reached its midpoint.
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.
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.
150,000 to 200,000 Miles
This is when your car may need larger repairs, such as replacement of leaking engine oil seals, a transmission rebuild or replacement, a new exhaust system, or possibly a head gasket replacement. “The potential for big repairs goes up after 150,000 miles,” Ibbotson says.
The average car travels 12,000 miles per year. So if you're looking at a 10-year-old vehicle, around 120,000 miles on the odometer is typical.