Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » When looking at a car, is mileage pointless? 1 2

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  July 16, 2011 11:07 p.m. Taiden HalfDork

  I personally believe that mileage doesn't mean anything when trying to determine the condition of a used car. How do you all feel about mileage?

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  July 16, 2011 11:14 p.m. joey48442 SuperDork

  I dunno. No matter how well maintained a car with 300k on it is going to have issues. And a 10k miles car is probably fine. But if we are talking 80k vs 120k, probably not so much.

  Joey

  Oh yes use the longest screwdriver in the toolbox,use my shop voice and wing the rest!

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  July 16, 2011 11:35 p.m. Ranger50 Dork

  Depends on the car/truck in question.

  "Never trust an intelligent man with no money to play fair."

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  July 16, 2011 11:36 p.m. triumph5 Dork

  Never. It's a point of reference.

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  July 16, 2011 11:42 p.m. Trans_Maro Dork

  I never worry about it.

  Who knows what's been done in that time.

  It could've had a reman engine or trans at 295,000 or it could be all original. You know the seller will lie about it anyway.

  There's a GM dealer about 100K from here that gets all the burnt-up tow rigs from the trip over the local mountain pass.

  You're pretty much guaranteed a rebuilt automatic when you buy a used car from them.

  Shawn

  Sometimes life leaves a hundred dollar bill on your dresser, and you don't realize until later that it's because it screwed you.

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  July 17, 2011 12:09 a.m. Jay SuperDork

  I'd rather buy a neglected 20 year old car with 250 000 km on it than a neglected one with 10 000 km, given equal states of dilapidation.

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  July 17, 2011 12:30 a.m. corytate Reader

  Jay wrote: I'd rather buy a neglected 20 year old car with 250 000 km on it than a neglected one with 10 000 km, given equal states of dilapidation.

  true, older cars with super low mileage make me nervous, makes me think they sat for a LOOOONG time.

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  July 17, 2011 12:42 a.m. HiTempguy Dork

  corytate wrote: true, older cars with super low mileage make me nervous, makes me think they sat for a LOOOONG time.

  People make this out to be such a big deal. My STi (1995) had 80,000kms on it (as do most of that era, if not 40,000kms). It literally has sat for a couple of years waiting until it could be exported, then had douche dock workers drive it off a boat bumping off the rev limiter (you've never saw a vehicle move quickly until you see a dock worker taking it off a boat without a care in the world).

  It's fine. 99% of the cars are fine. This isn't 1970 anymore, a modern 90's era or newer car can sit for 5 years and be fine

  Rallying; It's like skydiving, except you have to dodge trees on your way down!

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  July 17, 2011 2:06 a.m. donalson SuperDork

  HiTempguy wrote:

  corytate wrote: true, older cars with super low mileage make me nervous, makes me think they sat for a LOOOONG time.

  It's fine. 99% of the cars are fine. This isn't 1970 anymore, a modern 90's era or newer car can sit for 5 years and be fine

  ... my volvo engine had sat for at least that long and started right up in my s10 build...

  still doesn't mean all the fuel system and hoses and other things like that like to sit like that though :-/

  "Just because you can think outside of the box, it doesn't mean we are going to let you out of it." ~ John Brown

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  July 17, 2011 7:07 a.m. DrBoost SuperDork

  Mileage doesn't worry me, but that's because I know what to look for. I've picked up plenty of cars well north of 150K. People freak out. I figure, the car made it this long and is still running great. That says something.

  You know you are deep in boost territory when you get tire pressures and boost pressures confused

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  July 17, 2011 7:46 a.m. Woody SuperDork

  I don't mind buying a well maintained, high mileage car, but they are much more difficult to sell.

  I lift things up and put them down.

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  July 17, 2011 8:09 a.m. Luke SuperDork

  ^That's very true. To a lot of non-enthusiasts, mileage is everything.

  With the POS old cars I typically buy, it's the least of my considerations.

  "Just as a proverb says, one should always ny escort prepare for a rainy day." - GRM canoe

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  July 18, 2011 10:44 a.m. CanadianTercel Reader

  I picked up a 1997 tercel with 400,000km, it is absolutely immaculate inside and out, and the motor runs amazing, even passes emmisions test. When i buy An old import I rarely worry about mileage.

  Tercels and Formula Vee is my life!

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  July 18, 2011 11:45 a.m. Strizzo SuperDork

  agreed that it is a point of reference. any car that has had regular oil changes and maintenance done should be fine out to 5-600k miles, but the more miles on a car, the more chance for a car to have done some hard miles with spotty maintenance.

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  July 18, 2011 12:02 p.m. Toyman01 SuperDork

  The last one I bought had 240K on it.

  "That dog is about as subtle as a hand grenade in a barrel of oatmeal..." -Foghorn Leghorn

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  July 18, 2011 12:12 p.m. Taiden HalfDork

  One of my 96 subaru impreza 2.2L AWD wagons has 230k miles and doesn't burn any oil, gets 29/30 mpg highway with summer tires, and runs like a top.

  The other one has 300k miles, starts up just fine (before I tore the motor out), and seemed to run well. It was leaking from every gasket and had a huge hole in the exhaust, but other than that it seemed just fine.

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  July 18, 2011 12:22 p.m. dogbreath Reader

  I say it only matters for condition of axles, engine, and transmission.

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  July 18, 2011 12:48 p.m. mndsm SuperDork

  My last car purchase had 208k on it.... runs like a champ, hell, the turbo is still solid.

  Go fast or go broke.

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  July 18, 2011 1:02 p.m. failboat Reader

  A big stack of maintenance records from the original owner (from the day it was purchased new) helped ease my mind when purchasing a ~180k vehicle. Its nice to be able to double check when something was last replaced.

  He wasnt much of a gear head but he kept things clean and tidy under the hood which was also very nice.

  boosh.

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  July 18, 2011 10:07 p.m. Nitroracer SuperDork

  I tend to shoot for a lower mileage car, under 150k for my daily driver. I rarely find the good deals where people have actually cared well for the car and have maintenance records. I keep pretty good records myself though. Rust is an issue much higher than 150k in this region too.

  While the mechanicals may last, once a car hits 250k a lot of parts are just worn. Switches, door handles, seats, carpet, etc. Not essentials, but nice things to have intact and working.

  I do agree it matters when the car was built though. My 68' Fairlane has low miles, but everything rubber is shot at its age. A newer car (and the right climate) could handle disuse much better.

  1968 Fairlane 500 / 1998 Camaro Z/28

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  July 19, 2011 12:03 a.m. Shaun Reader

  No.

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  July 19, 2011 12:43 p.m. dj06482 HalfDork

  For me, it depends on how well it's been maintained. My '06 RAM had 130K on it when I bought it. It had a BFI intake, and Magnaflow dual exhaust, and a Napa Gold oil filter on it. Had I owned it since new, I would have likely done the exact same thing. I bought it...

  '97 328is | '05 Odyssey | '06 RAV4 | '06 Dodge RAM 1500 QC

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  July 19, 2011 7:30 p.m. shadetree30 Reader

  I've had my most fun with 150,000 mi cars.

  One of them actually became a halfway competitive hillclimb car...until I wrecked it...

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  July 20, 2011 7:35 a.m. White_and_Nerdy HalfDork

  It depends. My first car was an 82 Pontiac 6000LE, which I got in 92 with only 25k miles (was my grandmother's car). In the first year I had it, I had to replace the entire front end. What a money pit, especially when I didn't have any money. My dad insisted that the problems were because I was driving it like a maniac. I haven't replaced that many parts on any car I've autocrossed or tracked. In fact, my mechanic at the time, who worked on the town's police cars, insisted that there was NO WAY crazy driving could cause that kind of wear. If anyone would know, it would be him. :)

  Yet I've gotten some high mileage cars that have been wonderful. My Miatas, for instance. Saturns, too. My 83 320i, not so much - especially when it got jealous of a 73 2002 I was checking out.

  I'd say mileage is a factor, but one of many, and not a sole determining factor. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a 200k+ short nose crank Miata. If the engine failed, it would be my excuse to drop in a V8. With my luck, that engine would last till 300k.

  - Justin

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  July 20, 2011 8:36 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

  Depends on the year. Around 10,000 miles per year seems normal to me. If you have a car that is pushing 100,000 miles and is only 2 years old, I have to wonder. Other than that, I take the lowest mileage example I can get. Engines are more reliable than ever, but ball joints still wear out, suspension still sags, and the more miles you rack up the more dents and stone chips you get.

  "Don't Sweat the Petty Things." Yes, and Don't Pet the Sweaty Things.

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