What Do You Consider High Mileage?

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Had a discussion with my fil about cars and he considers his 99 F150 to have high miles with 98k. We bought a 92 Aerostar with 90k and drove it to 140k, traded it on a 96 Explorer with 107k and drove it until it was totaled with 160k on the odo.

Our current 00 Taurus was purchased with 140k and now has 170k. It burns about 1 quart every 2500 miles and the only major repair was having the transmission rebuilt. FIL says we're running on borrowed time, but I fully expect to put 300k on the clock.

From watching used car prices over the years, it seems that there is still a negative bias on cars with over 100k - the prices drop on these cars. Fine by me, I'll buy them if they don't have any major issues.

What do you folks consider high mileage these days?
 
Id say 200K... when it comes to buying a used car.

But i have 235k on one of my cars ive owned since 40k and it does not need much as far as repairs. Its all new ignition stuff. it could use a suspension rebuild.

If it keeps this up ill simply rebuild the engine and possibly do a transmission swap or rebuild that at 250-270k.

To be fair ill probably keep this car the rest of my life. Even if it isn't my daily.
 
I like finding people that believe a car is over the hill and ready for the junk yard at 100K miles. I recently purchased a 2003 Corolla with 147K miles on it (nearly all highway) for $4K. The owner had it maintained at the dealership (all documented). The fluids were all crystal clear. It doesn't burn any oil. I see no reason why I won't get 250K out of it, especially since I put nearly 40K miles a year on our main house vehicle.
 
I am probably going to get a lot of fire for this, but anything over five years or 75k, is considered high mileage to me. Once you reach that point, you will start seeing wear items needing replacement, and there's definitely a greater likelihood of repairs being needed.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
I am probably going to get a lot of fire for this, but anything over five years or 75k, is considered high mileage to me. Once you reach that point, you will start seeing wear items needing replacement, and there's definitely a greater likelihood of repairs being needed.


This is fair. But, you replace those items and they last for another 75k =P
 
Originally Posted By: Kaie
Originally Posted By: The Critic
I am probably going to get a lot of fire for this, but anything over five years or 75k, is considered high mileage to me. Once you reach that point, you will start seeing wear items needing replacement, and there's definitely a greater likelihood of repairs being needed.


This is fair. But, you replace those items and they last for another 75k =P

True, but this also means that for the average uneducated consumer, a car with over 75k carries more risk than a car with 30k. And for those who are not used to constant repair or maintenance, and are unable to do the work themselves, it can get expensive.
 
The Neon is coming up to 150K miles and in the morning when the interior is still at -20C, it sounds a little old and creaky. At my current usage the body will go way past 200K miles though so I'll probably keep it until then or until something expensive happens at the track.
 
Originally Posted By: dsmdriver2588
The motor oil companies say its 75,000 so it must be, lol.

Yeah, high mileage oils.
 
Here in the Northeast with all the salt on the roads I consider anything over 100,000 to be high mileage, because you just know you're going to be chasing rust problems at that point. And, it complicates every repair because everything is fused together and corroded. If I'm buying used I'm also very wary beyond that point because cars over 100,000 generally get neglected. The average person only barely maintains their cars if they are forced to during the warranty period, then after that it's pretty much the Quicky Lube once in awhile when they happen to think about it. A car can endure that for awhile, but not forever.
 
I think it is a case by case basis. It is a total package. I have seen used cars with 60,000 miles on them that make some cars with 150,000 look like a bargin.
 
Engines are good for 200,000 or more these days, but the corrosion, rust, and failure of all sorts of components begins in earnest around 100,000 miles. Depending on what breaks, it can make life unpleasant and/or expensive. I don't think I've ever owned a car that had everything working after 100,000K. There is always something broken, and sometimes it's lots of little things. And when you fix the most annoying, something else breaks.
 
I'd say anything over 100K is high mileage, however part of the determination IMO is how they were put on. I feel 100K highway miles is certainly less stressful than 100k city miles.
 
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