What Do You Consider High Mileage?

[UNC017]

For me, anything less than 200,000 miles is NOT high mileage. 250k is more like what I'd start to consider high mileage. But it also depends somewhat on the car design. Rear-drive cars, v8s, trucks, read-drive SUVs, etc. age more slowly than front-drive 4-bangers and v6es. For example, my Polara already has over 300k, and I figure 300k is achievable with both Jeeps... not so much with the PT. It'll probably get feeble before 200k, and its so packed-in I'm not going to want to work on it either.

 

[addyguy]

125k miles.

 

[fdcg27]

Critic, other than wear items like brakes and tires, and of course, the timing belts on the Hondas, I have never had to replace anything on a 75K car, much less a 60K one.
I just can't see anyone not getting any car well past 100K without anything beyond normal maintenance, as well as the almost certain need for tires and brakes.
Heck, a clutch will last well beyond 120K, and can last much longer depending on the driver's use of it, as well as the conditions in which the car is driven.

 

[Propflux01]

150K. After that, its getting worn.

 

[bradepb]

Around here I would have to say about 125000 or ten years a car is then pretty much to the point I would still drive it but would not feel real confident about reliability and its going to start looking real shabby.

 

[KrisZ]

It all depends how much you drive annually. I’m talking about daily drivers only, not garage queens or toy cars that are driven rarely but for longer distances.

For someone that drives 10k a year, anything above 100k will be high mileage. Stuff breaks from age, number of cycles, ozone and sun exposure, not just miles.

For someone that does 30k miles a year, 100k will be nothing major.

Miles are a very poor car wear indicator, you can have two cars with 100k on them and they will be worn out differently. Hours of operation meter is far more accurate, but is only used on industrial machines that don't actually move a lot.

 

[garlicbreadman]

my integra has 108k on it and feels very young still. ive driven several integras with 200k+ miles and the body/engine/engine feels as tight as mine...

maybe @ 200k i'll feel its beginning to show age...

 

[tonycarguy]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Miles are a very poor car wear indicator, you can have two cars with 100k on them and they will be worn out differently. Hours of operation meter is far more accurate, but is only used on industrial machines that don't actually move a lot.


Don't some modern cars keep a log of engine hours? You would need a specialized computer to read the data, but it's read through the OBD port

 

[SteveSRT8]

Shows up on the Silverado with a push of a button.

But since you can pile up hours without moving an inch it's a tricky thing to deduce maintenance intervals off of.

 

[Ben99GT]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
130,000 miles or so imo.


Agreed, that's about the time I'd expect things like ball-joints and what not to be on their way out, or least suspect them to be. 130K seems to be the threshold where little wearable items will need attention. Of course every car and truck is different, even two of the exact same make and model.

 

[JDD]

Anything over 150,000

 

[Scienceman]

150,000

 

[VNTS]

150K is nothing if one does the maintenance but if your used car shopping you should see the heaps out there with 50K.

Myslef I would never buy a used car from unknown person with more than 75K and anything over 100K I dont feel is worth some of the ridiculous money people want.

Go used car shopping and peak under the oil filler caps, you will be amazed at how poorly most cars are maintained. People are just too darned lazy or cheap to change fluids.

 

[D189379]

120,000 for something I've owned since new. 60,000 for something used.

 

[rpn453]

186k miles. I know enough people who currently own or have owned good vehicles with over 300k km - including myself - that they don't seem that high-mileage to me until the odometer starts with a "3". Barring a wreck, I'd expect any properly maintained vehicle to still be running well at that point.

 

[nomochevys]

for me its anything over 150K miles. There are a ton of variables. If its a one owner car then I think twice about it. It just depends but if your looking on a car lot I think 150K is high mileage with not knowing the history.

 

[CBR.worm]

I don't like to buy a car with more than about 20k on it. I ride in a lot of worn out cars with 60-70k. My cars with 150k+ look, feel and drive like new. So if it my car, bought new, 200k is when I usually get the itch to replace it. If I am looking at used cars the point is much lower. I also usually don't keep used cars as long.

 

[thrace]

Several years of Honda Acura V6 Auto Trans models break their transmissions well before 100,000 miles. So even if their engines and bodies are good, the used car buyer should take a possible future transmission failure cost into account if they must buy one of these models. This is widely known. Bad for resale value. Probably costs $4000-$5000 at a dealer to rebuild. Check if it has already had a rebuild.

So 70,000 miles could be high mileage and near failure for a Honda Acura auto trans, even when serviced more often than severe service intervals with only Z1.

 

[Tornado Red]

Originally Posted By: Gene K
250,000-400,000 depending on model.

As for buying a used car it depends more on vehicle history than mileage.


I think your numbers are about right. I know I'd be hesitant to buy another TDI with over 300k miles, but since I've owned this one since new I'm pretty confident it will run another 300k-400k miles or more.

 

[1 SX]

I have 215k+ on the buick and would drive it anywhere in the usa right now with out even checking a thing. I have driven in cars with 1/2 the mileage that felt twice a worn. It's a complete sleeper. But to be honest I still think 125k miles on all oem parts and you are doing well.