Don't forget to use a code reader on any vehicle before you buy it.
What’s your mileage limit for buying a used car?
- Thread starter Elkins45
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I prefer 20K to 40K miles but would consider up to 55K miles. 5 to 20 yrs old.
These are my last 4 used cars going back to 2001.
1997 Lincoln Continental - 29,000 1 owner miles.....$5,000 bought in 2001
2002 Lincoln Continental - 22,000 1 owner miles.....$9,000 bought in 2009.
1999 Chevy Camaro SS - 12,000 1 owner miles......$12,000 bought in 2012.
2001 Lincoln Continental - 39,500 2 owner miles.....$3,500 bought in 2018.
These are my last 4 used cars going back to 2001.
1997 Lincoln Continental - 29,000 1 owner miles.....$5,000 bought in 2001
2002 Lincoln Continental - 22,000 1 owner miles.....$9,000 bought in 2009.
1999 Chevy Camaro SS - 12,000 1 owner miles......$12,000 bought in 2012.
2001 Lincoln Continental - 39,500 2 owner miles.....$3,500 bought in 2018.
For me, it's not really the miles but rather the amount of rust underneath, body condition, and of course, the right price. Engine swap is easier vs rust repair on the chassis and body.
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- Dec 28, 2014
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I’m pretty it’s just a Toyota Matrix through and through.
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It’s a tough question, but if it’s going to be a daily driver/commuter, I would not buy something with over 75,000 miles on it simply because I drive 25,000 miles a year. I four years I’ll be at 175,000 and heading into the 200,000 mile range. I might consider an extremely reliable Toyota with 100,000, but for other brands it would have to be 75,000, but preferably 30,000.
For something I’m only going to put 5,000 miles a year on as a backup vehicle??? 150,000 would be my max.
For something I’m only going to put 5,000 miles a year on as a backup vehicle??? 150,000 would be my max.
I know for certain some of the climate control stuff came from GM, not Toyota. Toyota used a cable actuated temperature blend door and GM used an electrical one. I know this because I test drove a Vibe a couple of years ago and it was clicking like mad until the sales guy pulled out the glove box and then reached in and snapped it completely off LOL. Needless to say I didn't buy that one.
The exterior panels on the earlier models were different as well. A lot of the Vibes had plastic cladding and none of the Matrices did.
And back when they sold Novas and Prizms you'd get a Delco alternator, radio, and battery as well.
this rules works less wells the further south you go (>90 deg days)...
think twice about buying a vehicle with 4 tinted out windows and/or aftermarket rims...especially with engines popular with the boosting crowd, lol
think twice about buying a vehicle with 4 tinted out windows and/or aftermarket rims...especially with engines popular with the boosting crowd, lol
I'm never buying a vehicle with an aftermarket radio again unless the seller is willing to pop it out of the dash and show me the factory connectors are still intact. This is what I found when I went to replace the defective radio in my 09 Scion:
That’s worse than my cobalt!
But the cobalt has no sound from the speakers so there’s that… the factory harness is still intact thankfully, they got one of those adapter harnesses.
50k miles give or take a handful is my limit. Unless it’s a work beater then who cares.
125k miles
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No limit, generally speaking. Purchased a 10 y.o. LS430 with 81k. Been driving it 8.5 years and put about 70k on it (did not drive at all 2020). Planning on putting another 400k on it. It depends on the car. A Traverse/Acadia/Enclave, 25k miles is too much (unless it's selling for $300-$600).
I had a Pontiac vibe with 140ish thousand miles on it. I think there was a leak somewhere in the heater core as the inside windshield was getting a fog on it. I Also think it was needing ball joints. Other than that super reliable no oil consumption, and a fun little car till a 17 year old kid hit the front totalling it.
155k with history of owner or CarFax showing regular servicing. I did do 159k because recent 2013 RDX was cheap ($4500)
I'd say it depends what you buy it for and how you buy it.
If it's a beater you pay cash for, the condition and maintenance history matter much more than miles. Case in point: bought a '97 VW Jetta TDI with 295K miles on the clock and had a CEL illuminated, for $2500. Replaced the little vacuum hose inside the ECU, cleared the CEL, and drove that little diesel for another 30K miles over 4 years.
If it's a replacement or 2nd car you intend to daily and you need a loan for it, then miles and year are definitely the limiting factors that the bank will hold you to. In that case, I'd go for 3 yrs or under and 50K miles or less. Case in point: bought the GLK250 in my sig in 2017 fresh off lease with 48K on the clock. We've been coast to coast with it over the past 8+ yrs and put on nearly 100K more miles.
If it's a beater you pay cash for, the condition and maintenance history matter much more than miles. Case in point: bought a '97 VW Jetta TDI with 295K miles on the clock and had a CEL illuminated, for $2500. Replaced the little vacuum hose inside the ECU, cleared the CEL, and drove that little diesel for another 30K miles over 4 years.
If it's a replacement or 2nd car you intend to daily and you need a loan for it, then miles and year are definitely the limiting factors that the bank will hold you to. In that case, I'd go for 3 yrs or under and 50K miles or less. Case in point: bought the GLK250 in my sig in 2017 fresh off lease with 48K on the clock. We've been coast to coast with it over the past 8+ yrs and put on nearly 100K more miles.
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