What Is Good Mileage For A Used Car? Your Comprehensive Guide

If you're in the market for a used car, there are many factors to consider. This is why so many people struggle when deciding to buy new or used. A pre-owned car could have a lot of issues, and not all of them will be easy to spot. However, unless you are dealing with a charlatan, a vehicle's mileage should be disclosed and easily verifiable. But how many miles are good for a used car? Is 12,000 miles too many? Or, what about 60,000 miles? This guide is here to help you determine how many miles a used car should have to be considered a good deal for the price.

Naturally, vehicles with high mileage may be more prone to problems than those with lower mileage, and maintenance and upkeep costs increase over time. The last thing you want is to purchase a car with high mileage that has a run-down engine and a shoddy suspension. But if you are after something truly cheap, you might not find a car with low mileage and a price you like. That's not to say that you can't find a used car with reasonable mileage and which is in good condition. If it had one previous owner, or two, and they followed a proper maintenance schedule, it could still be an excellent deal, even if it is long past the manufacturer's warranty period.

So, then what is good mileage for a used car? Well, the average person drives around 12,000 miles per year, so you could simply multiply that figure by the age of the car. Thus, 5 years of driving should be around 60,000 miles, and this is where most people will be trading in for a new car. A longer period of ownership of 10 years should therefore exceed 100,000 miles. But, if you check the odometer, and the reading is much higher than this calculation, you know the car was driven hard and will likely be a little worse for wear. The best mileage to buy a used car will be at or under the average miles per year gradient. Naturally, buying a car with high mileage carries some risks, and although there are always exceptions to the rule, high-mileage cars should be very carefully considered before purchase.

Cars for sale with high mileage could potentially have more issues than those without. In any case, you should consult a car buying guide before you make a final decision. This will help you know what to look out for to make sure you don't end up with a real lemon. Here is a quick checklist of things to look at when perusing used cars for sale:

• What is good mileage for a used car? As we've already stated, you should be looking at around 12,000 miles or less per year of ownership. This isn't a science, of course, as it could be possible that more miles were done in one year and less in another. This could mean that a year of particularly hard driving may have had a greater impact on the car's components. And, cars with lower mileage but less attention given to preventative maintenance could be worse off than higher-mileage cars that have been meticulously maintained.
• What is the vehicle history like? The person you are buying from may not be the original owner. In this case, you need to get a proper understanding of where the car comes from. It might be a salvaged vehicle or have been in a serious accident. These are things you need to know about. A lack of such a history is one of the warning signs to look out for. Additionally, make sure to check whether there were any recalls issued and whether the work was done on it.
• Is there a comprehensive service history? Regular servicing is important, especially on a car with relatively bad gas mileage. Heavy wear and tear can be significantly lessened in a car that is properly taken care of, and even used cars with more gas mileage than we consider to be good could be great value if the owner serviced them often.

No matter how well a car is maintained or how carefully it is driven, things break. Wear and tear are not things that can be avoided, only managed. So what do the miles mean on a car in the long run? Well, eventually, parts will need to be replaced. Having a proper history of this is also important when reviewing a used car for purchase, as it will let you know how soon extra expenses will come up in your period of ownership. As a general rule of thumb, these are the components that most often need replacing and how many miles each is good for:

• Tires - replace every 20,000 miles
• Brake pads - replace every 20,000 miles
• Brake discs - replace every 40,000 miles
• Timing belt - usually replaced every 70,000 miles, though may vary according to manufacturer
• Clutch and flywheel - replace every 100,000 miles.

The exact cost of each will depend on the make and model of the car, so buying something like a used BMW 3 Series could end up costing you a lot more if many of these components are on the brink of failure.