Used cars over 100, 000 miles, any good?

[Obelix]

It's not a far cry at all. A 100,000 mile engine is a 100,000 mile engine.

 

No it really isn't.

 

There is a world of difference between an engine that has been used for short runs, and one that has spent most of it's life on the motorway. Short run engines dont get the oil warm enough, they suffer from excess start up wear and bore wash, especially on petrols. They generally tend to do a lot more acceleration than cruising which encourages wear.

 

What engine is going to be worse off? A 20,000 mile landrover used around a farm, or one that has done five times that up and down the motorway to sales meetings?

 

Which one is going to have better suspension and steering? Mine which does 90% of its journey on the motorway, and brakes only a few times a day, or some that get used for the school run, stop start, turn, park, etc?

 

---------- Post added 08-12-2015 at 17:25 ----------

 

No we don't give them away. We send most to auction. The better low mileage ones are bought by dealers, who stick them on their forecourts as manufacturer approved used cars. I'm pretty confident that the guys know what they are doing and not much slips through the net.

 

Ah you mean they buy the cars that they know will sell to the gullible public, not the best quality ones... Cui bono....

[the_bloke]

What engine is going to be worse off? A 20,000 mile landrover used around a farm, or one that has done five times that up and down the motorway to sales meetings?

 

Which one is going to have better suspension and steering? Mine which does 90% of its journey on the motorway, and brakes only a few times a day, or some that get used for the school run, stop start, turn, park, etc?

 

Who can tell when they are parked next to each other, buffed and polished on a fourecourt? The average car buyer wouldn't even be able to tell on a test drive, unless they have driven enough examples of that car of different mileages to get a comparison with regards to how it feels and sounds when driven.

 

IME cars with huge miles that are under three years old are all ex fleet, lease, hire and company cars, none of which are famed for being driven by sympathetic owners.

 

Yes, a three year old car with big miles may only be motorway miles, but it could have been driven by 'Mad Dave' the photocopier salesman who drives everywhere as fast as possible, has had two new bumpers, a new gearbox and spends two weeks of six quietly getting corroded in airport car parks in all weathers. The average car buyer simply can't tell, any more than you can tell a low mileage car of 6 years old with FSH hasn't been driven by a pensioner who rides the clutch whilst his grandkids vomit in the back seat.

[martin6]

A lot of rental cars end up at car supermarkets advertised as having only one owner. Technically accurate but if you don't ask the question they certainly keep it quiet. Not to put anyone off, I bought one and its still in excellent condition 4 years on

[foxy lady]

No it really isn't.

 

There is a world of difference between an engine that has been used for short runs, and one that has spent most of it's life on the motorway. Short run engines dont get the oil warm enough, they suffer from excess start up wear and bore wash, especially on petrols. They generally tend to do a lot more acceleration than cruising which encourages wear.

 

What engine is going to be worse off? A 20,000 mile landrover used around a farm, or one that has done five times that up and down the motorway to sales meetings?

 

Which one is going to have better suspension and steering? Mine which does 90% of its journey on the motorway, and brakes only a few times a day, or some that get used for the school run, stop start, turn, park, etc?

 

Well I know what you think. I suppose you also think the folk who compile Glass's Guide haven't got a clue.

 

---------- Post added 08-12-2015 at 20:26 ----------

 

 

So (genuine question) can ordinary folk buy the 'decent' cars off you (or companies like yours) or is there some kind of 'trade marketplace' where the independent car dealers all go to get their stock.

 

It's just I've always wondered where the used car dealer gets their stuff from (as I imagine they must get through a fair bit of stock)

 

Well the answer to your first question is no. I'll PM you with the answer to the 2nd.

[Obelix]

Well I know what you think. I suppose you also think the folk who compile Glass's Guide haven't got a clue.

 

---------- Post added 08-12-2015 at 20:26 ----------

 

 

Well the answer to your first question is no. I'll PM you with the answer to the 2nd.

 

Ah youve experience in tribology as well? Excellent.

 

Glasses Guide isnt about mechanical condition though - despite what you obviously think. It's about what a vehicle is worth and that takes into account peoples perception and that doesnt correlate to condition at all wehn they assume that high miles equals bad, as you yourself so clearly demonstrate.

 

Buy a 10 year old 50k shopping trolley, and it'll be highly priced in glass guide because people *think* it's in good nick.

 

It's not. It's a dogbox. It's got a crapped out engine and suffers from short run syndrome.

 

Buy a six year old 150k miler, and it'll be simialr priced. The engine will be in much better condition.

 

That s the difference.

[*_ash_*]

This is such a long debate now!

 

It's not surprising because the OP is quite vague with the question...

 

Is a car with over 100,000 miles for around 1000+ worth getting, are you just taking on other peoples problems, does how many owners it has had, have any bearing on the above, etc?

 

-

 

In short, I would look at make / model and ring your mechanic (my mechanic is Mick Parkin on Neepsend). He checked out a car for me a few months ago which had 202k miles on it. We drove it for a bit, had a look around, and worked it out from there. And I bought it.

 

Things I would look for in a high mileage car:

 

Is it French? (if yes, then no!) (my last 2 cars were French as it happens, but they were cheap runabouts and they were Diesels, so I took a chance. I had problems with the electrics on both though and the bodies just fall apart))

Has it got a 1900/2000cc German Diesel engine (if yes, go see it)

The like foxy and Obelix have been arguing about... in other words, look for how has it got that mileage.

Edited December 8, 2015 by *_ash_*

[truman]

No we don't give them away. We send most to auction. The better low mileage ones are bought by dealers, who stick them on their forecourts as manufacturer approved used cars. I'm pretty confident that the guys know what they are doing and not much slips through the net.

Folk often buy the nails at auction and stick them on street corners or in laybys with a mobile phone number on the screen. They get quite a lot of coverage on Watchdog.

The advantage of a high mileage newer car is the bragging rights it brings when you park it outside for the neighbours to see. Those bragging rights evaporate pretty quickly when the AA arrive to tow it away.

 

To be honest I've run the last 4 company cars I've had to over 130k miles each (all 3 years old when they were handed back).never had any issues with them,never broken down on me..all serviced as and when they should have been..apart from the numbers on the odometer they looked and drove as they did when I first got them... I would have quite happily bought them from the lease company and used them myself except we don't get the option to do that..

[foxy lady]

To be honest I've run the last 4 company cars I've had to over 130k miles each (all 3 years old when they were handed back).never had any issues with them,never broken down on me..all serviced as and when they should have been..apart from the numbers on the odometer they looked and drove as they did when I first got them... I would have quite happily bought them from the lease company and used them myself except we don't get the option to do that..

 

I hear such anecdotes. There is a very good reason why we get rid of these types of vehicles. It is because we don't know who has been driving them, and no reputable dealer will put his name to selling them with a warranty. We have probably sold 15000 used cars over the years and I hope we know what we are doing.

Not every driver looks after his car. Not all cars are equal. But one thing you can rey on is as the mileage builds up so do the problems. If you buy a used car with 100,000 miles on the clock there is a very big chance that you will end up with a massive bill within 12 months. I have a young daughter and I wouldn't risk transporting her around this winter in an unknown used car that had been bought with that sort of mileage on it. That's not quite the same as running a car from new until it reaches that sort of mileage.

[alchresearch]

But, yours is also an anecdote. We can fill this thread with 'em all day....

 

My OH's three year old Nissan has 100,000 miles on it (hers from new). So does my 2002 Peugeot 307 diesel (bought two years ago with 70,000 on the clock with FSH). And its my car which drives and sounds better (her engine sounds like its on its last legs).

[foxy lady]

But, yours is also an anecdote. We can fill this thread with 'em all day....

 

My OH's three year old Nissan has 100,000 miles on it (hers from new). So does my 2002 Peugeot 307 diesel (bought two years ago with 70,000 on the clock with FSH). And its my car which drives and sounds better (her engine sounds like its on its last legs).

 

Like you said. A car with 100,000 miles that sounds like it is on lits last legs. That's because it probably is.