Scotty, I'm searching for an old used car in the neighborhood of $5500 or so. Everything I see in that range is well over 100,000 miles, closer to 200,000 and up. I'm looking only at Toyota and Honda and perhaps (but probably not) a Ford F150 pickup. I know how to research a vehicle but I would like to know what is the upper limit mileage I should buy in a vehicle. I only drive a few thousand miles per year and it's all local in town driving. I'm a senior citizen and pretty much need a car for errands, appointments and that sort of thing. But, I want one that is going to give me as little trouble and expense as possible. Thank you.
Well Ford F150’s typically need a transmission between 200-250k miles. Also an accurate history of the car can help in your decision. 200k of city stop and go miles is a lot worse than 200k of highway miles. Example most 2000-2005 chevy trucks need a transmission or motor by 200k. I have a friend with a 2000 Silverado, original owner, meticulous on maintenance. He drives 160 miles a day to and from work. He has 440k on his truck. Mechanically its in better shape than some I have seen with 150k. He hit a deer last week busted out the grill. Is selling it to me for 600 and the mileage is only a minor concern because I know him and the history,
At 200k most Toyotas are just getting broken in good. As long as they have been cared for. If you see burnt oil on the dipstick or in oil filler cap chances are oil wasn’t changed regularly. See if AT fluid is clear or dirty. V6 Honda’s have a tendency to need a tranny between 150-200k. The 4 cyl ones usually go farther as long as maintenance has been done.
So are you saying mileage doesn't really matter as much as other things?
I wouldn't necessarily say that, mileage is probably wat helps you decide. It also depends on the cars history, make, model, and year. I have seen many a Toyota vehicle in the 400k range, and they are still working great. That is mostly because the owners take care of them. I would say that you are headed in the right direction by searching for Toyota and Honda. If you were to look for a ford, go with a 2007 Ford F-150. 😉
Why do you say the 2007 Ford F-150? Are those a big truck or relatively small?
Mileage is a factor, but you can have a vehicle with 100k about to die because the oil was never changed. I’m saying if the dipstick and filler cap don’t have burnt oil on them then you have good chance oil was changed regularly. If they have maintenance records for service on oil and transmission even better. If you see alot of miles per year on a carfax report between safety inspections , like 30k a year or more then those miles are likely highway miles. An F150 is a full size truck. Fords tend to lose their transmissions around 200-250k regardless though.
The highest mileage I would go for on a used car would be 120k miles but it also depends on what car it is. The mileage I bought my cars at were :
-July 2017 : 2004 Chevy Malibu with 266k miles (rookie mistake)
-November 2017 : 2013 Hyundai Sonata 20T with 105k miles (bad idea)
-February 2018 : 2013 Nissan Altima with 75k miles
-September 2018 : 2013 Honda Civic with 10k miles
-January 2021 : 2019 Toyota Camry with 38k miles (has 48k miles now lol)
I wouldn't necessarily say that, mileage is probably wat helps you decide. It also depends on the cars history, make, model, and year. I have seen many a Toyota vehicle in the 400k range, and they are still working great. That is mostly because the owners take care of them. I would say that you are headed in the right direction by searching for Toyota and Honda. If you were to look for a ford, go with a 2007 Ford F-150.
commented in the wrong area....
Very accurate - the more miles, the more important it is that the car has been maintained. If you're looking at a car with 200,000 miles, you need to be a lot pickier than if you're looking at a car with 50,000 miles.
i try to stay under 100k, unless it is a really low price, seems to me an automatic approaching 200k is a gamble, i would find an old camry if it was me
I kind of agree with you on that staying under 100k. And the Camry is a wonderful car that is one of two models I'm looking at. But it's sure hard to find one under 100k. I may hang on to my money and add to it until I can find one. I've been without a car for six months and can afford to hang on longer.
The trouble in my case is that my current budget keeps me in high mileage cars. But every so often a car that pretty much meets my needs and is low mileage comes along. The last time that happened, I was ready to jump but my bank account wasn't.
If you want a car with low mileage private party purchase is only way to go. Be patient, check craigslist, Facebook Marketplace. Be careful because people from dealerships pose as private owners. Ask is the title in their name. If it isn’t that’s a trouble sign.
service records and mechanical condition is more important. Just try to stick to the lowest mileage you can for the price point and go on from there.
Honda or Toyota: 200,000 miles.
Most Everything Else: ~100,000 miles.
Luxury Brands: ~50,000 miles in 5 years.
Fiat / Chrysler: 0 miles.
