How Many Miles Are the Right Amount on a Used Car?

When shopping for a used car, one of the first filter options you’re confronted with is mileage. Assuming you’ve determined the model you want and settled on an acceptable range of model years, now you have to decide what multiple of 10,000 miles you’re comfortable taking on. Like many parts of the car-buying process, the answer isn’t always obvious or easy to arrive at.

What Kind of Life Has It Led?

The wear and tear on a car isn’t solely measured in mileage, but that number can be a good indicator, especially for the status of things like the engine and transmission, which are expensive parts to repair or replace. Consider the odometer reading alongside the physical condition of the vehicle.

A car with 100,000 miles on the clock could look pristine, while one that has traveled just 30K could be a complete mess inside and out. How the vehicle was used is a major factor, so even if something matches your search filter in terms of mileage, it might not be the car for you.

The number of miles on a particular car should also be considered in the context of the general reliability of that model. Some cars are better than others at lasting; they may have less tendency to rust, a near-bulletproof powertrain, or seat foam that never breaks down. It’s worth doing a little research to see what kind of mileage the model tends to reach as well as what the mechanical pain points are and when they usually pop up. If a car tends to have issues with its differential at 90K and the one you’re looking at has already had the necessary maintenance done, cross that potential problem off your list.

How Much Life Is Left in It?

Consider the remaining life along with how much life you want to get out of the vehicle. That reliability check will give you an idea of how much longer the car should last. Before moving forward, be sure that the expected remaining usage is worth the asking price.

If you tend to run your vehicles into the ground and one you’re considering is most of the way there already, that could mean having to purchase a new car sooner than you’d like. The opposite is true; say you only need a truck or van for occasional use while you’re doing some home renovations—if this won’t be your primary transportation and you just need it to reliably start up and do some light work, a high-mileage senior-citizen vehicle may be a good fit.

What Are You Comfortable With?

When you’re trying to figure out what mileage number is right for your used-car search, one common recommendation is to calculate how many miles the average vehicle would have traveled at a given age. According to the Federal Highway Administration, Americans drive an average of 14,000 miles per year (although that's not necessarily all in the same vehicle). If you prioritize a car with below-average mileage, assume a rate of 1000 miles per month or 12,000 per year, then multiply that by the age of the car in years. Expected mileage on a three-year-old car, for example, would be about 36,000 miles. A number well north of that signals the vehicle and its parts may exhibit premature wear.

Everyone is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all mileage recommendation for used-car shoppers. If having the peace of mind of a low-mileage car is worth something to you, by all means prioritize that number in your search. In the long run, it’s not worth having to worry about your car all the time if spending a little more money—as long as you can afford it—will calm the anxious part of your brain. Emotions have value, too.

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