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My son is planning on buying a Skoda petrol estate 2018 with 111000 miles up. I belong to the generation where 80000 was about all you could expect from a car. I appreciate things have changed in the last 50 years, my own ten year old car has 90000 miles but this seems a huge mileage to spend a lot of money on. What does the STW hive mind think?
Go on condition. Probably spent its life on motorways.
What's the price? Has it been regularly serviced? It must have done a lot of motorway driving to rack up those miles. That's much easier on mechanicals than lots of short city trips from a cold start.
Yes, if it had the right service history. I've just got one on 100k feels brand new compared to the one it replaced at 180k,
Check MOT history online to see what it's been doing since it's first MOT in terms of miles and if there's any advisories, it's all about price for this, for that age, i'd not look over 100k miles, yes engines are more reliable these days, but you still hit that right hand side of the bathtub curve around 130-150k miles, so not that far off.
Motorway miles might be more gentle overall, but it's still been in constant use for 5 years by the sounds of it, so a good look over is required to check for the usual, especially for rust around the usual places.
That's an average of 22k miles a year so unlikely to have clocked them up on multiple short trips; as fossy posted - likely ti have spent it's life on motorways.
Does it have a full service history and have you or your son checked it?
Log on to Know Your Car and check the mot history using it's registration.
How many previous owners?
Private seller or dealer? Your son may have sone redress if an undisclosed fault shows up.
What's the asking price and how does that compare with others of comparable spec and mileage? Autotrader would be useful for this?
If all the above check out and your son is happy with condition I can't see why not.
111'000 is nothing for a modern car these days
My old 1993 BMW 318 IS coupe was on 245'000 when i finally scrapped it, never had to spend much on it and only scrapped it as was side swiped by a hit and run driver and it was better to strip it and sell the parts rather than claim on my insurance as it was worth only £500
Bought my van with 160'000 miles on the clock, they can be good for 300'000+ miles
Buy on condition and check the service history and MOT history carefully, use the online mot checker to see previous years advisories and see if they are fixed every year or left until they finally fail, this gives a very good indication of how the car has been treated throught out its life by its owners
As a few have commented on here, I firmly believe 150k is the limit for cars built in the last 10 years. I do big motorway miles and have sold vehicles on at about 130k, always well looked after but just in time it seems. If your son is not going to do big miles, and is only keeping it for 3-4 yrs I don't see a problem, anything beyond that I would see as a risk.
Best car I ever owned in terms of reliability and running costs was a 255,000 mile Passat. I ran it for 2 years and another 60,000 miles . Apart from oil and filters , a few tyres all it needed was a new brake caliper.
Sold it for what I paid for it too. Even with 3120000 on the clock there was still alot of interest.
I am on 140k+ for a 2015 diesel bought from new. Still drives well, had one expensive repair 10k ago with air suspension struts needing replacement but other than that it has passed every MOT and going strong. I am planning on seeing how many miles I can get out of it, no intention of moving it on just due to mileage.
Condition, servicing history, how's it feel to drive? Maintained ok, tyres ok, suspension etc.
It would need to be priced to reflect that mileage as well
Depends on a few things.
Engine. Big lazy unstressed old school lump then yes.
Modern 'eco' small capacity three cylinder turbocharged high output engine then no chance.
Gearbox. Manual? Old school auto? DSG?
I'd have to Google the idiosyncrasies of each box and decide.
Galvanized. Not an issue on a 2018 car but I always buy cars with an eye on their corrosion protection hence Volvo and Peugeot.
Case in point I own;
2004 Volvo V70 2.4 petrol - 205k miles
2010 Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 - 215k miles
2004 Peugeot partner 2.0hdi - 108miles.
I haven't bought a car on such low mileage in years. Current daily estate is on 144k and I have other cars up to 190k.
I'd want something that had regular oil changes, I think the manufacturers recommendations are too infrequent these days. Every 12k or so on average is good enough, every 20k is not.
Having said that I'm not sure I'd by a VAG car for the money they tend to fetch nowadays, the quality isn't what it once was.
Many petrolSkodas need a cambelt change at 5 years 0r 50'000 miles. I have a 2018 Superb Estate which had the painful cambelt bill this year. On the other hand I plan to keep it another 5 years. Spark plugs and brake fluid done this year as well. So next year just an oil and filter.
If it hasn't been done it is well overdue so factor £500-£700 into the price. Some models were chain driven rather than belts. Though some chains were problematic.
Used car prices are crashing at the moment. CAP reporting 4.2% drop last month, largest fall in 12 years with similar drops forecast for Nov/Dec. I’m also in the market for a car but I’m holding off as the collapse in trade prices hasn’t filtered through to retail pricing yet, so I wouldn’t be rushing to pay too money for a used car. Having said that the lower end of the market is strong due to people not being able to afford the fancier cars they once enjoyed with the higher finance rates, heating and mortgage rates we now have to pay.
In the last 20
years the lowest mileage car I've bought is 86k, I try to take every car to 250k. Current car is 277k and sweet as a nut. 1.9, 2.5, 2.0 VAG TDIs. Oil changed @ 10k whether it needed it or not.
I'd much rather have something 110k + than something low mileage where most journeys have been a mile to the shops.
Go off condition, service history and whether it looks/feels like a looked after car.
Mine ticked over 120,000 this week.
I once bought a Freelander with 210,000 on the clock!
Used car prices are crashing at the moment. CAP reporting 4.2% drop last month, largest fall in 12 years with similar drops forecast for Nov/Dec.
Interesting...
I put 200k on a 406 estate, it just refused to die so I kept it going. Real secret is regular maintenance from someone who knows what to look for, I d buy a 100k car, if there's decent matching tyres it's probably been well cared for.
Yea, my last but one car was a C-Max and was scrapped at 150,000 with nothing wrong with it other than being written off in an accident, it really did drive like new still and had never even given a hint of being unreliable (apart from a warrenty claim for a power steering hose at 35k).
The Berlingo made it to 155k before the 20year old clutch pedal cracked and being French it was an impossible part to fix on a UK car as the engine was in the way.
OH's fiesta is on 165k / 20 years and like the C-Max still feels great, most of its niggles are interior trim related (mirror adjusters have fallen off, middle seat belt jammed, cigaret burns, etc).
I’d want something that had regular oil changes, I think the manufacturers recommendations are too infrequent these days. Every 12k or so on average is good enough, every 20k is not.
Depends really, I replace the Fiestas oil more regularly as it's always burnt oil so I'm also worried about combustion products going the other way. OTOH the Focus never burnt a drop.
Synthetic oils don't age like mineral oil used to. So as long as it's not having a hard life, or an engine that burns oil then I wouldn't loose sleep if the manufacturer spec'd long intervals.
Unless it was the Ford wet-belt & turbo combo.
My Ibiza estate 1.4 16v is on 118000 and I am expecting at least another 2-3 years out of it.
All the cars I've sold over last 25 years have reached mid 100k-170k, most I sold on and a couple were scrapped.
Skoda Fabia petrol 1.2. heading for 200k this week all being well. Much of that being M9.
I prefer high mileage cars. Our last one got to about 220,000. Flywheel started to go and my wife wanted to upgrade. A new to us 3 year old car cost about £12k...that would probably have kept our old one in parts for another 100k!
The only thing stopping me from fixing it was it was 12yrs old and newer equals safer.
Dont pay daft money for it and factor in things like clutch, cam belts, whatever the replacement items are on that model and get lashed in
My son’s car is on 145k miles. My partner’s car is on 122k miles. Just ensure it’s been serviced and looked after.
You’re worried about a 5 year old car? Must be nice to be that rich 😂
As long as it has a decent service history, is in generally good condition and has signs of being looked after (decent tyres, clean etc) then I wouldn't have much issue buying a high miler. The price would have to reflect the mileage though but I definitely wouldn't rule it out.
I belong to the generation where 80000 was about all you could expect from a car. I appreciate things have changed in the last 50 years, my own ten year old car has 90000 miles but this seems a huge mileage to spend a lot of money on.
Any car built in the last 15 years or so will easily clock up 150-200k with routine maintenance. It's more a big bill or rust that kills cars now, the mechanicals go on for ever.
Skoda Fabia petrol 1.2. heading for 200k this week all being well.
Just ticked over 190k on mine, drivetrain is as smooth as it was when new. Every year the MOT place I use comment I could give it a haircut of 100k and they'd never know! Needs new brakes, front shocks and top mounts currently but that's just wear and tear. When it gets to 200k it's getting a proper full detailing by an ex-colleague and he reckons it'll look as good as new inside and out, the only signs of wear are the pedals and the steering wheel (which is known to be poor on my trim level but even that is miles better than others I've seen).
Bloke I work with has a Saab. One of the more modern ones, but still bloody old. It’s a diesel.
bought it with mega miles and he put another 100k on it.
but here is the best bit…. Since owning it, he has never, and I repeat, never, changed the oil in it.
pretty foolish obviously, but what a feat of engineering by Saab!
A clapped out Clio or Fiesta with owners and an MOT advisory list as long as your arm? No way.
An private sale E-Class/ Volvo/Toyota land cruiser? Wouldnt hesitate. Not even fully worn in yet.
Imagine how many other people's farts have been pushed into the driver's seat in 111000 miles?
I usually buy cars with just over 100k
seems to be a threshold where the value drops a lot . Run them for 3-4 yrs up to 140-150k and then just hope for the best.
it’s worked ok up til now. Cheap motoring with nice motors.
Log on to Know Your Car and check the mot history using it’s registration.
Or alternatively just use the DVLA service without signing up for anything:
https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
As a few have commented on here, I firmly believe 150k is the limit for cars built in the last 10 years.
Have they gotten less reliable? My Mondeo is past 170k and is 15 1/2 years old, just about to go through it's MOT.
Age kills cars not miles.
I'd take 110k on a 2018 car over 90k on a 2008 car.
Saab don't make their own diesel engine.
It will be either a Bosch fiat Alfa 1.9 , doubtful as they are not the best in terms of reliability
Or a 2.2tid lump , which is iirc an Isuzu engine. much more simplistic and will probably run on old oil for thousands of miles
Our diesel Octavia is on 140,000 miles. Biggest bill was a new DMF and a clutch whilst it was there.
Is due a cambelt change soon so need to get that booked in.
Other than than just normal consumables, oh and new front shocks at 130,000 as the standard VAG ones had started leaking.
But yeah the cost and condition should factor into buying a 100,000 + mile car.
I bought my transporter (caravelle) at 3 years old with 165,000 miles on it. The dates on the service book are mental - it once got 2 services in the same month!
It was easily £10,000 cheaper than if it had 50 or 60k on it purely because (as can be seen in a few posts above) loads of people have very strongly held opinions based on nothing at all!
My view at the time was even if it shat its engine and gearbox out the next day, the £10k saving would easily cover a replacement engine and box.
Fast forward 9 years, I’ve almost doubled that mileage and other than routine maintenance and servicing it’s never needed a high milage related repair. It did however suffer seized brake caliper due to lack of use during Covid years a couple of times - go figure.
So long as it’s not been a taxi or a police car, I’d take a high milage vehicle with a good reason for its milage over a low milage school run car any day of the week
I would buy a car on 111000 miles, I would not pay a lot of money for it. 2018 Skoda is going to be looking for silly money I would guess
Oh yeah I forgot to say - I bought my 1 family owned (father then daughter),FSH, undamaged XC90 with MOT for £500 because of the 210k mileage🤷♂️
My van I got few months back ( because of ulez Grrr) is 2018 with 150000 on the clock.....30000 more than the van it replaced....touch wood its seems great. I like to think things last longer these days
When I bought my Octavia it had 82,000 on the clock, and fifteen years later I gave it away with nearly 190,000 on it. It had never been serviced!
It had whatever needed doing to go through the MoT, mostly consumables like brakes and pads, a couple of door locks had to be replaced after they failed - apparently an issue with Octavias - tyres, etc. Oh, and the turbo was failing which is why I finally got rid of it. I thought it was a great car, it never let me down except once when the battery failed on holiday and I had to get the AA out who replaced the battery. It was the original 13 yo battery… 😁
Imagine how many other people’s farts have been pushed into the driver’s seat in 111000 miles?
That's why cars with one lady owner sell for a premium.
Imagine how many other people’s farts have been pushed into the driver’s seat in 111000 miles?<br /><br />
The same (and worse) holds true for every hotel room you’ve ever slept in.
Similar to CountZero, we bought a Mondeo with 140K on the clock for £2,000. Gave us 40K miles and 4 years only costing consumables and standard servicing. A few things went wrong at once and webuyanycar bought it for £930.
Happy enough with that.
Mileage wears out mechanical components that are for the most part easily replaceable i.e. driveshafts, wheel bearings, brake pads etc. Age wears out other things that are tricker to fix and arguably not worth it, but contribute to the 'niceness' and 'newness' feeling i.e. suspension bushes, interior trim and so on.
So yeah, go for it assuming it's cheap. I'd rather have a 110k 5 year old car than an 80k ten year old car.