[JohnR]

What mileage would you not purchase a used car past? Let's assume it had to continue to be reliable - e.g. start after sitting for a couple of weeks - for a few more years.

[sonicboom]

Hard to tell, could be 100k or 150k miles depending on past abuse.  I would look to get a car with a good "fleet" reliability record.  Here in the US there's a publication called Consumer Reports that keeps track of reliability stats for just about all car models. If something similar exists in Australia I would look there first.  In any case I would most likely look into buying Japanese -- Honda, Toyota etc.

[JakeJ]

American made; >100K
Asian made; >150K
Euro made; >150K

These numbers are based on the vehicle's history.  Poorly kept or no service records available, high number of owners (more than 5 in a ten year period) and typically I'll walk away.  Well kept car and records to prove it plus one or two previous owners are as important as the mileage in my car buying criteria.

This comes from experience as the two vehicles I bought off of independent small used car lots turned out to be the biggest problem cars I've ever owned.  The used cars I have purchased from large brand sponsored dealerships were good experiences.  Most of the private party purchases have been good with the exception of one particular car but it was a '70s Fiat so that may not count.    My one new car purchase turned out sour but not due to the vehicle (a Mazda B2300 pickup) it was the dealership and the sales manager who padded the crap out of the contract and I would have paid $60K for a $12K truck if I hadn't sold it to get out from under it.

For now I'll hold reservations on my latest auto acquisition as I've only had it for a couple of months so some time needs to pass and some miles/kilometers need to be driven for an informed opinion can be stated.  Having just barely gotten the last part of the suspension corrected and dialed in I can say it is a fun drive.  I can imagine the Mini is a blast to drive too.

[cujobob]

It depends on the particular situation and how much you're spending.  I have a friend with a 99 Accord with 145K miles and I'd bet it'll be dependable right up until 200K with regular maintenance.  I have another friend whose family owns 6 early-to-mid 90s Camrys/Corollas, some with 220K miles and still drive well.  I think for an older 90s car, definitely Honda/Toyota.  For one 2001+ plus...it will depend on which car IMHO.  American car quality has come a long way and how well the particular car was maintained makes a HUGE difference....plus highway/city miles.

In short, 100K is the max I'd go for most american vehicles if dependability is your main focus, for Honda/Toyota, 130K+ likely are still just as dependable.

I'm actually in the process of buying a used car right now and debating over how much to spend vs. how many miles I want on the car.

[Niteshade]

I'm driving a 95% rebuilt truck with nearly 300K on the chassis & some moving components. I didn't rebuild it- the previous owner did. It's a 1990 Chevy K1500. The engine, tranny, bearings have about 55K on them, steering linkages, etc..  3K miles. It has been VERY reliable for the past year. I paid $3K for it total, including the repairs I had made to it upon receipt of the truck. Hasn't required anything since- it's been an excellent vehicle. Has very little rust on it. The frame is 100% solid as well.

That was my second vehicle that was purchased after being rebuilt. The first is a 1988 K3500 used for heavy hauling (coal, etc..) and various other things. $2800.00 and haven't put a dime into it!

My mechanic who also sells used cars said: Don't get a car more than 3 years old. The resale value drops dramatically after the first couple of years and you can get a real bargain. He stated there usually isn't much wear after just a couple of years. Naturally, it's a good idea to look for telltale signs of abuse & neglect, as with any used vehicle.

[JohnR]

I have a friend with a 99 Accord with 145K miles and I'd bet it'll be dependable right up until 200K with regular maintenance.

That's helpful, as the car in question is a 2002 Accord. It's a bit of an emergency purchase, and it turns out a neighbour is selling a car... I've just become wary of used cars as we've both in the last couple of years had a car basically just cark it at 12 years old.

[Letitroll98]

The marks in the used car business are 60k and 100k.  After 60k the car drops off the 1st line.  After 100k it drops to the back of the lot.  Any car after 100k is a crap shoot.  Yes, there are many examples of Hondas or Chevys or Mercedes or whatever that your uncle drove for 500,000 miles, but in used cars you're betting on odds.  The odds go way down after 100k.

The second rule is condition trumps all other factors.  Repair and service history also play a major role if they are available, not always the case in higher mileage used cars.  You can mitigate this by playing the odds with buying only from a private party.  Go to their home to look at the car, if it's neat and well kept, likely their vehicles were also maintained in similar fashion.  Looks like this is the case for you John.

[cujobob]

Niteshade, I assume you mean DO get a car more than 3 years old.  That's very true...a car made in the last 3 years is going to sell for a lot more.  It used to be, as soon as it's driven off the lot it dropped almost 1/3 in price.  Not so much nowadays thanks to the more competitive American offerings.

John, a 2002 Accord is a great vehicle.  It'd come down to condition, maintenance, miles, and price as to whether it's worthwhile.  Hondas keep their resale value really well and sometimes you pay more for an older car than you would going with another offering that's newer.  Another friend recently got a 2006 Chevy Malibu with 30K miles for $2,500 off his girlfriend's grandfather... a steal one would think..only it's had 3-4 nagging issues since the purchase.  That's definitely not the norm, but I'm debating where the sweet spot is price-wise for a used car for myself right now.

[sts9fan]

Diesels are different also.  I don't think they are broken in for 100k

[jtwrace]

Diesels are different also.  I don't think they are broken in for 100k

Oh they must be like cables.   

[JohnR]

This is not a diesel, it's a petrol motor - ? Not for me, SO needs to put a bunch of highway and country miles on it for work 3-4 days a week, and the rest of the time it gets to sit in the blazing Queensland sun and be expected to just start and run on demand next time around... which makes me think more and more that a used car does make more sense than a new one regardless.

I think it's got (translating...) about 90k miles on it. Cars just don't seem to last like they used to.

[bacobits1]

If you can have a reputable mechanic look it over.
Consider the climate it was in.
100K miles needs to have timing belt replaced sometimes less at 70K miles. ($4-$700 replacement at a dealer) New Honda's are back to timing chains.
Air conditioning system check.

Certain car models and years are known for things going bad and need to be replaced. For example, my 12 year old Acura needed a hood latch replaced from rust ($150). That should not have happened, but Being in Boston at the time was understandable, back to the climate consideration. Lots of salt used there during the winter months.
Also my break lines rusted causing a leak ($400 fix).
In 152K miles and all that salt, never replaced the exhaust system or muffler, it was all stainless. Stainless will also rust.
The last thing that went was the AC, finally got rid of it.

And last would be the maintenance record and total miles on it. Honda's are great cars as long as they are maintained. I  have 2 new ones now.

D

[roscoeiii]

I have had 2 Accords and loved the both of them. One was a 1990, which had 150,000 until I got in an accident that totaled it. Now I have a 1997 wagon, with 150,000. Spent some $$$ last week to get repairs done but the mechanic was praising this car up and down, saying it should be good for another 12-15 years! Both of the Accords I have had stood out for how well their engines ran even with high miles. One engine was VTEC, the other wasn't. My mechanic did single out praise for the VTEC engine.

So right now, instead of thinking about changing cars, I just need to decide whether to get those windows tinted or not. (It would really up the cool factor of my Accord, especially since it is a wagon).

[Neil G]

Definitely pay to have a mechanic check it out thoroughly.  But, I imagine on a used Accord, if properly maintained, you should be absolutely fine.  I had purchased a Subaru Outback with 166,000 kilometres after my mechanics checked it out and have 235,000 km on it now and it has been absolutely trouble free.  Other than regular maintenance, it really hasn't cost me anything.  Totally reliable.  Take that in comparision to my father who has a 2007 Chev Impala with 70,000 km and has had to have it towed three times already.

[mcgsxr]

I have had 5 Accords, my current one is a 97 with 110K miles on it (180K KM). 

I owned a 2002 for a year, then my wife decided she wanted a Van...

The 2002 was the final year of that body style (yes I owned a 2003 too!), and was a good buy.  Is it a V6 or I4 motor?  Does it have a manual or auto trans?

There is a site called Toronto Accord Club I belong to, tons of data there, and plenty of friendly folks.

[richidoo]

Honda 

190k on 92 Accord, ran perfect when I sold it to get 4 doors for our new kids
144k on Oddysey Van, original tranny, runs perfect, hopefully for another 3 years til I can buy a new Oddysey.

Check the Honda forums for the issues that may affect that car/engine, and diy fixes.

[TheChairGuy]

Crap John-o...did your Mini bite the dust?

John

[Stu Pitt]

Being the son of a mechanic and nephew of a used car dealer, I've come to the conculsion that it really depends on the previous owner(s) of the car.  Some people beat the hell out of their car and don't maintain it.  Others take very good care of their cars and they last forever.  That all assumes that the car is a good car to begin with.

I bought a Volvo 850 T5 with 175k miles on it.  The previous owner was my father's customer.  He drove the car 85 miles (highway) each way to work every day.  He maintained the car the way it was supposed to be maintained.  Other than normal wear and tear, I never had a single problem with it.  I gave it to my brother with 285k miles on it.  It would have easily gone to 500k if my idiot brother didn't run a red light at 300k.  The engine never needed to be opened up for internal repairs.

I had a SAAB 900 Turbo that was junked at about 75k.  Talk about a piece of shit.  A lot of fun to drive though. 

[JohnR]

Crap John-o...did your Mini bite the dust?

John

Oh. Hey, no, it's for SO. We bought it, thanks for all the advice everyone Now I get to do a road trip to deliver it...

[JakeJ]

JohnR, if you went for that Honda Accord and it has a good history I think you'll be pleased with your purchase.

Am looking for a Honda of some sort right now myself to replace my '89 Volvo 740 GL.  The Volvo is a great car I'm simply making the change due to gas prices, doesn't make sense to drive a car that gets 21 MPG when I can drive a car that gets 35+ MPG.

Have a fun & safe road trip.