Opinion on "high mileage"

[Dysco]

It's not only the miles, but the type of miles. Something that has 70K on it with 1 hour drives on the interstate using cruise control, is WAY different than something with 70K on it driven 10 miles to work on rutted roads and heavy feet on both the gas and the brake pedals.

When buying used from an individual, pay attention to where they live and what they've got. Is the place clean? Lawnmower has it's place and is fairly clean, 4 wheeler has a place and looks to be taken care of. Wife's car has a place and it looks taken care of, gas cans, car repair items, wash/wax type chemicals etc are neatly stored. Odds are the vehicle has had an easier life than if everything looks like its been sitting next to the Titanic. Granted, if you are going to just abuse the truck, or doing a complete restore, then it might not matter.

 

[Josh Helm]

Much agreeded on the surrounds when you by used... an other killer is sitting ... hasn't been mentioned yet... they die when they sit ... no oil in heads ... hoses dryrot ... injectors set up ... valve train isn't rotated... etc... to me sitting is worse then high mileage in some cases

 

[WarlVlachine]

Much agreeded on the surrounds when you by used... an other killer is sitting ... hasn't been mentioned yet... they die when they sit ... no oil in heads ... hoses dryrot ... injectors set up ... valve train isn't rotated... etc... to me sitting is worse then high mileage in some cases

I've seen that for sure. People don't get that, but its absolutely use it or lose it. lol

 

[DebraM]

I have a 1999 Chevy Cavalier as my go to work vehicle,bought,bought with 250,000 miles on it and now has 375,000 miles on it.I keep it maintained very well,oil changes every 3,000 miles and recently put on a set of brake pads and rotors on it including a couple brake lines.Not a lot of rust on it.I can't complain about it,going to drive until it dies.I get good gas mileage out of it

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

I have a 1999 Chevy Cavalier as my go to work vehicle,bought,bought with 250,000 miles on it and now has 375,000 miles on it.I keep it maintained very well,oil changes every 3,000 miles and recently put on a set of brake pads and rotors on it including a couple brake lines.Not a lot of rust on it.I can't complain about it,going to drive until it dies.I get good gas mileage out of it

That’s amazing! Good for GM in 1999. I don’t know where they were on giving up on passenger cars at that point, frankly I assumed they had by that point, but I guess they still turned out a few that worked well. Hell, even for the consistently awful carmakers, a broken clock is right twice a day.

To answer the general question, I don’t worry about the mileage so much. I think that’s coming from a place of knowing I can do most of the work that comes up and what makes cars live longer/shorter lives. I would never buy one from a dealer, and I would never buy one model year 1995 or newer. My dad’s Ford is a 10/95 1996 model year, and I have a healthy dislike for OBD II. There are plenty of old, low investment shitboxes that I can have something decent and not trashy for dirt cheap to puddlejump around in for the next 60-100 years I plan to live.

 

[80BrownK10]

I'm a Forester, and we usually cover a huge territory. I personally don't drive but 20k a year on my work truck but 30-50k a year is not uncommon. You have guys trading in three year old trucks with 150k on the odometer. I know one old Forester that is still at it but doesn't do as much these days, he has a Toyota with 550k on it, I consider that high mileage.

My two daily drivers are Toyotas. Mine is a 01 Highlander with about 230k and the wife's 04 Sequoia with about 240k.

Most vehicles these days with maintenance (the key) should easily see 200k in my opinion.