What’s considered high mileage for a vehicle?

Jodie Kidd

Buying a used car is an excellent way to save money. However, if you buy a high-mileage vehicle, you may find yourself searching for an “auto parts store near me” and spending much more than expected in regards to maintenance, which leaves you paying much more than you initially expected at the end of the day. The trick is learning to identify a high-mileage car and knowing the potential difficulties that come with purchasing one.

WHAT’S CONSIDERED HIGH?

The average car is expected to gain approximately 15,000 miles annually. Therefore, a car that’s three years old should ideally have 45,000 miles and a 5 year old car should have 75,000 miles. Following this formula, any car that’s significantly over the projected amount for its years is considered high-mileage. For example, if a 2 year old car has 50,000 miles already, it’s considered high-mileage and is likely to have more worn out parts than one of the same age with average mileage.

CHOOSING A HIGH-MILEAGE CAR

If a high-mileage car is all your budget allows for, you still need to be smart while buying. Ensure that the previous owner has taken the vehicle in for the regular mile-based service milestones:

  • 3,000 miles
  • 6,000 miles
  • 12,000 miles
  • 15,000 miles
  • 30,000 miles
  • 45,000 miles
  • 60,000 miles
  • 100,000 miles

A car that’s been serviced at these milestones is more likely to still be in good running order, high mileage or not.

COMMON EXPENSES

Even if a high-mileage car has been serviced, there are a few parts that will likely still need replacing before long, which you should take into consideration when it comes to agreeing on price. The battery, for example, may need replacing. Fortunately, finding the right one for your car and getting it installed is as simple as searching “car battery near me” and heading to your local auto shop.

Having a dependable parts seller is the key to taking care of a high-mileage vehicle when you’re working on a budget. Save a bit of cash on fixing up a high-mileage car by shopping at a store with an auto parts reward program.

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