Buying a High Mileage Car: How High is Too High?

Mileage

Used Cars: How Many Miles is Too Much?

A question that is asked often is how many miles is too much on a used car? It is true that the age of the engine can be measured by how many miles are on the car but it is also true that if a car is taken care of the engine can last well into the 200,000-mile range. To decide whether or not a used car has too many miles you will need to also assess the age of the car. For example, if you want to buy a 2019 car but it already has 100,000 miles on it then most likely it has been driven hard to accumulate that many miles in a short amount of time. Even though it is a relatively new car, the engine has a lot of use on it already and the average miles per year is high. 

On the other hand, a 2014 vehicle that has 100,000 miles shows that the vehicle hasn’t been driven as much and therefore is more likely to be in better shape and have a more affordable price tag. When it comes to how many miles is too many miles there isn’t a hard and fast rule. To get a better idea of what a good mileage is for a particular vehicle, we are going to look at the question year by year. The used mileage chart below shows the average mileage you should expect on a used car depending on the year of the vehicle. On average, a good used vehicle only has about 15,000 miles put on it each year. 

How Many Miles Should My Car Model Have?

Remember that the year of the car isn’t always the same as the year it was made. For example, a 2021 Toyota Corolla could be made and sold in the year 2020. So the mileage a used car should have really depends on how many years it’s been on the road! Here are some examples.

How many miles should a 2020 model have?

A one or two year old 2020 model should have 15,000 – 30,000 miles.

How many miles should a 2015 model have?

A five or six year old 2015 model should have 75,000 – 90,000 miles.

How many miles should a 2010 model have? 

A ten year old 2010 model will often have 150,000 miles or more on the odometer.

Used Car Mileage Chart

  • A car that is one year old should have around 15,000 miles.
  • A car that is two years old should have around 30,000 miles.
  • A car that is three years old should have around 45,000 miles.
  • A car that is four years old should have around 60,000 miles.
  • A car that is five years old should have around 75,000 miles.
  • A car that is six years old should have around 90,000 miles.
  • A car that is seven years old should have around 105,000 miles.
  • A car that is eight years old should have around 120,000 miles.

Buying a used car can be economical even when the mileage is high. There are cars that last well into 200,000 miles and are still reliable cars. At Autosmart we can help you get behind a used car that is both affordable and reliable. Don’t let a high mileage car scare you away. We sell the best of the best and will help you get behind a used vehicle that has an appropriate mileage for the number of years it has been on the road.

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