MANY people think lower is always better with used car mileage – but that’s not always true.
There are many things to be taken into account when buying a used car, but one thing most buyers seem to be particularly keen on is finding a car with low mileage. But could buying a higher-mileage car make more sense? Car-selling experts CarGurus answer some of the questions you need to ask when looking at a car’s odometer.
What is average mileage?
Many of us think that around 10,000 miles a year is the correct ballpark for a used car.
In fact, the distance covered by passenger vehicles has been dropping in recent years as revealed by examining mileages recorded at annual MoT tests over the past couple of decades.
Back in 2002 the figure stood at 9,200 miles.
Since then though that figure has been dropping quite significantly and average mileage now stands at just 7,500 miles per year.
The ideal mileage to look for when buying a used car – why low isn’t always best
MANY people think lower is always better with used car mileage – but that’s not always true.
By TIM BRADLEY
16:01, Mon, Jun 27, 2022 | UPDATED: 16:31, Mon, Jun 27, 2022
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There are many things to be taken into account when buying a used car, but one thing most buyers seem to be particularly keen on is finding a car with low mileage. But could buying a higher-mileage car make more sense? Car-selling experts CarGurus answer some of the questions you need to ask when looking at a car’s odometer.
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What is average mileage?
Many of us think that around 10,000 miles a year is the correct ballpark for a used car.
In fact, the distance covered by passenger vehicles has been dropping in recent years as revealed by examining mileages recorded at annual MoT tests over the past couple of decades.
Back in 2002 the figure stood at 9,200 miles.
Since then though that figure has been dropping quite significantly and average mileage now stands at just 7,500 miles per year.
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Low or high mileage (Image: Cargurus)
However, newer cars do tend to do higher mileages and data for three-year-old cars at their first MoT test reveal an average figure of just over 10,000 miles per year.
There’s also a further interesting point here in that there’s a marked difference between petrol and diesel-engined cars, with drivers who cover greater distances opting for diesel models.
At three years old, a diesel’s average annual mileage is 12,500 miles.
Whereas a petrol model will have covered just 7,500 miles in each year of its life on the road.
Is it better to buy a low-mileage car?
While common sense might seem to dictate that buying a car with a low annual mileage is always a good thing, it’s not necessarily the case, especially given they will have suffered less depreciation and are more expensive.
Cars with previous owners who have covered a lower mileage may have only been driven for short journeys, which means that their engines might not have been fully warmed up on a regular basis.
An engine that doesn’t reach its optimum temperature will wear faster than one that always runs at the correct temperature when doing long journeys.
If you’re looking at a diesel car, then lower mileage cars that have spent most of their lives doing short journeys in town are probably best avoided as their Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) could have become blocked.
In order for a diesel engine’s DPF to regenerate and clean itself, it needs to get hot, and this doesn’t tend to happen when a car only does short journeys in built-up areas.
While you might expect a lower mileage car to have led an easier life than one that’s done a higher mileage, it’s worth considering that some components may have actually been used more in a car that’s covered fewer miles.
express.co.uk
