As a general rule, most cars over 300,000 kilometres aren't worth your time unless you have experience working on vehicles yourself and the price is tempting enough.
According to Consumer Reports, the average lifespan of today's cars is about eight years or 240,000 kilometres. That's shorter, however than many well-built cars that are properly maintained.
If you find a car with more than 200,000 km on it, don't be too concerned. A vehicle that has gotten regular oil changes, tire rotations, tune-ups, and a little high-mileage maintenance, should still have some life left in it. Well-built trucks and large SUVs should last longer than other vehicles overall.
It completely depends on the way the car has been maintained. Usually, a car is likely to expect issues after 100,000 km, but its timely and proper maintenance can extend its potency for plenty more kilometers.
The road less travelled is nearly always better
A good car is 15,000 km a year, so if you can find a 10-year-old car that has done 150,000 kilometres, that's a good car. On average, though, it's more likely to be 250,000 km.
Generally, the life of a petrol engine is estimated at 1,00,000-2,00,000 kilometres, however, it may require overhauling in between. Moreover, the engine life would depend on certain factors such as timely maintenance, keeping the oil levels in check, servicing the vehicle at authorized centers, etc.
As a general rule, most cars over 300,000 kilometres aren't worth your time unless you have experience working on vehicles yourself and the price is tempting enough.
Mileage is part of the puzzle – but it's not the “be-all-end-all” of used cars. There's no guarantee that a car that's only been driven for 20,000 kilometers is in great shape – and a car that's been driven for more than 150,000km can easily provide you with years of reliable performance.
It is extremely unusual for cars to last over 500,000 miles (804,672 kilometers). It's less unusual for cars to go over 300,000 miles (482,803 kilometers) without encountering major repairs though.
It can be somewhat risky to buy a vehicle that has racked up more than 100,000 miles. Even if it's well-maintained and has about 100,000 miles left in it, such a car is already past its prime. Generally, vehicles are likely to start experiencing problems after the 100,000-mile mark.
Depending on how well you treat your car, you could potentially reach over 500,000 miles. In fact, there's a driver whose car reached even more than that.
Typically, putting 13,000 to 14,000 miles on your car per year is viewed as “average.” A car that is driven more than that is considered high-mileage. With proper maintenance, cars can have a life expectancy of about 200,000 miles.
30,000 to 60,000 Miles
It's a good idea to sell your car before it hits 60,000 miles if you don't want to spend a lot of money on repairs and replacement parts. During this mileage bracket, your car should be about five years old, meaning it'll still command a substantial amount.
As a general rule, your car clutch will need to be replaced every 100,000 kilometres. However, you may need a clutch service or replacement more often depending on how you use your car.
Can a Digital Odometer Be Reset? Unfortunately, yes. In fact, tampering with digital odometer systems is arguably more effective because it's harder to spot. The display itself can be changed, or the relevant memory chip can be reprogrammed or replaced.
Fred Hellrich, who lives in Annapolis, Md., says he has had several cars pass the 200,000-mile mark—and a couple of vehicles that made it more than 400,000 miles—everything from a Chevrolet van to a Toyota Tercel.
Some experts believe that cars should go in for maintenance at the 5,000 km, 10,000 km, 20,000 km, 25,000 km, 50,000 km, 70,000 km, 90,000 km, and 160,000 km marks.
Topping that list is the Toyota Sequoia, which has a potential lifespan of 296,509 miles, according to a new study from iSeeCars.com. The automotive research website analyzed more than 2 million cars to determine which last longest and found that 20 models are able to endure for more than 200,000 miles.
As a general rule, most vehicles begin to seriously degrade at around 150,000 miles. It is considered rare, and therefore outstanding longevity, if a car reaches 200,000 miles on the road. That said, there's more to identifying good versus bad mileage on a used car than just the odometer reading.
Although it may have been well maintained, the purchase of a vehicle with over 200,000 miles on the odometer might lead to significant maintenance costs. At this point, the car is likely nearing the end of its useful life, and you may soon need to either invest a significant sum in repairs or replace it entirely.
Generally, the fewer kms a car has driven, the better. But a used car that has higher kms can be a great buy if it has been maintained properly and driven sensibly. Like people, cars need tune-ups and checkups to stay high performance.
A conventional car can last for 200,000 miles. Some well-maintained car models will reach 300,000 or more miles total. The average passenger car age is currently around 12 years in the United States. Choosing a well-built make and model can help extend your car's longevity.
That's how much the car's value decreases over time. According to Edmunds, there's a significant drop in the first 2-3 years, and another at the four-year mark. Selling in between those drops will generally net you the best value. After that, the next big drop usually happens at around eight years.
Because depreciation is constant, it's best to sell or trade in your vehicle before it hits the 100,000-mile mark. At this point, you won't get nearly as much for it because dealers generally see these cars as wholesale-only vehicles to be sold at auction.