[Tengocity]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-new...d-you-buy-one?

This article got me thinking, especially as my 335d is now up at 92k miles. I think the value of cars seems to really dip over that psychological mark of 100k so if we keep it beyond the end of the 4 year PCP term I do wonder if we need to accept that we run for as long as we can till it dies!

So I'm interested to hear other views on high mileage cars...

At the rate we pile miles on I reckon we could keep this another 3 years and take it to 150k miles. Even if it was worth zilch after that it would seem like good VFM.

My highest was my E46 330d which I bought at 78k miles and sold with 154k miles on it, and only then because I got a company car. It never once let me down, and the only money I needed to spend on it was consumables and servicing, and replacing the lower control arms. Brilliant car!

[Jaghave]

Highest was 370,000 old cadi. Repair were cheap but it guzzle gas and oil. If I wanted to go with no car payment and low insurance for awhile I would do it again.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Vauxhall Carlton - 175,000 miles from 15,000 or so when bought.

Only a few bits and pieces during its life, brilliant motorway cruiser.

Yes I probably would, however I am not sure with the high reliance on software if you could keep many cars to a high mileage unless doing crazy annual mileage.

[alanm73]

My June 2015 325d is now at 66K and I have had the keep it or dump it argument in my head recently.

I have went with the dump it, needs 4 tyres soon, service and front and rear pads in the next 10k

Role on the 435d arriving early July

[Soul_Glo]

FIL sold his E39 530i with 230k miles. Brought it at 120k miles. Water pump went as did expansion tank at 120k. Rust on o/s/r jack point at 190k welded it and passed MOT. He had a faulty key. I recoded it for him.

My highest was E92 N52NB25 at 110k. Never again! Nothing but grief from that.

[AndyEssex330d]

My dad had an M reg Vauxhall Astra, which had done 220,000 miles when he decided to get a new fiesta to go back and forwards to work. He couldn't let it go, and left it for nearly a year without starting it or anything...hoping it would die so he could justify scrapping it.

The thing started first time. Genuinely a tear in the eye when he got rid of it!

[isleaiw1]

Had a Volvo S60 2.4d - manual, cloth trim. Bought cheap at 2.5 years old with 30k on clock. Sold 3.5 years later with 156k on clock. No real issues - standard alarm siren issue, but otherwise just a few bushes, standard service stuff and a new wheel (not the cars fault...). As most of my mileage was business, work paid the running costs and depreciation and more effectively over time I had it in mileage charges. Crap round corners but effortless and comfortable in straight lines - which is mostly what it did.

I say sell before 90k or even 85k or then retain to 125k - drop in value in that period will be very limited.

Since then I haven't done more than 40k in any single car - but back in a Volvo hack for dogs and motorway use and may replicate the high mileage and just keep that for a good few years, with a weekend car for fun....

[MashinBenzin]

My E90 320d, from new (pre-reg) to 105k miles. 95k in the first four and a half years then it adapted well to limited use - just 10k over the following two years.

The car was brilliant and I'd love to be spending that much time doing the miles in my current car.

It was still on its original pads and discs all round and cost me nothing but routine servicing and tyres. Warranty work was a new rear LED cluster in the first year and the timing chain at something like 93k (extended warranty).

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Brigand

Vauxhall Carlton - 175,000 miles from 15,000 or so when bought.

Only a few bits and pieces during its life, brilliant motorway cruiser.

Yes I probably would, however I am not sure with the high reliance on software if you could keep many cars to a high mileage unless doing crazy annual mileage.

Software or electronic components?

My thoughts are that once some of the componentry starts to go wrong you'd spend silly money diagnosing and resolving it. But I'd expect that to be much more of an issue once a car gets over 10 years old, and less to do with mileage.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Software or electronic components?

My thoughts are that once some of the componentry starts to go wrong you'd spend silly money diagnosing and resolving it. But I'd expect that to be much more of an issue once a car gets over 10 years old, and less to do with mileage.

With modern cars there is not much of a difference, long term support from firmware, software and difference revision of hardware that is heavily dependant on firmware etc.

[robbiep]

Audi A6 Avant 2.5tdi - 2003 car with 150bhp, 6 speed manual.

Did 147k in it in 4 years. Never missed a beat.

[TouringPleb]

Had a Corsa I took from 9,000 miles to 120,000. Apart from an ABS sensor only needed regular servicing.

Changed it for a Mini Cooper 51 plate when they had just been launched. Difference was night and day.

[Alscoob]

Mate had an old 5 series 235K miles on it before he sold, no problems with that.

[Rukka]

Company car. Toyota Carina. I inherited it with 150k on the clock - gave it back with 240k on the clock.

Ran perfect and no issues - just routine servicing. It was a petrol too......

[DarrenL_007]

I sold my 2003 E46 320d on 199k and I bought it with 97k on on it.

The catalyst started rattling at 100k and was replaced under warranty then the turbo went at 144k which cost me £1250 to replace at a BMW specialist.

I bought it in 2005 at two years old for £9k which was perfect for me doing 900 miles a week at the time.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

Mate had an old 5 series 235K miles on it before he sold, no problems with that.

I've only taken a couple of my cars over 110k miles.

My neighbour has a 1998 E39 535i at over 300k miles. Was his main car until about 250k miles. Has been a very reliable car with hardly any work required, except the usual E39 weaknesses, like the expansion tank and oil cooler pipes. Has required a few more items over the last 50k miles, as it ages. I'm surprised it has required so little suspension work, (knowing the roads it has been used on), one rear top control arm and a rear subframe mount. As Jimmy says, "it owes him nothing".

It is still used most days, mainly by his wife. One of the sweetest BMW V8 motors, even from cold, amazing at 300k miles.

[Chas325]

I bought an Audi 80 tdi for 550 quid with 205000 miles on it, serviced it, tyres and that was all, sold for 600 with 305000 miles on it and replaced with a bora with a 1.9tdi in it at 190000 and sold at about 280000.

As well as our F31 I have an Audi A4 quatttro 1.8T which I bought with 3k on the clock in 2005 and it's on 176000 now.

[Chrismac13]

Father in law ran a merc e class 320 from 35k upto 230k, needed very little apart from regular servicing. The damn thing was virtually bullet proof.

[JD6]

I used to get a cab to work when I was in London. I used a firm that ran a fleet of diesel E Class Mercs, up to 2-3 years old. Each car worked virtually 24 hours a day, as they were passed between drivers.

I remember noticing that an 18 month old car was showing 24k on the clock and talking to the driver, who I knew pretty well by then. He told me that they used a 'mileage correction service' on them. At 3 years the cars would go back to be sold as approved used Mercedes with 36k on the clock, having actually covered about a quarter of a million miles!

Not condoning that behaviour, But you had to admire the way the cars were built (around 2000-2003) to make that mileage plausible!

[Tengocity]

Lots of great success stories of high mileage cars... and no one has shared any disaster stories as yet!

There must be someone who has had a nightmare with one!

[GEP77]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Lots of great success stories of high mileage cars... and no one has shared any disaster stories as yet!

There must be someone who has had a nightmare with one!

I ran my old E36 328i to about 150k. Apart from a clutch and a couple of electrical gremlins (which were caused by corrosion on contacts so easily resolved). I sold it for £1500 and I'd say doing that was my only car regret.

If you're able to maintain the car yourself then running an older / higher mileage car can be great.

[Abzynthe]

My 740d had 135k miles on it when I sold it. There was nothing mechanically wrong with it, and I've seen some for sale with near 250k miles.
I've got some ways to go in my 420d though as its only on 22k.