Once, it was the point at which we summoned a priest – or at least a mechanic – to give the car its last rites: 100,000 miles on the odometer meant that, with rare exceptions, your vehicle had just gone from being a vital form of transportation to a planter.
Dust to dust.
Rust to rust.
That’s changed. Make no mistake, though – 100,000 is still a lot of miles, but modern vehicles, with careful driving and proper care, can hit six digits and then some. Good maintenance is actually more important than the car’s brand.
“If you care for them properly, most will give you years of good service,” says Steve Mitchell, owner of Mitchell’s Automotive in Orlando.
“I have a customer in here right now with 225,000 miles on his Jeep,” Mitchell says, but he stresses that scheduled maintenance and top-quality synthetic oil – Amsoil, in the case of this particular Jeep – has kept it running well past retirement age.
Even so, there are some vehicles that just seem to last longer than others and are, consequently, good used-car buys for customers on a budget. It’s unrealistic to expect any vehicle to top 100,000 miles with no maintenance – if you make it that far without spending at least a little money on oil, tires, batteries and brakes, you’re leading a charmed life – but some vehicles seem to need less work than others.
Buying a car with high mileage is also a way to get into a nicer vehicle than you might be able to otherwise. According to www.Edmunds.com, an online pricing resource, a 1995 Lexus LS 400 with 125,000 miles should sell for $7,948 in a private-party transaction. Edmunds prices that identical car, with 50,000 miles, at $9,612.
Before you consider a high-mileage vehicle, the more you know about the vehicle’s history, the better. Obtaining a www.CarFax.com report is a start. CarFax traces a vehicle’s identification number to see how many owners it has had and whether it has been involved in crashes, floods or other incidents.
That said, what are a few of the better bets in high-mileage models?
Larry Perry, the owner of the Magic Mechanic shop in Orlando, radio host and co-author of an automotive question-and-answer newspaper column, has some favorites.
He likes the 1992 and up Mercury Marquis, Ford Crown Victoria, and Lincoln Town Car models – similar cars under the skin – with the modular 4.6-liter V-8 engine. Not only are those cars typically reliable, they are usually owned by older drivers, who may be more conservative in driving habits, more proactive in maintenance.
Perry also likes the 1997 and up Ford F-150 pickup, and its derivative SUVs, the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator with the aforementioned 4.6-liter V-8 and that engine’s bigger brother, the 5.4-liter. For something sportier, he also likes the Ford Mustang GTs with that 4.6-liter engine.
Ask Steve Mitchell, and two cars come immediately to mind: the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. “They’re so hard to beat. Take care of them, and they run forever.”
Resale value is also especially strong for the pair, he says: “A Camry or Accord that runs well and has a working air conditioner is worth $2,000 no matter how old they get.”
Mitchell also likes the Nissan Maxima and Altima, as well as General Motors pickup trucks. He’s a fan of Buicks, especially the models with the 3.8-liter V-6 engines. “If you want a domestic car, a Buick LeSabre with that 3800 engine in it will give you great service for years.”
Personally, I like the Toyota Corolla and its underpriced twin, the Chevrolet Prism. I also like the 2000 and newer Chevrolet Impala, especially with that 3.8-liter V-6 engine. Dodge Ram trucks, from 1994 and up, offer good service, good looks and strong resale value. Mazda Miatas, all the way back to their 1990 origin, are durable, fun and easy to fix, with a plethora of aftermarket parts available. And there are Honda Civics out there that just won’t roll over and die.
What you shouldn’t expect from any vehicle with 100,000-plus miles is a guarantee of reliability. One of the reasons people buy new cars is the expectation that they’ll start every time, have the latest safety features and a warranty to cover problems that do arise.
You won’t have that with a high-mileage used vehicle, but it’s a trade-off for low, or nonexistent, monthly payments.
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