Used car mileage

[tixntox]

I tend to buy one owner cars from older "gentlemen" and get them to drive me on a test drive, so that I can see how they treat the car "mechanically"! My car is generally used as a second car and "she" always has a dealer supplied new one. I did once buy a low miles, one owner car from a dealer (elderly lady owner) and it was a complete dog! On stripping the clutch and gearbox, everything was covered in clutch dust and the metal parts were blue due to overheating! It was auctioned soon after!

[docd]

https://cardotcheck.co.uk/stolen-car-check

That doesn't look like the DVLA to me

[Christian]

Usually when your car is stolen, it could be either salvaged for parts in an illegal way or be cloned and sold off until it gets found by the police. Always verify the VIN to know if the vehicle is authentic or not. There are also times when the car could be used for a felony, so it is best to perform a DVLA Stolen Car Check Free to know if the car was stolen or not and other car specs that could help you stay informed.

All of the work that goes into buying a used car is worth it in the long run because it is affordable and much more feasible when you calculate all the expenses that go into buying a new car, especially if you are overpaying for something that will get depreciated once a new update or model kicks in, along with so many safety recalls that are happening, in some way or another, new cars are causing nuisance. Besides, knowing about your car will keep you out of harm’s way.

Learn More...

What do you do...scour vBulletin forums for car discussions then create a new account when you find one to shill your website?

[Tom-P]

I tend to buy one owner cars from older "gentlemen" and get them to drive me on a test drive, so that I can see how they treat the car "mechanically"!

Good advice. I once had the seller of a Saab Aero do that: I asked him to press the 'S' button so I could see it in Sport mode, he said "oh, is that what that is, I always wondered", so I knew it hadn't been thrashed ...

[Rod]

Toyota, Honda, great cars for high miles. As with all cars depends how they are driven and serviced.

[Gyp]

Good advice. I once had the seller of a Saab Aero do that: I asked him to press the 'S' button so I could see it in Sport mode, he said "oh, is that what that is, I always wondered", so I knew it hadn't been thrashed ...

When I bought the MX-5, I asked the original owner to put the roof down and they got the manual out to find out how to do it.

[redmonaco]

I have a 2003 Mkll Gs430 lexus (which is my fifth, from new) and I normally sold cars at 40k miles but this one I have held on to because when I looked at the Mklll's I felt that they started to compromise on the build quality a little. As my annual mileage reduced i also felt that i didn't need the then replacement approach.
Mine has 65k mainly motorway /dual carriageway miles on the clock and has been well maintained and parts replaced when recommended by the main dealer. I reckon that it will go for at least another 65K trouble free miles. I have done the brakes/discs/ABS rings, belts, radiator. Wheels I replace every five years on an exchange program but against £13k - £15k replacement cost every three years I reckon that I have saved myself quite a lot on this one.

B

Why do you replace the wheels? I've never done that, or even thought of doing it!!.

[thieuster]

We had a Volvo 850 TDI in the workshop this morning. The new(!) owner bought the car just before the corona lockdown in Germany with 380K miles/610K kms on the odometer. He paid next to nothing for the car: 350 euros!! Today we turned the car inside out to make a list of the jobs that have to be done. Basically, just a normal service list + 'just to be sure' items. All electrics work (in fact, no DPO who had fettled with it!) brakes are good, steering is good. We didn't do a diesel emission test today. We don't have that expensive diesel test facility. The other garage in the village (modern cars, mostly Fords) has those testing facilities, but isn't open for testing on Saturday. The car doesn't smoke excessively, but an additive before testing will help to clear those 'diesel sinuses'). Bodywork is rather good. Faded dark blue paint, some stone chips on the bonnet and a few rust bubbles on the lower edge of the rear lid. Sills and bottom are perfect.

The 'just to be sure' items are: new cam belt, waterpump, etc., replacing the brake and power steering fluid and replacing the front bushes and rear shocks. Parts are cheap as chips. The cam belt replacement will be the most expensive job: hour rate. In all, the car will be in tip-top condition for 1200 - 1500 euros. Parts and labour. We did an oil change with Castrol Edge (like Volvo mentions in their service bulletins ). The owner had brought his own oil & oil filter; it's not an oil we normally store for old(er) cars. So he was happy that he had been able to get that oil at a 'best price' deal.

I have good hopes that this is one of the Volvos I mentioned before: capable of interstellar mileage.

[ingenioren]

Buy a Volvo.

Apparently, these days ''buy a Lexus''
They seem be bulletproof and are always at the to- of JD Power ratings...
4 friends have them and they never look at anything else.

[noms2000]

I've always had German cars, VW, Mercedes, BMW. But after the amount I've had to spend on my 5 series (2008), I don't think I'll buy German again.
Gonna give the Japs a try, apparently their reliability is what Germans used to be (and still living off that reputation).