What Is Good Mileage for a Used Car?

Buying a pre-owned car with higher mileage can lead to significant savings, but how much mileage is too much? And what exactly counts as good mileage for a used car? You can make things easier on yourself by breaking your options down into several categories:

• Used cars are often described as “low mileage” if they have less than 30,000 miles—but this isn’t the most useful cut-off point for most drivers.
• The certified pre-owned vehicles at our dealership all have less than 75,000 miles. Since these models also come backed by warranty coverage, any model with the CPO label can be a great investment.
• Since used cars are lasting longer than ever, even a more affordable model with 100,000 miles can be a safe investment in some cases. Still, there are important caveats to keep in mind.

Shopping for a Used Car with Good Mileage: Tips & Tricks

Let’s go over the worst-case scenario: you’ve financed the purchase of a used car, and it suffers some catastrophic failure before you’re able to pay off your loan. Choosing a used car with good mileage is the best way to avoid this outcome, since major issues become far more likely as a vehicle ages.

For this reason, a used car might not be a good investment if it’s going to have more than 150,000 miles before you pay off your loan. (Most used cars can last for 200,000 miles or more with proper maintenance, but it’s always better to play it safe.)

The average Meridian-area driver puts on roughly 10,000 to 15,000 miles per year, so to continue the example, you should only buy a used car with 100,000 miles if you can pay off the loan in three to four years.

In general, it’s always better to invest in models with lower mileage—after all, you can keep the vehicle for years to come after you finish paying off your loan. That’s why our certified pre-owned vehicles are so popular!

Moreover, paying off your loan as quickly as possible will always result in lower total interest costs over time.

How to Shop for Low-Mileage Used Cars for Sale

Ultimately, mileage is just one of the factors that you’ll want to consider. Keep these tips in mind while you search Boise and Caldwell for used cars with good mileage:

• If a model looks too good to be true, it probably is. If an older vehicle has low mileage, it may have spent a long time sitting around—and that can lead to mechanical problems too.
• Some used cars will last longer than others. That’s why there’s no industry-standard cutoff point for good mileage. It’s always a good idea to research your preferred model’s predicted reliability and find out how similar vehicles have held up over the years.
• At the end of the day, a well-maintained vehicle will last for much, much longer than a vehicle that hasn’t been well cared for. Ask about a vehicle’s maintenance history before you buy!
• If a vehicle has been used for off-roading, towing, or racing, there’s a pretty good chance that it’s experienced more wear and tear than less intensively used models with similar mileage.

Start Exploring Our Pre-Owned Selection Today!

Whether you’re looking for a used truck or a used SUV, you’ve come to the right place. Our Nampa dealership is easy to reach from anywhere in the area, and you can always expect great service at Peterson Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Let us know what we can do to help you move forward today, or continue your research by reading through more of our car-shopping tips online.