Mileage is only an indicator of the condition of a car and is always relative to the age as well.
There is no major golden rule as to what mileage determines how good a car is; some low mileage cars have had a harder life on some components even though they’ve covered lower miles.
Low vs High Mileage, what’s the difference?
A car with low mileage may indicate the previous owner has only used the car for short trips, so the car may never been used to its full potential if it is many years old. This can be problematic. Vehicle wear from driving around a city is far different from motorway wear. Having shorter trips can cause more wear and tear from stopping and starting all the time compared to the long journey’s.
However, low mileage is a good pointer when coupled with regular services and is a good way of comparing one car to another in terms of value for money. If a car is seen to have low mileage but the car is quite old, it is worth checking the service history to determine the condition.
If the car is only a few years old and has low mileage with good service history, the car is seen to be worth more than the exact same car with higher mileage and this is why you may see similar cars for varied prices.
Average Mileage
The average mileage per year is reckoned to be 12-15,000 these days. Although, higher miles are very common and is only ever seen as a burden if the car is not in great condition.
Once again, if a car has had a service when needed, had major parts replaced to manufacturers schedule then you do not need to be put off buying a higher mileage car if the price and condition are good.
