Why does mileage seem so important?

[Smolck]

I've noticed a lot of guys making comments on low mileage cars in the for sale area, and the new member section etc. To me the m54 engine is good for many, many miles, why so much hang up on miles? As long as it is properly cared for and the rest of the car is taken care of well, whats a couple hundred thousand miles?

[Meric]

It not just the engine. Transmission,diff,plastic coolant system,ignition coils,plugs. etc.

[Hermes]

Yeah, I agree its not the engine but other wear and tear the car has experienced. Beyond even what Meric said, there is paint quality, chance of body damage and poor quality repairs, ratty interior, etc to think of. I bought mine as a 1 owner lease return with just over 30,000 miles on it so it was basically brand new, but that was 3 years and 40,000 miles ago.

On the other hand I would still consider and even possibly buy a "high" mileage car if the situation was right

[kayger12]

I've noticed a lot of guys making comments on low mileage cars in the for sale area, and the new member section etc. To me the m54 engine is good for many, many miles, why so much hang up on miles? As long as it is properly cared for and the rest of the car is taken care of well, whats a couple hundred thousand miles?

For me it was the fact that I planned on finding a ZHP and keeping it for 300K.

Many people do not maintain their cars other than the dealer recommended maintenance.

I didn't want a car that had been through 100K miles of 15K mile oil change intervals with all of the original fluids still in it.

If the car that I chose was going to get to 200 or 300K, I wanted to be the one who was putting the miles on it.

I didn't want anything over 50K, because I had the time and money to be that picky.

All that being said, if the situation were different, I also wouldn't think twice about jumping in an E46 with 150K on it given the maintenance was reasonably up to date.

[az3579]

I've noticed a lot of guys making comments on low mileage cars in the for sale area, and the new member section etc. To me the m54 engine is good for many, many miles, why so much hang up on miles? As long as it is properly cared for and the rest of the car is taken care of well, whats a couple hundred thousand miles?


Well, it is all of what was already said about the wear and tear on everything as a whole. But, for someone like me who drives 30-35k miles a year, you want the lowest possible mileage you can get your hands on, because those miles rack up fast. I'd rather have an extra 30k to play with by buying a car with 30k less, for example, to make the car "last longer" while I have it. That would give me an extra year.

[SoarinZHP]

Mileage is a factor for all the reasons listed above. Also something to think about is these cars are all 6+ years old. Averaging 15,000 miles per year puts an average 2006 in at 90,000 miles. Mileage is just another consideration in the confusing equation as to weather or not a particular car is for you.

Given the age of our cars, I think lower mileage tends to point to an easier life. But that's just my interpretation.

I also agree that if you intend on keeping your car for a long time, the more miles you put on, the better. You'll know how it's been cared for a majority of it's life.

[az3579]

That "easy life" statement is a double edged sword, my friend. It could have had an easy life if it was garaged most of the time. But, on the other side of the coin, you've got the cars that lived their whole lives in the city, and the city is the hardest kind of daily driving anyone can do. You don't rack up a whole lot of miles in the city, but they sure are the hardest miles the car can get under regular usage.

[Smolck]

I guess my point was more, do you really care about mileage AFTER you buy the car?

[az3579]

I guess my point was more, do you really care about mileage AFTER you buy the car?

Depends a lot on the person. Some people will garage queen their cars and avoid putting mileage on them like they're avoiding the plague. Others embrace as many miles as life dares to throw at 'em. :)

[SoarinZHP]

For a driver, mileage put on AFTER buying the car is irrelevant. THey (me) buy the car for transportation and part of putting on miles is putting on smiles!

[cakM3]

I guess my point was more, do you really care about mileage AFTER you buy the car?

Smolck,

I can't speak for others but for me the answer is no. I don't care how many miles both my bimmers get because I am the last owner of both these wonderful machines...:) Like so many have mentioned, maintenance is the key. If you happen to find one with mileage but impeccable maintenance history then it's just as good as a newer car since everything has been very well maintained.

There are some "newer" cars that I wouldn't even look at because of it's maintenance history...

My ///M has over 140k on the odometer and it looks and drives awesome... my ZHP has just over 116k and it's work in progress but I will have everything sorted out to my standards....I'm sure there will be others here on this forum who will disagree with me on my ZHP comment as they have personally seen it...:)

Mileage is just a number for those who keep their bimmers "well maintained"...:thumbsup

[zj96sc]

I agree with you Smolck, I think mileage is too often treated like the holy grail of car purchasing.

The ultimate answer is a case by case basis. There's one 50k beat to hell car out there for every 120k gem and vice versa too.

Every time I've bought vehicles I've tried to let mileage be only a secondary concern. I've bought Jeeps with 91k, 95k, and 180k, BMWs with 60k, 120k, 105k, 190k, 91k, and a Ford with 130k.

In a particular case, my 2nd (98) M3 in 2006 was a 4 owner "high miles" at 120k. Sounds horrible right? ...but you could never tell. The car had been enthusiast owned each time and it just didn't show it. I guess the moral is don't take the numbers at face value. Really examine the car. If you know how to turn a wrench high mileage is honestly a gateway to good deals.

[Jon D]

For me it was the fact that I planned on finding a ZHP and keeping it for 300K.

Many people do not maintain their cars other than the dealer recommended maintenance.

I didn't want a car that had been through 100K miles of 15K mile oil change intervals with all of the original fluids still in it.

If the car that I chose was going to get to 200 or 300K, I wanted to be the one who was putting the miles on it.

I didn't want anything over 50K, because I had the time and money to be that picky.

All that being said, if the situation were different, I also wouldn't think twice about jumping in an E46 with 150K on it given the maintenance was reasonably up to date.

This. If you are buying a used car to keep and like mine was the "wife's extra sunny day car" owned by a car fanatic, you just can't go wrong. Frequent oil changes, always garaged,no accidents etc. It just makes it easier to know history.

Jon D. Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[ranger]

I have bought a lot of used cars the last few years between myself, wife, and two teenagers (now college age). I have yet to be disappointed in my used purchases. I tend to buy high mileage but clean used cars from an individual - preferably an enthusiast. My first impression has been right so far. If I walk up and see a clean car that appears to be well maintained then I am usually interested. The interior is my first look - if the interior is dirty, full of food wrappers, etc. - then how well was the rest of the car maintained?

My high mileage 2005 ZHP was previously owned by an enthusiast who replaced it with a BMW 335 - so far, so good.

[zhp43867]

I don't care about high mileage as long as it has been maintained like I would. The lower mileage it is the more it becomes your decision what direction the car goes for the majority of its life. I do like lower mileage cars, but I'd never rule out a higher mileage nice example.

[Smolck]

I bought my ZHP with 137k miles on it (now at 139200 in less than a month). However, it was owned by a close friend since new in 2005 and I maintained it personally for him from 08 to present. So I didn't even bat an eye at buying it because all the mechanical stuff was done by yours truly.

[kayger12]

I bought my ZHP with 137k miles on it (now at 139200 in less than a month). However, it was owned by a close friend since new in 2005 and I maintained it personally for him from 08 to present. So I didn't even bat an eye at buying it because all the mechanical stuff was done by yours truly.

Yeah, in a case like yours where not only do you know the maintenance was done, but you actually did it-- I wouldn't hesitate either.

[M0nk3y]

I've noticed a lot of guys making comments on low mileage cars in the for sale area, and the new member section etc. To me the m54 engine is good for many, many miles, why so much hang up on miles? As long as it is properly cared for and the rest of the car is taken care of well, whats a couple hundred thousand miles?

For me, buying my new car, mileage was extremely important.

The less of miles...the more confident I knew the car wasn't beat on. And I can take proper maintenance on it for the activities I do to this engine. I don't and can't speak for others who take cars autocrossing or to the track and don't do proper oil intervals...etc

Sent using satellite technology

[Hermes]

Yeah, in a case like yours where not only do you know the maintenance was done, but you actually did it-- I wouldn't hesitate either.

+1 - I remember your thread on bf.c and you have a different case than most high mileage cars I see around me. Hell, when I bought mine I saw at least 5 other ZHP's with similar mileage (low) that were total garbage. I got real lucky when I found mine after a long search

[otisdog]

To me, lower miles just means a smaller "window" in which things could have gone wrong before I owned the car. Having said that, these days of carfax and dealers who are able (and willing) to print out the service record of the car really minimizes the "unknown" that occured before one buys the car. But I'm still absolutely stoked that I just bought one with 25K mikes!

[danewilson77]

But I'm still absolutely stoked that I just bought one with 25K mikes!

Absolutely.

[spencers]

Mileage is just a number for those who keep their bimmers "well maintained"...:thumbsup
+1
My odometer just a reference number for calculating my MPGs, or knowing when my next oil change will be. :cool

[onepercent]

I've always agreed with this. Highway miles are pretty darn easy on a car. My wife had to drive 40 miles each way to and from work every day for almost 2 years, so she racked up miles like crazy, but her car is like new- it just gobbled up oil changes etc at a fast rate.


That "easy life" statement is a double edged sword, my friend. It could have had an easy life if it was garaged most of the time. But, on the other side of the coin, you've got the cars that lived their whole lives in the city, and the city is the hardest kind of daily driving anyone can do. You don't rack up a whole lot of miles in the city, but they sure are the hardest miles the car can get under regular usage.