What is a Good Mileage for a Used Car?

Buying a used car can be tough because there are a lot of factors to incorporate in the selection process.

One usually has a spending limit, a specific color and size in mind, let alone how many doors one wants. I know they say beggars can’t be choosers, but buying a used car is risky business. You never know who is being authentic with you and who is trying to scam you. One of the most important things to look out for when buying a used car is the gas mileage. This gives the customer insight on where a car has been and how long it is going to last. One should know how long they are expecting a car to last so that they know what type of car and how much mileage to look for. Used car hunting can lead one to ask themselves what good mileage really is on a used car?

First things first, when car searching, the first thing one should look for is the car’s make and model. While this may seem irrelevant to the gas mileage, it makes perfect sense. Let’s face it, some car brands are just not as well made as others. And before you dish out your cash to the person trying to charge you a fortune for a car that may look good, one must be sure that it won’t fail within a year’s time. When it comes to determining good mileage on a used car, different rules apply to American made cars vs. Foreign made cars.

American made car

American made cars may not be as good of quality as some foreign made cars and therefore are following the common mileage rule. The common mileage rule is that when buying a used car, it should have 12,000 miles on it per year. For areas that require more driving, it should be no more than 15,000 miles per year. One must be wear however of mileage scams in which the owners use a device to scroll back the miles. If the miles are too low, it is okay to be a little suspicious.

Foreign made car

Foreign made cars have a reputation for being well made and they usually live up to this standard. They have a reputation of lasting longer despite their mileage on a car. While it is recommended to buy a car under 100, 000 miles on a used car, if a foreign car is in relatively good shape, it is okay to go a little over the 100,000 mile mark.

As stated earlier, buying a used car can be tricky business. However once one knows the proper mileage for the car they are looking for, it makes finding a car a little more simplistic. As long as a customer incorporates their other needs into finding a car as well, they should be just fine.