The high-mile club
Why a used car with a massive mileage needn’t be a turn-off
HUNTING through the classifieds for a new motor can be an exciting prospect, as you look to unearth your perfect car. Everyone has their own criteria during the search, with certain cars to be avoided, such as those that don’t have a full service history or are described as having some ‘bodywork issues’.
Many will also place a mileage limit on a new purchase – 100,000 miles on the clock is a barrier that many buyers are tentative about crossing. What hidden dangers are lurking on cars that have covered so much ground?
While high mileage on a newer model can indicate it’s been heavily thrashed, dismissing a prospective new car purely because it has a high number on the odometer is both unfair and unwise.
A low-mileage car may not appear to have been used very much, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s been driven sympathetically or well maintained. A car that’s been used for lots of short journeys will wear out faster than one that’s been used on longer distance trips, too.
Most engine and gearbox wear takes place when the engine is cold, while the brakes, suspension and clutch will wear out much more slowly on cars used for lengthy motorway trips rather than urban stop-start driving on roads littered with speed bumps.
Most modern cars have a design life of at least 150,000 miles, so you can be happy they’ll last at least this long if maintained with a service schedule. This can easily be doubled, though, if the car has been well looked after.
Just take this 2001 VW Golf 1.9 TDI we’ve tracked down, which is a true member of the High-mile Club. With more than half a million miles on the clock, it never missed a beat during the week-long road test we gave it.
We took it up and down the motorway from London to Essex for a weekend round of golf, navigated the congested stop-start central London streets and even used it as family transport over the Easter weekend.
Aside from some worn fabric on the seats, a sticky door handle and a vaguely rattly engine – something you could accuse any older diesel of, irrespective of mileage – there’s little to suggest this Golf has done anything more than the standard mileage of a 15-year-old motor.
The truth is, though, that this Golf S has been the picture of health throughout its life. It’s still on its original engine and the cylinder head has never been parted from the engine block. Aside from regular oil changes, a new cambelt every 60,000 miles, maintenance on the brakes and several clutches, the Golf has been an owner’s dream, and still manages to average more than 50mpg.
The drivers responsible for racking up this incredible mileage are Roy Dyson and wife Doreen, who regularly used it to travel from their Devon home up to Lancashire. The couple had family and friends there, having left the area after selling Roy’s wholesale food delivery business.
The Dysons purchased the car in May 2002 from Northfield Volkswagen, Cirencester, with just 6,021 miles on the clock, and soon racked up some serious mileage on many days and weekends away. By the end of 2002, the Golf was on 30,000, and just over two years after purchase, it crossed the 100,000 barrier. But Roy and Doreen didn’t stop there, and by August 2006, they’d passed 200,000.
It wasn’t until the car clocked up 300,000 that it recorded its only breakdown, when a failed alternator
was replaced by the AA at the roadside. In fact, the only time it failed to make it home under its own steam was in the winter of 2010, when a snowstorm trapped them in the car and they had to use their trusty Golf as lodgings for the night. Dodgy weather was also responsible for the Golf’s only accident, when it slid on ice and damaged a door panel.
It’s a remarkable story, but just goes to show why you shouldn’t discount something just because of its mileage. The romance of keeping a car for so long aside, buying a high-miler can also represent great value, as you all but nullify one of the biggest motoring expenses: depreciation.
Of course, as with any used car, there are pitfalls to avoid when buying. We caught up with Luv Datta, of Shire Car Sales near Bromsgrove, Worcs, for some expert advice on how to avoid picking up a money pit.
He said: “Go through the service history with a fine-tooth comb and see who has done the work, what they’ve done and when. Look at the car’s MOT history – you can do so for free at gov.uk/check-mot-history. If the car has failed regularly and racked up lots of advisories, you know it hasn’t been cared for. And don’t be afraid to invest in a professional inspection.”
Some of the best used vehicles are ex-company cars, because they’ll have covered high motorway mileage and will likely have been serviced properly.
And don’t be put off by a car that’s had lots of money spent on it, because big bills show it’s been cared for. It’s also worth considering that these high-mileage cars are much cheaper than a low-mileage equivalent, so you can afford to spend some of the cash saved on repairs.
Take a 60,000-mile 2012 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI Zetec for example. According to Glass’s Guide, it’s worth almost £7,000 in a private sale, but with a mileage of 160,000 its value plummets to just £4,000. You can pay for a lot of parts and labour with that spare £3,000.
Datta added: “When a car reaches 100,000 miles it can become really hard to find a buyer. However, most buyers turn their noses up once there are 70,000 miles on the clock, although high-mileage cars can represent a real bargain.”
“With more than half a million miles, this 51-reg Golf never missed a beat during its week-long road test”