Making a case for buying a high mileage car

"WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe" (wesbarton89)
01/30/2015 at 13:26 • Filed to: None

Tomorrow, as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I'm going to look at a 2000 Infiniti I30. Every option available, solid engine and transmission, interior and exterior seem to be in excellent condition from when I glanced past it before. It has somewhere around 243k miles from what the seller can remember.

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Now, like I said, when I peeked at the car previously, the body was straight with no rust or dents, and the leather interior looked immaculate, and I would've guessed it had less than 150k miles. Not so. 243k is a lot. The car has the lauded VQ30DE-K 3.0L V6 motor that also went in the Maximas, and they still use the VQ3x motors in their vehicles today, and from what I've researched, they are one of the best types of engines put in a car. The VQ30DE made Ward's 10 Best every year from 1995-2001, which I believe, is every year that particular engine was used.

I've bought, driven, and ridden in many high mileage vehicles. I had a 1998 Mazda Millenia S, which I paid $1,100 for back in 2011. It had 201k miles, and was one of the best vehicles I ever owned. No problems whatsoever with the engine or transmission. I'm sure, had it not caught fire from a short in the battery cable, it would've made it to 300k without much of an issue. In fact, the only issues I ever encountered with that car were a CEL on for a MAP sensor, and the light was on so long, the bulb actually burnt out. The catalytic converter also went out on it. Beyond that, it made it to somewhere near 211k miles by the time it died. This was close to 10k miles I put on from mid-February to mid-August, so about six months. In fact, I did two down-and-back trips to Baltimore (nearly 400 miles round trip) in a one week period in this car, without a problem, in addition to the regular driving I did around home, which probably equated to 1500 miles within just that one week. That engine took everything I threw at it, and I had it up past 100 at least twice. No fuss, no problems. Yes, it's a different engine than the Infiniti, a much smaller 2.3L V6 Supercharged Miller Cycle Engine.

Back in 2005, my mom bought a 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue. She paid less than $4000 for this car, and it was barely 6 years old. It had close to 165k on it when she bought it. By the time I wrecked it 5 years later, it was hitting close to 200k. Again, no problems, never broke down, and it made several trips down and back to North Carolina, which is roughly 500 miles one way. This car had the GM 3800, which was a really good engine overall.

My stepdad's truck, it's a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500. He bought it back in 2005 with 96k miles on it. It's got the 5.9L V8. It now has 200k+ miles, and still runs without a problem. Good engine, good transmission.

My mom's best friend drives an old Honda Accord, and it's fast approaching 400k miles. If that ain't reliable right there...

So, what I'm saying is, if you find a car you like, and it has exceptionally high mileage, don't sweat it. If the car is well maintained, it shouldn't be an issue. All these high mileage vehicles in my experience, have been exceedingly well maintained, and I don't see 200k+ mile cars as something to stay away from, but something to be proud of. You can say, "look at how many miles my car has, I know it's reliable, and well taken care of, or else it wouldn't have lasted so long!"

Take Irv Gordon's old Volvo P1800 for example. It has something like 3,000,000 miles on it, at least. There are many other cars out there with over a million, or half a million, and I see that as a symbol of pride, a badge of honor. No engine will run for an infinite amount of miles, but if you buy a car with 200k on it, and it lasts another 150k miles, then I'd say you have your money's worth. Cars were made to be driven. Buy those high mileage cars, put more on them! Don't shy away from it!

Aspire to get high mileage, my friends!

DISCUSSION (21)

Nisman > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 13:36

I had a VQ30 Maxima with 180k when I sold it because automatic. I wish I still had it because my 5th gen is not built nearly aswell. The VQ35 is OK but everything else feels cheap. 4th gen maximas and i30s are just plain nicely built.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 13:42

I don't really worry about mileage with engines as long as the engine feels fine. Automatic transmissions scare me, however. Any idea what the service history's like?

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
01/30/2015 at 13:45

From what the guy told me, his fiancee's father-in-law owned a Nissan/Infiniti dealership, and it had regularly scheduled services and oil changes, and it's all documented. I believe he said they still have all the service records, so if that is the case, then it's an excellent service history.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 13:46

Yeah, if they actually did the AT maintenance on schedule like they're supposed to, it should last.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Nisman
01/30/2015 at 13:48

Well, this one is the equivalent to a 5th gen Maxima, though it separates itself a little more on the body style, but it is before the change to the VQ35. I figure I should be ok. 180k is a pretty good amount, I'd be happy with that.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
01/30/2015 at 13:49

Well, if it's lasted this long, I'd say I should be good. I'll find out tomorrow for sure.

cretony38 > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 13:52

My '76 motorcycle has 176k and as we say in BMW terms "just getting broke in" I've rebuilt all of the engine, driveline, charging system and all for a hundreds of dollars as opposed to a new equivalent model for about $16,000.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 13:55

Psychologically I'm trying to get away from the "high mileage = scary problems" fallacy. It's even affecting me in my current car...but that may be because one of the mechanics at my tuner said he's not sure he'd ever seen a 150,000 mile modified WRX before.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 14:05

That's pretty much how I feel about old engines. Still feel like it's a crap-shoot with auto transmissions, though. Good luck!

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Aaron M - MasoFiST
01/30/2015 at 14:11

I was in that same boat myself, until I'd experienced these high mileage vehicles. 150k on a WRX is something to be proud of. It's capable. I mean, it's gone around the entire world almost 20 times. Think of it that way. The Earth is almost 8,000 miles in diameter. At 150k miles, you've traveled that distance somewhere close to 19 times. Be happy. High mileage CAN mean bad things, but there's always a chance of things happening with low mileage cars too. My stepdad's transmission went out on his '12 Ram 3500 Diesel Dually, and it had less than 20k miles. Things happen, but they can happen at either end of the spectrum.

T5Killer > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 14:14

My 96 Legacy has 370k miles on it. I used to daily drive it until this month went a CV shaft went and I haven't had time to fix it. My 95 Cobra has 160k on it since I daily drove it for about 10 years.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 14:16

Well said. I'm trying to get it to 200k at least, and even the repairs that are essentially inevitable (valve cover gaskets, emissions air injection system) are way less than a car payment.

Just4GP > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 14:46

My '86 300ZX had close to 250K on the clock when I sold it. It was burning some oil but was still strong and pretty trouble free as long as I ran 91 octane. Otherwise I'd get a little knocking. It sat around for a good year before the previous owner finally let me buy it. Then I let it sit after I bought my 93 SC400. It didn't do so well not bring run regularly.

The Lexus had 250K when I traded it in. The engine was just as strong as the day I bought it with just 130K miles on it. Had it not been for the PS pump killing the alternator every 6 months (bad leak) and the rear suspension, I'd probably still have it.

I hope to have the same luck with my 2003 CL55. I have a feeling that the German gremlins will destroy the electrical system before I hit 200K. Wish me luck.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Just4GP
01/30/2015 at 14:59

Well, I've noticed that Japanese cars do especially well with getting up there in miles, but that's just in my personal experience, and may not be true. Hopefully your CL55 makes it to that point. How many miles are on it now?

Nisman > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 16:59

TBH I like the looks of the Maxima better but the I30 is better in other ways. You'll get plenty of miles out of the transmission. The only issue I had with that car was coil packs and it always told me which one was bad. Nothing a $15 trip to pull a part couldn't fix.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Nisman
01/30/2015 at 17:19

Yeah, coil packs aren't too bad. And if the engine and tranny were to go bad, I could get an engine with 67k miles for $750 and transmission with 98k for $275. That ain't bad at all.

Just4GP > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 18:49

I hope so. I bought it at 88K 2 1/2 years ago. I'm sitting at 128K now.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Just4GP
01/30/2015 at 18:53

Well, at the rate you're putting miles on, it should hit 200k by 2020. I've never owned a car longer than a year and a half, so I'd 2 1/2 years already is pretty good.

Just4GP > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
01/30/2015 at 19:24

I love driving it. Despite being 10+ years old, it still hauls ass like no other. People usually don't believe me when I say it's an 03. I'd like to think that I'll have it for ever. I thought the same thing about almost every other car I've owned. Somehow or another, that just never happens. I'd like to get something smaller and lighter like a Golf R that I can use a commuter car but still zip around in as s second car. Unfortunately my budget doesn't see it that way.

nomcore > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe
02/01/2015 at 22:54

The earth is nearly 25,000 miles in circumference, which is how far you would be traveling to circle around it, not 8,000 miles, unless you went straight through the core (and even then, that would only take you to the opposite side).

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > nomcore
02/02/2015 at 08:51

Ah! You're right. I knew something wasn't right. Ok, well 150k is six round trips. My new car is 300 miles short of 10 trips around.