You can take two cars.

One has 100,000 miles on the clock for $7500 and looks great.

The other has 300,000 miles on the clock for the same, and looks great.


Nice you think, so you buy the car with 100,000 miles. Only that car has done its 100,000 miles in stop-start traffic, hasn't ever been driven for more than 5 mile trips, has been up and down through the gears every couple of minutes, and never gets the chance to warm up properly.

Meanwhile, the 300,000 mile car, which has been going up and down the freeway its entire life, which hasn't been driven through pot-holes and up and down sidewalks (argh I hate using American words! ), cruising at 70mph in the same gear all the time, sits unsold because people have this thing about mileage.


If the car looks in great condition, if the engine doesn't smoke and doesn't leak, if there are no funny noises, if the oil has been changed regularly, if the body is free of rust, and if the transmission makes all the correct noises - I'd go with that car. 300,000 miles or 100,000 miles - its immaterial. What matters is condition. If the oil has been changed regularly, I bet that engine will be in wonderful condition.

I do admire you guys for running older cars. Over here, such a car would be practically worthless. Crying shame IMO.