Looking for something with better mileage then my current vehicle....
So, my question is this: better to buy newer with higher mileage or older with less mileage? Same car model for the same price. Case in point, found an 02 Miata with 174k for 7k, yes it is overpriced, but clearly all freeway miles, or a 96 with 85k?
In my experience, mileage means nothing. Buy the best condition car. Almost all of the "low mile" cars I've purchased have turned out to be POS's, whereas almost all of my extremely high mileage ones have been superb.
I have similar "guidelines"
Condition Mileage Year
Cars tend not to just rot so years aren't as important as mileage (there are the exceptions)
I would recommend finding the vehicle your interested in quirks.
I barely look at the mileage, except to use it as a negotiating point. If a car has a lot of miles and runs really well, it was probably taken care of.
When looking for a mileage vehicle, I picked up my zx2 that I had to bring back from the green mile. 1000 followed by replacing every sensor in the car. She has 122000 on her now and runs great. In putting a new clutch, front pads and rotors along with springs just for measure.
Depends on how much work you want to risk doing, really.
Javelin wrote: In my experience, mileage means nothing. Buy the best *condition* car. Almost all of the "low mile" cars I've purchased have turned out to be POS's, whereas almost all of my extremely high mileage ones have been superb.
This. Only thing I'd add is that if it's all possible, buy from someone in one of our various enthusiast communities (our guys, marque club, your autoX or race gang). 93 times out of 100, the seller will be more honest about its condition, and the thing will probably have been maintained better as well.
And 5 of the other 7 will just be stuff about to fail that the guy honestly just didn't know about (and will be so embarassed that he'll help ya fix it).
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