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cars with high mileage
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By *erryg OP TV/TS
over a year ago
denton |
some people still look for cars with low miles, i think with motorways car do more than they did 50 years ago, eg i travel to burnley daily 32k, thats 64 a day, approx 1 hour actual engine hours, a friend works near town drives spends up to 30 mins in traffic and same back, so covers 12k a day i do 5x that, but engine parts cambelt etc same running hours, i would think a counter recording running hours as well is a good idea, the gearbox on my friends went after 30k, plus clutch needed changing |
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By *erryg OP TV/TS
over a year ago
denton |
in my fathers day they didnt go far, we went to torquay in august used to take 9 to 12 hours, now traffic free ish about 5 hrs, he travelled 2 mile to work, as in his day most worked within 5 miles of home, so high mileage was rare. when i drive to burnley it takes 3 mile for engine to reach normal temp, i wouldnt buy a car that has low miles thats been used on a school run, as ive seen people run kids not even half a mile, engine will mostly run cold |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Higher mileage cars wipp be more likely to have been looked after service wise as they were on the road more. Also generally motorway mileage is far less stressful on components than short town trips etc.
I have 2 mondeos, one on 220k and one on 155k (55 & 57 plates). Both are in mint mechanical condition as I rely on them for my business so spend what needs spending.
A well looked after diesel engine should do 250k + providing oil has been done regularly and service items have been done.
At high mileage look for a big pile of receipts and you should get a good car. Always a gamble though, have had brand new cars that were less reliable than "bangers". |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"some people still look for cars with low miles, i think with motorways car do more than they did 50 years ago, eg i travel to burnley daily 32k, thats 64 a day, approx 1 hour actual engine hours, a friend works near town drives spends up to 30 mins in traffic and same back, so covers 12k a day i do 5x that, but engine parts cambelt etc same running hours, i would think a counter recording running hours as well is a good idea, the gearbox on my friends went after 30k, plus clutch needed changing"
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I couldn't agree more, I've never understood people who equate low mileage as better condition...
Condition is condition and millage is millage.
I'm just about to go past the 300k mark on my vw 2.5 5cyl lump, you wouldn't know it from a 30k one |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Worse car I ever brought was also the lowest mileage. It had so many problems ... Yet one of my best buys was a k reg 3 series coupe... Had over 250k... And never let me down but it has a huge stack of paper work.
Not applicable now as I have a lease car... But when I look for a car its mileage is not a factor really as long as it has the paperwork to back the mileage x |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I think people believe as mileage gets higher then major components are most likely to begin to fail. Had this conversation with my son recently as he wants a Golf as his first car, I said get a sdi but he wants the tdi and with his age think tdi will be more expensive if components failed along with insurance. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I don't think it is unreasonable to equate a cars vehicle with its likely hood of having issues but totally understand what you are saying in that you have no idea who has driven it previously or how they have driven it!
As a rule of thumb historically I have looked for cars with FSH and no more than 60/70k miles. I then tend to sell them at 80/90k. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My Alfa just went over 107,000 miles at the weekend. I regularly drive over 250 miles in a weekend and she never misses a beat. The key is plenty of good long runs and keeping on top of servicing and preventative maintenance. She's having all her belts, water pump, tensioners and idlers changed tomorrow (not really due for a year yet) and has her oil changed (using Fuchs Titan 5w/40) every 6,000 miles. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My Alfa just went over 107,000 miles at the weekend. I regularly drive over 250 miles in a weekend and she never misses a beat. The key is plenty of good long runs and keeping on top of servicing and preventative maintenance. She's having all her belts, water pump, tensioners and idlers changed tomorrow (not really due for a year yet) and has her oil changed (using Fuchs Titan 5w/40) every 6,000 miles."
Agree, I change my oil every 6k (mate works for millers) and have just had a full fluid change (every fluid in the car) aux belts tensioners, glow plugs, and a full suspension rebuild. Spent £750 on my 155k mondeo mk4,but run it 200miles a day up the m1 to Doncaster and get 45p a mile off my tax bill so it pays for itself.
Maintenance record and condition is way more important than what the odometer says. Know someone with a bmw 520d with 400k on the clock and it still drives well, again he does oil changes every 6k not the 20k that many manufacturers recommend. Oil is the life blood of an engine, good oil changed regularly = car that will keep on going!
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My Alfa just went over 107,000 miles at the weekend. I regularly drive over 250 miles in a weekend and she never misses a beat. The key is plenty of good long runs and keeping on top of servicing and preventative maintenance. She's having all her belts, water pump, tensioners and idlers changed tomorrow (not really due for a year yet) and has her oil changed (using Fuchs Titan 5w/40) every 6,000 miles.
Agree, I change my oil every 6k (mate works for millers) and have just had a full fluid change (every fluid in the car) aux belts tensioners, glow plugs, and a full suspension rebuild. Spent £750 on my 155k mondeo mk4,but run it 200miles a day up the m1 to Doncaster and get 45p a mile off my tax bill so it pays for itself.
Maintenance record and condition is way more important than what the odometer says. Know someone with a bmw 520d with 400k on the clock and it still drives well, again he does oil changes every 6k not the 20k that many manufacturers recommend. Oil is the life blood of an engine, good oil changed regularly = car that will keep on going!
"
I did my gearbox oil last week. That's the one a lot of people forget and main dealers only inspect for level at service time. I've uprated a few other parts that are know to cause problems, the turbo boost and vacuum pipes are now all silicone, the oil cooler is slightly bigger and has stainless steel unions rather than mild steel (no sudden failures) and the suspension bushes are polyurethane. I've also removed the EGR valve and swirl flaps which are about the biggest causes of problems to most modern diesel engines, thankfully the Alfa GT never had a stupid DPF but its now illegal to remove them anyway. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"My Alfa just went over 107,000 miles at the weekend. I regularly drive over 250 miles in a weekend and she never misses a beat. The key is plenty of good long runs and keeping on top of servicing and preventative maintenance. She's having all her belts, water pump, tensioners and idlers changed tomorrow (not really due for a year yet) and has her oil changed (using Fuchs Titan 5w/40) every 6,000 miles.
Agree, I change my oil every 6k (mate works for millers) and have just had a full fluid change (every fluid in the car) aux belts tensioners, glow plugs, and a full suspension rebuild. Spent £750 on my 155k mondeo mk4,but run it 200miles a day up the m1 to Doncaster and get 45p a mile off my tax bill so it pays for itself.
Maintenance record and condition is way more important than what the odometer says. Know someone with a bmw 520d with 400k on the clock and it still drives well, again he does oil changes every 6k not the 20k that many manufacturers recommend. Oil is the life blood of an engine, good oil changed regularly = car that will keep on going!
I did my gearbox oil last week. That's the one a lot of people forget and main dealers only inspect for level at service time. I've uprated a few other parts that are know to cause problems, the turbo boost and vacuum pipes are now all silicone, the oil cooler is slightly bigger and has stainless steel unions rather than mild steel (no sudden failures) and the suspension bushes are polyurethane. I've also removed the EGR valve and swirl flaps which are about the biggest causes of problems to most modern diesel engines, thankfully the Alfa GT never had a stupid DPF but its now illegal to remove them anyway."
Yes the swirl flaps are well known engine destroyers!
Gearbox oil done on mine the weekend just gone along with steering fluid, oil, coolant, brake fluid. I found a company in swadlincote that custom makes silicone hoses last forever and look good. Have to admit I didn't go for poly bushes as I find them too harsh for motorway crusing, they are ace on sportier cars though and do last forever  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I've not poly-bushed the lower wishbone arms because that really does make then ride harsh and its completely unnecessary. The upper wishbone bushes are prone to fail and swapping them for poly's makes sense. The ride is no harsher than before but they can squeak a bit when they're cold, silicone grease helps with that though |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I've not poly-bushed the lower wishbone arms because that really does make then ride harsh and its completely unnecessary. The upper wishbone bushes are prone to fail and swapping them for poly's makes sense. The ride is no harsher than before but they can squeak a bit when they're cold, silicone grease helps with that though"
Ahh yes for the tops good call, once drove a 330D with poly bushes all round and it was like driving on square wheels! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I've not poly-bushed the lower wishbone arms because that really does make then ride harsh and its completely unnecessary. The upper wishbone bushes are prone to fail and swapping them for poly's makes sense. The ride is no harsher than before but they can squeak a bit when they're cold, silicone grease helps with that though
Ahh yes for the tops good call, once drove a 330D with poly bushes all round and it was like driving on square wheels! "
There's very few cars that its a good idea to poly the lowers on. The Alfa Brera/159/Spider is about the only one (theyre all the same chasis and floorplan) that springs to mind. On those the difference is dramatic |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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We tend to do oil changes with good oil like castor edge more often than recommend. We change the oil on our current car every 5k. Never drive it hard when cold either. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"My Alfa just went over 107,000 miles at the weekend. I regularly drive over 250 miles in a weekend and she never misses a beat. The key is plenty of good long runs and keeping on top of servicing and preventative maintenance. She's having all her belts, water pump, tensioners and idlers changed tomorrow (not really due for a year yet) and has her oil changed (using Fuchs Titan 5w/40) every 6,000 miles.
Agree, I change my oil every 6k (mate works for millers) and have just had a full fluid change (every fluid in the car) aux belts tensioners, glow plugs, and a full suspension rebuild. Spent £750 on my 155k mondeo mk4,but run it 200miles a day up the m1 to Doncaster and get 45p a mile off my tax bill so it pays for itself.
Maintenance record and condition is way more important than what the odometer says. Know someone with a bmw 520d with 400k on the clock and it still drives well, again he does oil changes every 6k not the 20k that many manufacturers recommend. Oil is the life blood of an engine, good oil changed regularly = car that will keep on going!
I did my gearbox oil last week. That's the one a lot of people forget and main dealers only inspect for level at service time. I've uprated a few other parts that are know to cause problems, the turbo boost and vacuum pipes are now all silicone, the oil cooler is slightly bigger and has stainless steel unions rather than mild steel (no sudden failures) and the suspension bushes are polyurethane. I've also removed the EGR valve and swirl flaps which are about the biggest causes of problems to most modern diesel engines, thankfully the Alfa GT never had a stupid DPF but its now illegal to remove them anyway."
.
I sometimes get the feeling, you've taken down the page 3 calendar in the shed and replaced it with an Alfa calendar!...
Can't wait till April... She's got her bonnet up and top down... Filthy  |
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By *hoenixmanMan
over a year ago
Where men are men, and sheep are nervous...! |
For the last 15 years, I have been taking people to airports for a living. Between 2006 and 2010, I used a Peugeot 607 SE for this. I bought it at CarGiant in W London with 56k on the clock.
When I scrapped it (yes, scrapped at 6 years old...), it had done 399,400 miles and, according to Peugeot GB, it was by far the highest mileage 607 in the UK.
It still looked great inside and out, but was beaten by the emission control equipment around the 2ltr turbo diesel engine, which had started to pack up. It would have cost about £3,500 to replace all the emission control gear, but the car was by then practically worthless in terms of resale.
Due to it being a licensed private hire vehicle, it had had EIGHT MoT's at the point it was scrapped - and passed them all with not a single advisory...
Wish Peugeot had replaced it with a 608 cos I would have bitten their arms off to have one....  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"My Alfa just went over 107,000 miles at the weekend. I regularly drive over 250 miles in a weekend and she never misses a beat. The key is plenty of good long runs and keeping on top of servicing and preventative maintenance. She's having all her belts, water pump, tensioners and idlers changed tomorrow (not really due for a year yet) and has her oil changed (using Fuchs Titan 5w/40) every 6,000 miles.
Agree, I change my oil every 6k (mate works for millers) and have just had a full fluid change (every fluid in the car) aux belts tensioners, glow plugs, and a full suspension rebuild. Spent £750 on my 155k mondeo mk4,but run it 200miles a day up the m1 to Doncaster and get 45p a mile off my tax bill so it pays for itself.
Maintenance record and condition is way more important than what the odometer says. Know someone with a bmw 520d with 400k on the clock and it still drives well, again he does oil changes every 6k not the 20k that many manufacturers recommend. Oil is the life blood of an engine, good oil changed regularly = car that will keep on going!
I did my gearbox oil last week. That's the one a lot of people forget and main dealers only inspect for level at service time. I've uprated a few other parts that are know to cause problems, the turbo boost and vacuum pipes are now all silicone, the oil cooler is slightly bigger and has stainless steel unions rather than mild steel (no sudden failures) and the suspension bushes are polyurethane. I've also removed the EGR valve and swirl flaps which are about the biggest causes of problems to most modern diesel engines, thankfully the Alfa GT never had a stupid DPF but its now illegal to remove them anyway..
I sometimes get the feeling, you've taken down the page 3 calendar in the shed and replaced it with an Alfa calendar!...
Can't wait till April... She's got her bonnet up and top down... Filthy "
You've obviously been in my shed!  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"We tend to do oil changes with good oil like castor edge more often than recommend. We change the oil on our current car every 5k. Never drive it hard when cold either. "
Castor oil! I bet it's fun in your car on long journeys!  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Volvo V70 D5 diesel auto. 250,000 miles and never uses a drop of oil. "
I had an Alfa 146 Sportwagon, fun to drive but damn, everything went wrong with it. I complained about oil usage, they topped it up, told me to bring it back after 1000 miles. I took it back after 900 as I was heading for the South coast, it took 4 litres to top it up again. I was told this is normal for a Tspark engine. Try the other one bud, I wasn't born yesterday. Biggest heap of junk I have ever had. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Volvo V70 D5 diesel auto. 250,000 miles and never uses a drop of oil.
I had an Alfa 146 Sportwagon, fun to drive but damn, everything went wrong with it. I complained about oil usage, they topped it up, told me to bring it back after 1000 miles. I took it back after 900 as I was heading for the South coast, it took 4 litres to top it up again. I was told this is normal for a Tspark engine. Try the other one bud, I wasn't born yesterday. Biggest heap of junk I have ever had."
A litre every thousand miles is normal fo a T-Spark due to the block design. 4 litres is basically knackered! |
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By *oddamnCouple
over a year ago
leicestershire |
Very valid point by the OP about hours used. Just swapped my 119k Saab that was on the original clutch.
But have you seen how expensive clutches and turbos are? I might have been facing an unexpected £800 bill at any point, more if it stopped during my frequent trips to Europe. I now have a new car that at least has a European wide warranty. It costs me about £60 a month more than the Saab cost in deprecation and MOT's, which in my opinion is a wise spend. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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There's a milage sweetspot of over 3k per year but under 15k ish where it seems to do cars no harm.
Low mileage stop start kills cars so quickly.
Changed the 'sealed for life' gear oil in my car last night with Motul 75w80 synthetic at 35,000.
As i watched the oil drain into the pan it went from clear greenish to a mother of pearl effect - it was the metallic fragments held in suspension coming out with the moisture and other shit.
Glad I did now it's very smooth indeed and Know it's right. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"There's a milage sweetspot of over 3k per year but under 15k ish where it seems to do cars no harm.
Low mileage stop start kills cars so quickly.
Changed the 'sealed for life' gear oil in my car last night with Motul 75w80 synthetic at 35,000.
As i watched the oil drain into the pan it went from clear greenish to a mother of pearl effect - it was the metallic fragments held in suspension coming out with the moisture and other shit.
Glad I did now it's very smooth indeed and Know it's right. "
I used Fuchs 75w90 fully synth. The difference is amazing...  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I considered Fuchs and Redline MTL, but curious to try Motul- also it's a lightly loaded gearbox so an 80 upper is perfect.
More like a motorbike box.
I regularly change all the fluids when required on my cars. For a little outlay it gets better protection and fends off problems.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Recently inherited an old Mitsubishi Pajero from my uncle. Has 350k on the clock and has been everywhere. He bought it brand new in 1991 when he lived in Cyprus and driven it over the holy lands, the Alps and com Cyprus to Scotland 3 times a year for 15 years.
I have now got her and toured the Highlands of Scotland last year
Got all receipts of work done
Still minted |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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We had a merc 190d with over 500k miles on it. Only hoofed it as the clutch cable went and it was cheaper to get another car than replace.
Also had a double deck coach that had 1.3m kms on the clock and still managed a few Euro tours before we sold it on.
F |
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Our Nissan Navarna has done 203,000 in 9 years. Some very hard towing too for a lot of its life. Had 2 clutches and various other parts. Always changed the engine oil regularly though,often before the book says.
As with all cars it depends greatly on the driver etc. |
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