How much mileage is good for a used car? (2024)

How Much Mileage Is Good for a Used Car?

There are many reasons why buying a used car rather than a new car is a wise choice. But there are also factors that should be taken into consideration before purchasing a used car. Good mileage is one them. But how much mileage is good for a used car? Here’s what to know before purchasing a used car.

As a general rule of thumb, 15,000 miles a year is considered an “average” number of miles per year. So, a car that is five years old would have about 75,000 miles to be considered “average.” Anything significantly more, and a car is considered to be “high mileage.” Anything significantly less, and it’s a “low mileage” car.

But, don’t assume a car is in good condition because it has “low” or “average” miles — or that it is in bad condition if it has “high” miles. Many modern cars with 100K-150K miles are in great condition and will easily go another 100K. However, if a car has not been maintained properly and has been driven hard or previously wrecked, it can be junk with only 30K miles on the odometer.

Be cautious if a used car is nearing a service milestone but hasn’t been taken in by its previous owner. It could mean extra and unexpected costs. A smart choice is to buy a pre-owned car that has been serviced at each of these milestones:

At 3,000 miles
At 6,000 miles
At 12,000 miles
At 15,000 miles
At 30,000 miles
At 45,000 miles
At 60,000 miles
At 100,000 miles

Carousel 2serving Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, North Liberty, Marion, and Coralville, IA is proud to be an automotive leader in our community. Since opening our doors, Carousel 2 has maintained a solid commitment to you, our customers. We do our best to ensure your complete satisfaction every time you step into our car dealership. This is why we offer the widest selection of used and pre-owned Cars, Trucks, and SUVs and provide true ease of purchase in Iowa.

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