What is more important in an old car - mileage or year of manufacture?

In the first three or four years, a new car, depending on the make and model, loses half its value. After that, the loss curve becomes smoother.

Models of this period are optimal for those who are looking for a used car with a good value for money. Such vehicles rarely have to spend a large amount on repairs.

One of the oldest questions when choosing such a car, which is more important: mileage or age of the car. According to the German inspection company DEKRA, the answer may be unequivocal on the basis of factors that were taken into account in the research process.

Mileage data

The average vehicle mileage for DEKRA is between 15 and 20 kilometers per year. The company concludes that low mileage when buying a used car is more important than age.

Why are kilometers so important? According to DEKRA, high mileage cars have more defects caused by the natural wear of parts (especially the powertrain). For cars that have been parked for a long time, the trend is the opposite.

The risk of defects, such as worn bearings, is higher for high mileage vehicles. Cracked anthers and dampers can be easily attributed to age, but they are not such a serious or expensive problem as the disadvantages arising from frequent use, as indicated by the large odometer figure.

DEKRA conclusions

DEKRA's findings are based on usability tests for about 15 million vehicles. In the analysis, vehicles were divided into four groups: mileage up to 50 thousand km, 50-100 thousand km, 100-150 thousand km, and 150-200 thousand km

It takes into account the disadvantages caused by typical use, including normal oil loss and bearing failure. Defects caused by poor maintenance, including worn tires or wiper blades, are not considered.

Additional factors

But not all experts agree. Some argue that this question cannot be answered so simply. As an argument, they also indicate the following criteria that should be taken into account:

• Where and how did the car go? It is important not only the number of kilometers traveled. At what speed, and on what roads did the car drive. This factor also matters.
• For the entire mileage the car went at short distances or long? Mileage, accumulated mainly when driving in long sections, much less leads to wear of a large group of parts in the car than kilometers traveled in short sections.
• Is a service history available? Low mileage is an advantage only with regular maintenance of the car. A look at a well-filled service book is also important.
• Where is the machine stored, how is it controlled and how is it treated? The question of whether this is a garage car and how it was looked after should also be taken into account. But even a garage garage difference. If it has an earthen floor and poor ventilation, then the machine stored in it will decay faster than if it just stood on the street in the rain and snow.

Questions and answers:

What is the normal mileage for a used car? Optimally, the car should cover about 20-30 thousand kilometers per year. but in some cases, thrifty motorists drive no more than 6000 km.

How much does a car drive in a year on average? Some people need a car only for weekend outings, while others wind up 40 thousand a year. For a 5-year-old car, the optimal mileage is no more than 70.

What is the best mileage to sell a car? Many people sell their car as soon as it has a warranty. Some companies give a guarantee for the first 100-150 thousand kilometers of run.