What Is Considered High Mileage for a Car?

In today’s blog post, we will answer the question, “what is considered high mileage for a car?“. We’ll discuss how different types of driving affect the overall mileage on a vehicle.

Furthermore, we’ll discuss what vehicle problems are typically associated with high mileage vehicles. As well as how it affects selling your car.

We are a professional scrap car removal company that has been buying and scrapping cars in the Lower Mainland since 2005. Our blog is comprised of our own firsthand experience with vehicles in this industry.

What’s Considered High Mileage for a Vehicle?

Every vehicle has an expiration date all its own. And that date typically depends on a variety of factors.

Vehicle brands, maintenance history, accident history, repair history, driving conditions, and even the model of vehicle can all be determining factors in how long your vehicle will run.

Subsequently, that means that giving a specific number to let you know when a car has actually reached “high mileage’ status can be tricky.

Does My Car Have High Mileage?

However, on average, many vehicles these days start to incur mechanical problems around the 150,000 km mark. The best way to discern is your vehicle has high mileage is not just to look at the overall number, but to assess how that number was accumulated.

Average mileage is about 15,000-20,000 kms per year of driving on your vehicle. So, if your car is 5 years old and has 100,000 kms, that’s not high for the age and amount of driving done per year.

But if your car is only 2 years old and has 60,000 kms on it, that’s a bit higher than most, and can typically be considered high mileage for the year. You certainly won’t incur mechanical problems at this mileage, but it’s still considered “high” for its age.

How Do You Know If Your Car Has High Mileage?

Once you reach approximately 150,000-160,000 kms on a car, you’ll start to notice that the maintenance costs go up, and the repair bills start rolling in.

This is because many vital components start to break down around this level of mileage, no matter what make, model, or year of vehicle that you drive.

Thus, making one of the best ways to know if your car has high mileage is to identify what’s starting to breakdown and why.

The Most Common Problems At 150,000 kms of Mileage Include:

• Transmission issues
• Engine oil leaks
• Engine overheating
• A/C problems
• Electrical issues from loose or broken wiring
• Various Alternator issues
• Battery failure
• Timing belt/chain wear and tear
• Brake system failure (especially ABS systems)

The Most Common Repairs Needed At 150,000 kms of Mileage Are:

• Ignition coil replacement
• Spark plugs
• Brake pads, rotors, calipers
• Battery replacement
• Alternator replacement
• A/C recharge, repair, or replacement
• Fuel pump/relay replacement
• Shocks/strut replacement

As you can see, the issues you experience with an aging or high mileage vehicle are many. And very few of them are relatively cheap to repair.

Which is what often leads our customers to our scrap car removal services across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

How Much Mileage Is Too Much on a Car?

If you’re selling a car, whether privately, to a used car dealership, or to a new car dealership, most potential buyers won’t really consider a vehicle that is over 150,000 kms, unless you have great maintenance and repair records to show that it is not in disarray.

Fortunately, most Lower Mainland residents rely on our used car buying services here at More Cash For Scrap to sell a car with high mileage. Because unlike many local car buyers in Metro Vancouver, we buy vehicles in ANY condition.

High mileage commuter cars, tired and mechanically challenged daily drivers, non-running vehicles, and collision cars are always considered with our trusted cash for cars service.

What Cars Brands Last the Longest?

There are many different car brands out there these days. And while many boast about great warranties and impressive longevity, only a few brands have truly stood the test of time over the years.

These particular brands are known for vehicles consistently running to and beyond 400,000 kms. And some, like Honda, have been reported to have vehicles that reached over 1,000,000 kms on a single engine and transmission (with routine maintenance).

The Longest Running Car Brands Are:

1.Honda

Honda is best known for having remarkable longevity. As many people have flaunted on social media, the Honda Civic, particularly older models, have accrued as much as 1 million kilometers on a single engine.

So, if you’re thinking about buying or selling a Honda vehicle, you could easily sell it even if it has 200,000+ kilometers on it.

Give us a call if you’re thinking about selling one because we LOVE Honda automobiles!

2.Toyota

Another vehicle that we are passionate about buying; Toyota. Just like it’s rival Honda, Toyota cars and trucks can easily handle 200-300,000 kms on their odometer without blinking an eye. And this is why we love them.

Not only that, but repairs are fairly inexpensive, parts are easy to find, and with minimal maintenance, you can have a vehicle that will run for a solid 20 years plus.

3.Lexus

Made by Toyota, Lexus is another vehicle that has truly stood the test of time. While repairs are more bit more expensive, they are well worth it to keep one of these running.

Because not only do Lexus vehicles have great longevity, but they also maintain their resale value incredibly well. Which is why you should talk to us if you’re considering selling one.

We may buy scrap vehicles, but we also pay the MOST cash for cars made by Lexus, Toyota, Honda, and Acura. So, talk to one of our car buyers today before shopping around for a price.

4.Acura

Made by Honda, an Acura will easily reach 300,000 kilometres with regular maintenance and typical driving conditions.

It’s vehicles like these that make it hard to give an exact number of how much mileage is “too high”.

Because while a Kia may only run for 150,000 kms and then need a new engine or have other catastrophic issues, an Acura typically would not.

5.Subaru

Subaru is best known for their incredible and impeccable safety ratings. And if you watch their ads, that’s what they promote the most.

However, they are also known for building cars that last a very long time. Many Subaru owners swear by them and will often only ever own a Subaru after buying one. And that’s because of both the combined safety rating and reliability.

Subaru vehicles often last 20-30 years, and have been known to reach mileage of 300-350,000 kms, much like the other vehicles on our list of reliable car brands with the best longevity.

How Do I Keep My Car Running For A Long Time?

The best way to keep any vehicle on the road is to keep up with routine maintenance. This includes getting oil changes before or when they are due.

It also means having the vehicle routinely serviced by the dealership that it originated from. Additionally, it most certainly means that when your vehicle shows the first sign of a needed repair, you get it fixed by a licensed professional mechanic as soon as you notice an issue.

Ensuring that your vehicle is not being driven when it needs repairs not only increases the longevity of your vehicle, but it also prevents other mechanical failures from arising. Often when one thing goes, another follows if it’s not addressed promptly.

Is It Worth Selling a High Mileage Car?

This is a question we hear often in the scrap car removal industry. Because many people don’t feel that they should scrap their vehicle if it’s still running.

However, many are forced to due to high mileage and the inability to find a buyer that will offer them a decent or even fair price for their vehicle.

The short answer is yes, if your vehicle is in overall reasonable condition, selling it is worth it, even with high mileage. And at More Cash For Scrap, you’ll get MORE cash for cars with our scrap and used car buying services.

Cash for Scrap Cars in Vancouver

As a professional and trusted cash for cars service that has been providing scrap car removal and used car buying services across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley since 2005, it goes without saying that we are great at what we do.

However, we are known for MORE than just scrap car removal. Because unlike many local junk car buyers, we pay top dollar for non-scrap and running vehicles as well.

Whether you’re selling a junk vehicle, a running vehicle, a daily driver, or even an aging hybrid, you’ll get MORE cash for it when you choose More Cash For Scrap.

Should I Sell or Scrap My High Mileage Car?

Our scrap car buying experts can easily answer that question with just a little bit of information about the vehicle that you’re considering getting rid of.

Let us know the make, model, year, condition, mileage, and location of your vehicle. We’ll then consider a variety of factors and not only advise you on whether or not you should sell or scrap it but make you an offer on it either way.

If you accept our offer, we’ll arrange for a prompt pick-up of your car. Our services are provided 7 days a week, from 7:00 AM-11:00 PM. We also operate on most statutory holidays as well.

Contact Our Scrap Car Removal Team Today!

If you’d like to find out what your junk car, running, or non-running vehicle is worth, give us a call. We pay the most cash for junk, old, and unwanted vehicles in Metro Vancouver.

So, whether you’re selling a junk car, a barely driving vehicle, or a used car that’s in pretty good condition, you’ll get a fair price at More Cash For Scrap.

Plus, we offer MORE customer service. Along with MORE flexible scrap car pick-up times. And we pay MORE cash for scrap cars than the other guys!