What’s the oldest used car you should buy?
A car that is more than 10 years old may lack modern safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, or advanced airbag systems, which are becoming standard on newer models. If safety and technology are priorities for you, then a vehicle older than a decade might not meet your needs. Cars are usually reliable for up to five years if they’ve been looked after. But a well-maintained 10-year-old car could be a better investment than a newer model that hasn’t been cared for as well. Budget is also a major factor. The older the model, the lower the cost.A car that is 5 years old but has been driven 100,000 miles may have more wear and tear than a 7-year-old vehicle with only 60,000 miles. That said, modern cars, especially models known for reliability, like those from Toyota or Honda, can easily last well beyond 100,000 miles if properly maintained.In the automotive world, the industry standard for average annual mileage is about 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year. Based on this: A 5-year-old car should have roughly 60,000 to 75,000 miles on the odometer to be considered average.A good age for a used car is between 2 and 5 years because, by that time, the steep part of the depreciation curve has passed while the vehicle can still be considered fairly new.
What is the best mileage to buy a second hand car?
To assess a used car’s mileage, multiply its age by 10,000. For example, a five-year-old car should have no more than 50,000 miles. If it’s significantly higher than this, investigate the car’s service and MoT history. Keep in mind that “high mileage” can vary depending on the car’s make, model, and condition. For Used Cars, What’s the Optimal Mileage to Look For? For the most part, you want to look for low mileage used cars. There’s no rule to how many miles on a used car is too much, but by attempting to stick to the 12,000 miles per year rule is a great place to start.Why Age Matters. Age represents the time since the vehicle was manufactured regardless of how much it has been driven. While mileage often gets more attention age can be equally important because cars deteriorate over time even when not driven.As a general rule, you should assume that the average car owner puts 12,000 miles on a car each year. To determine whether a car has reasonable mileage, you can simply multiply 12,000 by its age. That means good mileage for a car that’s 5 years old is 60,000.Average mileage for a 20-year-old car typically ranges from 150,000 to 200,000 miles. Well-maintained cars can still perform reliably, even with high mileage. Maintenance history is crucial for assessing a vehicle’s condition and reliability. Highway miles usually indicate less wear compared to city driving.
Which car brand has the least problems?
Of 26 brands, Lexus and Toyota top the list with a commanding advantage over third-ranked Mazda. All three brands have consistently earned average or better reliability ratings over the years. Honda and Acura round up the top five. According to a recent study by Consumer Reports, Toyota and Lexus were the most reliable vehicles in 2022.Consumer Reports places Subaru, Lexus, and Toyota among the top brands for overall reliability, particularly for hybrids and SUVs. Specific models like the Toyota RAV4, Corolla, and Camry repeatedly appear on Canada’s most reliable car lists for 2025.The Cadillac Lyriqis the most unreliable vehicle for 2025. Its predicted reliability score of 53 out of 100 is well below every other vehicle on the market.