Used cars: How age and mileage impact price

If you’re shopping for a pre-owned vehicle, the factors you should pay attention to are mileage, age and condition. In this blog post we explore the age vs mileage debate, but when it comes to buying used cars, the most important thing to look for is an up-to-date car service and maintenance record.

When shopping for a used car, find the right balance between age and mileage, because these two factors will impact a car’s overall condition and price. Understanding each of the two in relation to your needs is vital when making a purchase decision.

While you might think the lower the mileage the better, that is not always true, although a vehicle with a high mileage reading will cost a lot less. This is because cars with higher mileage are more prone to wear and tear, and so are more likely to break down. Engine power also tends to decrease over time.

A reasonable mileage would range from 15,000 to 20,000km per year, with anything beyond that considered high mileage. A 5-year-old car with normal usage would typically have about 100,000 km on its odometer gauge, for example.

Used cars tend to work better if they spend a considerable amount of time on the road. So, while you might want to purchase a car with a low mileage, you need to avoid a car with a relatively old age but with incredibly low mileage. This could simply indicate that the car was lying idle for too long. Cars that haven’t been used in a while often tend to need a few repairs to get them going again.

When it comes to age, the newer the model the better.

Newer cars come with better technologies. Manufacturers invest billions in research and development and are always in a race to improve their offerings year on year.

Take the Volkswagen Golf as an example. While a 2018 and 2020 Golf might seem identical in appearance, the latter is most certainly the better machine. The car comes with more advanced safety features, a better infotainment system, and is also more fuel economic.

Of course, the newer model will most certainly cost a bit more, but it’s also almost always the better buy.

One other thing to keep in mind is the year of registration. Two identical cars with the same mileage and a year's difference in registration could be priced very differently, in fact, the difference in price could be up to R 50,000.

You will be happy to know that cars listed on the MotorHappy website are thoroughly inspected before being listed for sale. Not only are they guaranteed to be in a good roadworthy condition, but they also come at a good price. Go ahead and have a look, who knows - you just might find what you’re looking for. Click here to start shopping for your previously-loved car.