When buying a car it is important to do a thorough analysis of its condition. Know what variables to take into account to reduce the margin of error.
One of the variables most evaluated by customers when buying used cars is he mileage. It makes sense, because knowing how much the engine ran can be a important indicator of the general condition of the car and its remaining useful life. This even impacts prices, in general. the more miles the vehicle has, the lower the resale value it has.
The importance of mileage
Taking into account the mileage of a used car is important since the fewer kilometers it has indicates that it may have a longer useful life. However, it is important to take into account other factors that also affect reliability when choosing as the brandhe model year of manufacture and the maintenance that was made to it throughout its useful life, among others. Therefore, it is recommended to take into account the number indicated by the odometer as one more variable in the total sum of factors.
Used cars
Mariano Fuchila
For a reference, the average annual mileage of an Argentine is in the range of 12,000 and 15,000 kilometers and the useful life cycle of an average car is between 300,000 and 500,000 kilometers. This number varies and depends on the maintenance that the car receives, among other variables related to the given use.
Relationship between year and mileage
Another point to keep in mind is that the older the car, the more defining is the number that the odometer shows. For example, if the model’s manufacturing date is, say, 2018 and the car has been well maintained, even though its mileage is high, it is most likely in good general condition and will last for several more years. If, on the other hand, it is an old model, a mileage above 100,000 is almost a guarantee that, sooner rather than later, there will be mechanical problems.
The importance of maintenance
Another variable to take into account is the maintenance of the cars. To know this, the owners of the vehicle can be asked for the history record that can provide proof of the maintenance that was done. Any workshop or dealership has to provide this documentation and it is a good way to show the seller that a rigorous analysis is going to be carried out. Through these papers, for example, it can be shown if the car kept its original bodywork, or if it had to be changed because it crashed.
used cars.jpg
mechanical inspection
When buying a used car, it’s important to keep in mind that sellers can do makeover fixes and adjustments to attract buyers. That may include a modification to the odometer numbers. Therefore, as a buyer it is important that you request a mechanical inspection before making a purchase.
The risks of overuse and disuse
It is always important to find out what type of use the vehicle you intend to buy had, if it was given private, work, intensive or very little use. If it had a lot of use, it can be assumed that the car was more exposed to all possible eventualities of the road environment. One way to tell if a car had a excessive use is if the total mileage number divided by the number of years of use, give a result much higher than 15,000 kilometers per year.
At the other extreme is disuse. When a car has been “very parked” and barely used, it is not ridiculous to ponder the possibility that it has problems with parts such as tires, seals and gaskets. This is because they are Rubber components that with use tend to prolong their useful life, and without use over time lose their effectiveness. Although it is not infallible and these cases are the least, a warning sign to identify a disused car is when the mileage is very low and the price seems to be a bargain.
Source: Ambito
