I am think of getting a Skoda Fabia VRS, probably a 2005 plate with 50K miles on the clock. My concern is that I remember the days when my parents cars were knackered after 60-70K miles and I still usually part with cars after they have done 60-70K as a maximum ( my fiesta just sold had 51K from an S Plate.
Can anyone give me some good advice as I dont really trust the fellas in the actual garages.....
Cheers
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Bought my Peugeot 405 a year ago with 166k on it, and did 700 miles in it yesterday....
Plenty of cars sold in the last ten years are good for 150k if well cared-for. Larger Skodas are well respected by the taxi trade, so they must be able to handle high miles.
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My current car is a Fiat Coupe, my last was an Alfa 145. Both would, by the majority on here, be considered 'fragile'; both have gone over 100,000 miles with no hint that they are ageing badly at all.
The Alfa stayed local and I still see it around from time to time, so it's still running, and I would guess is well above 120k by now. They don't wash her as much as they should though, philistines! What do they think she is? A VW or something? ;)
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Thirty years ago cars were knackered after 50k. Today, if you find a 2005 Skoda with 50k on it, it has probably made the best possible start to a life that might exceed 500k.
I am perfectly content to drive one MB with 140k on it and another with 175k, both early 1990s. For that matter I also feel that my 1984 Capri 2.8i will probably at least double its 75k before expiring.
Nothing wrong with high mileage as long as it has been underpinned with good maintenance. Indeed, high mileage can be considered better than low mileage in terms of engine health and other factors. See this:
www.ccbenz.co.uk/16180.html
among other sources (in deference to HJ's policy about ads, not hot linked).
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My last 5 vauxhalls have all covered more than 150K, the only serious issues I've had are head gasket failure on an Omega at 126K and a cavalier at 186K. 100K should be nothing to a modern car, unless that's 100,000 1 mile journeys.
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In fact with long interval servicing it could be argued that low mileage recent models have been less well-treated than an equivalent high-miler. Imagine a 3 year old car that's not yet done 20k - how many oil changes will it have had?
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I'd have no fears about that vRS, tested a Superb earlier this year with 120k on the clock at 3 years old and it was perfect - except for one scrape to the front bumper! A regular here, Dave Taxi Driver, reported running three Octavias as cabs - the first failure among them was a clutch replacement at 205,000 miles, with one car run to 300,000+.
You simply can't clock up 50,000 miles a year doing nothing but short runs to the shops, so as Roger says, this car has probably had the best start in life possible. Just make sure its had regular service to match the mileage at no more than 10,000 mile intervals as specified by Skoda.
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I drove a V plate Megane 2.0 the other day with 170,000 on it - apart from what felt like gone gearbox mounts (The gear lever actually moved upon acceleration) it was fine. Even the alloys were practically unmarked.
Went well too......
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Modern cars i.e. those made within the last 10-12 years are much more capable of high mileages than cars built in the 1970s and 80s. A five year old car with 120k on it may well be in a much better shape than a ten year old car with 20k on it, especially if the car with 120k on it has been mainly used for motorway cruising and has had oil and filter changes and coolant and cambelt changes at the recommended intervals. I bought my 306 1.9TD nearly four years ago when it was on 120k- it's now on 185k and still goes like a dream, gearbox is nice and smooth, the brakes sharp and the turbo works well. People laugh their heads off when I tell them how many miles the car has done.
Martin
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I have a 2005 Suzuki van and was speaking to an owner of an earlier one ( same model ) that has done over 300k in 4 years and thats a little 1300cc.
50k is simply run-in these days and even many 80's cars were good for 150k if looked after - I knew a guy with a 1984 Cavalier SRi with 275k on original engine and gearbox.
Just make sure the car has been looked after and all should be fine.
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Age and short runs kill cars -- not miles.
In the US even little cars average 150K -- all this fretting over mileage is silly IMO.
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In general modern cars can shake off phenomenal mileages (hence the continuing trade in haircuts). But make sure its genuine and that the car looks its mileage. A 200k Saab can look 50k, but don't be blinded by a recent plate and a shiny body, a 200k cars every component will have covered the ground and feel the wear.
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I think how the 50,000 was done is important. I would not *assume* motorway miles due to the high mileage.
I once put 130,000 miles on a car, doing house calls, and constant driving over poor local roads on a 40 miles a day commute and stop starting thousands of times entering and leaving the city in the rush hour..
I test drove another car of the same make that had done 70,000 miles and was surprised at how much * taughter* this car felt re suspension, less wear in the door hinges and generally much less *weary*
I thought my car was fine until I drove the other one.... But the engine of my higher mileage car felt better.
I think there is a tendency to assume *high miles no problem* but on the move, there are dozens of other body and suspension parts that will have been wearing. Shocks/bushes/door hinges/locks/seat foam and so on.
Its only when you drive the same model with low mileage that the wear is evident.
Given correct servicing, low mileage is an advantage as it means less wear on every other componant.
I think engines are quite robust these days and with service to manufacturers spec, low mileage is no problem.
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50K !, High ? not IMO, it's just run in. If i was in the market for a skoda, I'd buy it if the price reflected the miles. Just make sure it wasn't a taxi, lots of short runs, engine ticking over for long periods and horn worn out due to honking on every pickup outside peoples houses at 2 am.
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Should be no problem, i bought my Octavia with the 110 bhp TDI engine at a year old with 67,000 on the clock, and that was an ex cab. Took it to 110,000 miles until the cambelt tensioner broke and it never got fixed properly.
VAG TDI engines are either 40000 or 60000 mile cambelt change - i seem to remember reading on here that they reduced it from 60 to 40. Either way, with a TDI at 50,000miles, check that either it has been done at 40,000 miles and that the tensioner was changed, or if the interval is still 60,000 miles, that you get the tensioner done at the same time.
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Extremely powerful engine in a relatively lightweight car too.
My folks have a vRS and love it, it´s a hoot.
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I will second that opinion.
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"I dont really trust the fellas in the actual garages"
I'd trust a high mileage more than a low one, as it suggests they're not trying to be dishonest. As others have said, 50k is barely run-in these days, and much preferable to lower miles over a longer period. My daughter-in-law was recently tempted by a 7-year old Escort with 24k on it - I told her to run away from it!
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