How much value is behind Low KM's on a used car?

[Rouxenator]

Eish, whatever you buy next will feel like a hell of an upgrade then.

by that pattern I'll own my second car by the age of 29 - heh at least my premiums will be less.

Remember, cars are a depreciating asset. The older it gets the less the deprecation is. If you keep getting new cars you keep taking the most depreciation on it. Yes, it does feel nice getting a new car after a decade.

 

[Deago999]

Remember, cars are a depreciating asset. The older it gets the less the deprecation is. If you keep getting new cars you keep taking the most depreciation on it. Yes, it does feel nice getting a new car after a decade.

That is also true but it does reach an equilibrium where by it can only depreciate so much... citi golf is a great example - some 80 and 90 models are still going for about R40 000 (the really good ones) and about 20 - 30k for the rest

 

[Rouxenator]

Yes, some cars will be worth more than others after a decade or 250,000km. All I want is for the car to be worth the deposit on the vehicle I replace it with. That is also why I prefer my cars with as low as possible mileage on them, I intend to drive it for about 200,000km so if I get a car with 100,000km on it means it will have to last me beyond 300,000km.

 

[Pitbull]

I ask this (How much value is behind Low KM's on a used car?) because Im about to buy a used car, 2010 Polo 1.6 comfort line, 96 000KM.
Since my first car I have always ached and worried:

"Oh, do I really need to drive my car today, it will just add on unneeded KM's, thus devaluing my car"
and
"Oh no! My car just ticked over to 84000, theres another R2000 gone off the resale price."

and I have come to realise it ruins my driving experience. I really enjoy driving, but I enjoy it less because im constantly worrying about KM's.

So my question is, how much value is actually held in a low KM's car/ the mileage of a car? should I just drive when and as I need it and throw KM's to the wind, or when you drive your car do you also consider the KM's you putting on and try avoid it?

It's weighed as: Very Low, low, average, high and very high.

Too low can be a problem too. low and average is what you should aim for. And it varies from car to car. Get the Automotive dealer guide and have a look at what the average is for your car. See if you are traveling too much or too little.

 

[FiestaST]

Why is driving a car past 100000 km a problem?
Trucks are good for 1.2 million km.
A friend had a Camry that had done over 470000km without a single problem
Drive the car.
Cars dont fail at 100000 km

Agreed

I also have a buddy who's hand-me-down Camry has over 400k mileage.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

It's weighed as: Very Low, low, average, high and very high.

Too low can be a problem too. low and average is what you should aim for. And it varies from car to car. Get the Automotive dealer guide and have a look at what the average is for your car. See if you are traveling too much or too little.

Where does one get this guide?
My picanto just got to the 100000 age, and also asking the same question......

 

[ahoudet]

Where does one get this guide?
My picanto just got to the 100000 age, and also asking the same question......

In theory the subscription is only sold to dealers... I got one but the price was a bit under R3k for a year...

 

[ahoudet]

please excuse crappy iPad photo but that's from one of the old books I have

Edit: this is from 2013 so add two years

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

View attachment 213606 please excuse crappy iPad photo but that's from one of the old books I have

Edit: this is from 2013 so add two years

And how is the condition calculated?
Always wondered how they find that part out.....

 

[Deago999]

View attachment 213606 please excuse crappy iPad photo but that's from one of the old books I have

Edit: this is from 2013 so add two years

Thats awesome! thanks for sharing! - where would one get a more recent book?

 

[_kabal_]

I saw the perfect example of an car being way overpriced for low mileage. There is a e90 335i with 35000km going for 400000 at city centre VW. It is basically a low spec, no nav or paddles. It's a 2012, so it still has good MP left, but it is still 100000-80000 overpriced.

 

[FiestaST]

I saw the perfect example of an car being way overpriced for low mileage. There is a e90 335i with 35000km going for 400000 at city centre VW. It is basically a low spec, no nav or paddles. It's a 2012, so it still has good MP left, but it is still 100000-80000 overpriced.

True; that's heavily overpriced despite impressively low mileage.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Nee *** I would die if I had to think like that.

It's the opposite for me. The more mileage it has on the more worthy it seems to me, especially my bikes.

Normally people don't buy cars at 96000km though because the cambelt service is around the corner and likely discs + pads too and maybe suspension.

Personally I see it as a bargaining chip. Bought mine with 95000km on.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Why is driving a car past 100000 km a problem?
Trucks are good for 1.2 million km.
A friend had a Camry that had done over 470000km without a single problem
Drive the car.
Cars dont fail at 100000 km

It's the fear of fabricated costs, especially if people keep servicing at the dealerships.

120000km is the big cambelt service and so everyone sells before then, not doing the math that their new instalment on their new more expensive car far outweighs the money they "saved" by just keeping it.

Cambelt on most cars is a R3500-R4500 job at a decent mechanic. R7000-R9000 at a dealership.

Interestingly enough though, I was always told Old Mercs/BMW's are a pain to fix mechanically but I took a taxi home from a club once and it was one of those old BMW's - not sure the model, but it had 470 000 km's on it and I'm sure as hell the taxi driver isn't taking good care of it - so that goes against everything I've been told about old Merc's @_@

Electronics are normally the issue not mechanicals. But as with all things it's only the worst case scenarios you ever hear about.

 

[Hemi300c]

In 2010 we sold my moms 1986 VW Jetta CLX A/T.
22001km on the clock.
Had the PD service and the 15000km service.

 

[PostmanPot]

The low mileage = better and high mileage = worse myths exist to keep people buying new cars.

100,000km is not high mileage. Nor is 150,000km. Nor is 200,000km, because a maintained car can easily do hundreds of thousands of kilometres.

@OP:

The idea is to know the best point at which to sell, in order to lose less money, so you have more to spend on something newer. Sell at 150,000km. Depreciation rockets from then onwards.

Paranoid people won't buy over 100,000km, and combined with service/maintenance plan expiring, at 100,000km the car has suffered most of its depreciation. 150,000km is the next psychological mark. Sensible people tend to buy between 100,000km and 150,000km. By keeping it till 200,000km you'll get a lot less and you'll also struggle to sell.

 

[Rouxenator]

Paranoid people? Think again.

If like me you see cars as a depreciating asset and you keep them for a decade / 200,000km it is essential to get them with as low as possible mileage. The perfect deal for me is a car that has it's years counting against it and not the mileage. That way you can pick up a car at half the new price but with mileage that can easily be increased another 200,000km or more while I own it.

I know that my car is well built in the 21 hours and 58 minutes it spends in on the assembly line and that it is more or less still good if taken apart after 200,000km. However buying it with 60,000km already done means I plan to take it to at least 260,000km in the next decade.

Low mileage is not a myth, it is just a start.

 

[PostmanPot]

That way you can pick up a car at half the new price but with mileage that can easily be increased another 200,000km or more while I own it.

Nonsense, you pay a premium for low mileage and maintenance plan. Half the new price happens at ±100,000km as plan expires.

 

[ahoudet]

And how is the condition calculated?
Always wondered how they find that part out.....

Condition based on looking at it and estimating costs of repairing any defects that are known

Thats awesome! thanks for sharing! - where would one get a more recent book?

I should have some for 2014 as well but the working hasn't changed. If you really wanted to, you can subscribe with Transunion in Illovo

 

[Rouxenator]

Remember that depreciation is calculated on mileage AND age - which ever is higher. Therefore if you are not in a rush you can hunt around for what is essential an under utilised car. It is old enough to be sold at half price, comes without maintenance plan, yet it has relatively little wear and tear.

For people that use a car over longer terms, say 7 ~ 10 years or more, wear and tear is a concern and low mileage is not a myth.