Looking to buy a 2002 Volvo s60 with 191280 miles on it. Now factoring it was taken decent care of, how many more miles do you think I could get out of it.
Any car with 200,000 miles on it could fall apart tomorrow or run for another 50,000 miles with few problems. One problem with high mileage cars is that issues that would be considered repairs at 100,000 miles are maintenance items at 200,000 miles. Has the transmission ever been rebuilt? Does it have a manual or auto transmission? How does it ride? There could be suspension issues that need attention. Any of these items are maintenance issues and could need attention shortly. This car might be fine, but it is a luxury car and any repairs will be at luxury car prices.
The real question might be: How much per year will this Volvo cost me to keep it on the road? If you plan to take it to a Volvo dealer for service, plan on at least $1,500 per year in repairs.
The only way this car makes sense is if you get it real cheap and can fix most things your self. (Or if you know a reasonably priced Volvo mechanic.)
I’d accept it as a gift, but I wouldn’t pay much, if anything, for it. Your future maintenance costs will be very high.
Old Volvo? Oh, no no no!
You don’t buy cars with 191K miles on them. You sell them or give them away.
This car is no bargain, regardless of price. Maintenance and repair costs on Volvos are very expensive.
I don’t see this as a question of how many more miles you can get out of this car as much as it is a question of how much you can afford to keep it running.
Nowadays, unless a car is neglected badly, it is possible to get over 200k miles out of virtually any make of car. The difference is whether keeping it running will cost a few hundred a year–in the case of something like an old Ford Escort, or whether it will cost somewhere in the area of $1,500-2,000 per year–in the case of a used Volvo.
If you have money to spare and you don’t mind being without a car at least once or twice a month when this car is in the shop, then it might be an interesting experience. On the other hand, if you need a car that you can rely on daily, and if you want to keep your repair expenses to a minimum, this is absolutely NOT the right car.
The car might last a lot of miles, but there are going to be costs. Lots of parts are going to reach the end of the line in the next few years. Volvo repairs and parts are expensive, so budget about $3,000 a year for repairs and you can keep it going for awhile. If $3K is too steep don’t buy it, because it is likely to go over budget for repairs even with a $3K budget.
This car is a potential fresh money pit!!! Unless you just got a large inheritance or won the lottery, and don`t know what to do with the extra money, get away from this car as quickly as possible!! Even itf it was well maintained, the high mileage will mean expensive repairs soon.
Don’t buy any car you expect to last if the previous owner does not. It’s obvious that the previous owner wants out from under repair $$$$$$ or they would be running it into the ground themselves. That holds true for any car regardless of it’s make, model or repair history. Such cars are only good for back up or occasional use in a temporary setting like a vacation home. If you actually plan on driving this thing much, I would recommend you buy something better.
To get by for a while it could be worth a shot but the big question would be just how much does the seller want for this thing?
It may or may not be worth whatever amount is being asked.
Ask Irv: