# Should I buy an old car with low mileage or a new car with high mileage?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [February 13, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265 "2011-02-13T02:55:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brakepad80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a698b9/32.png) [@brakepad80](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brakepad80)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265/1 "2011-02-13T02:55:55Z")

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So I want to get a new used car and I’m seeing the same car with the same mileage and in similar condition but $5,000 less since its 5 years old. I don’t need the updated features and styling, I just want something that I don’t need to take into the shop every 3 months. So should I get the older care with the lower price or the newer car and higher price?

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**Author:** ![irlandes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5e925/32.png) [@irlandes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/irlandes)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265/2 "2011-02-13T04:38:37Z")

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That is always a hard question, but in this case it is especially hard because you did not tell us what make it was, and yes, that can make a difference.

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**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 12:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265/3 "2011-02-13T12:05:35Z")

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Maybe, maybe not. A lot of those features you say you don’t need in a newer car, you could wish you had lying in a hospital bed.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265/4 "2011-02-13T13:43:31Z")

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I would be most interested the current condition of each car and not worry about the miles a car has. If the owner failed to maintain it, run. If they did maintain it, you have a better chance of getting a good car.

If I had to make a choice, I would recommend buying the one that has had the opposite type of use as you intend to give it.

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**Author:** ![mleich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mleich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mleich)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265/5 "2011-02-13T14:50:49Z")

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Why not buy a newer one with lower miles? You get what you pay for. What is this mystery machine?

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**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265/6 "2011-02-13T15:09:45Z")

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“If I had to make a choice, I would recommend buying the one that has had the opposite type of use as you intend to give it.”

That’s an excellent point; you can certainly use a plow/tow truck lightly and plow/tow with one that had light use previously. Both seem to have plenty of useful life left.

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**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/should-i-buy-an-old-car-with-low-mileage-or-a-new-car-with-high-mileage/61265/7 "2011-02-14T14:15:34Z")

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what are the vehicles, their mileage and their maintenance records?