My husband and I are looking into buying a used Toyota Highlander. Is 85,000 miles or so too many miles, or is it ok to buy a Toyota with higher mileage?
It depends on the maintenance that one has had (needed oil changes in particular). They certainly can run to 150,000 with moderate upkeep, further with additional repairs. No car is ‘maintenance free’ at that mileage. What year is it?
Its an '05. We are trying to decide if its worth spending a little more to get 40,000 miles less or stick with our original range and go higher on the mileage.
Yes it would be, not only in terms of wear, but to insure during the “higher” mileage time it was well maintained.
The big “if” is how was the vehicle maintained and driven.
If the vehicle was properly maintained and driven it’s capable of well over 100,000 miles without repairs and well over 200,000 miles without major work.
Not to sound biased, but have you looked at lower mileage domestics? Depreciation hits them the hardest, so you’re bound to find a newer one for the same price as the Highlander you’re looking for.
Also, how was the 85k miles put on? Was it a pizza delivery vehicle, or was it a traveling businessman’s vehicle?
That’s a lot of miles, but it depends on how many $$ involved. I’d definitely pay ‘a little more’ for a 45k mile example, all other things being equal…
You are buying the Highlander just prior to it needing the 90K service. If your motor has a timing belt, then it is time for a replacement along with the water pump and serpentine belt. New plugs and a tune up are part of the 90K service too. This in normal Toyota stuff, but it may have pushed the previous owner to trade it in rather than shell out the $600 to 900 for the service.
I purchased an '01 Toyota Sequoia with 88K miles in Nov. of '08. Had the timing belt done and made sure all the fluids were changed and are up to date. This includes 2 differentials, the transmission, and the transfer case. I also changed the plugs myself and found they were in bad shape so the previous owner was skipping on maintenance.
Be prepared to spend some money, maybe close to $1,000 to make sure all systems are working with new fluids, that you have good brake pads, and good tires. The car itself is probably good, but many owners let service slide in the last year before they expect to turn the car in on something newer.