# Age vs miles on vehicle



## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

Interesting question. Assuming we are talking about something like a Toyota or Honda, it shouldn't really matter if as you say all things equal and both are in good running order. As a daily driver for personal use, I would go with whichever was cheaper (I'm guessing the 2007 would be) BUT if I was using for Uber/Lyft, I would pretty much have to go for the 2013 to have a few years to operate it before it aged out.


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## Seamus (Jun 21, 2018)

Age and Mileage have always been closely correlated.

For example, when I was 16 my first car I bought had 275,000 miles on it and drank oil like a m'fer. My own Dad wouldn't let me park it in the driveway.

When I was 19 I bought a car that only had 140,000 miles on it and so much smoke came out the tailpipe people had the nerve to complain about it.

At 23 I bought a brand new car and it hardly had any miles on it, under 20 I think!

So I think you're right, there is a clear correlation between age and mileage.


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Agreed, older cars should have more mileage. The 2013 is now 9 years old and, at 12,000 average mileage, it should now have 108,000 on it. The 2007 should now have 180,000 on it. Older cars should definitely have more miles on them.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?


2007 will only be useful for the next 11 3/4 months. If for rideshare. 

I'd go with the 2013 personally, more time to use it and nicer/newer. Assuming it's been taken care of.


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## Illini (Mar 14, 2019)

With those years and those miles they must be Corvettes.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

In real estate its called "effective age".

A normal yearly mileage for a passenger car is 15k.
So, if you have a car with 45k miles on it - it has an effective age of 3.
Even though it's born on date is five.

Another example: I am 65 years old, but because of the way I have treated my body, and the abuse that has been heaped upon it by dangerous jobs, etc my EFFECTIVE AGE feels like ,,, I dunno, A HUNDRED.

.


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## Gone_in_60_seconds (Jan 21, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?


You have to factor in climate in the calculation. If the older car was used in a temperate climate that snows, the older car will last a lot less longer due to corrosion.


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

those are both low mileages. My 2016 has 75k and that is low. Carvana sure likes it. 😎


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## Gone_in_60_seconds (Jan 21, 2018)

How reliable are the Acura RDX Suvs?


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

Gone_in_60_seconds said:


> How reliable are the Acura RDX Suvs?


only can speak for mine. No issues or problems. Well, if you don't count the fuse that controls the USB ports, that is. That was under warranty, so didn't count. As far as I know or recall no recalls either. 

OH, there was the time I had to have the transmission fluid flushed due to a weird shifting issue. 

Front brakes, tires were the biggies so far. 

I'd buy another one if I was going to get an ICE vehicle. Aiming for an EV for next ride. Was Telsa, but the 2021 prices increases kinda did me in........


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## Frontier Guy (Dec 27, 2015)

reg barclay said:


> All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?


But, all things aren't equal.

Depends, what's the service history, what's the suspension history, what's the body shop history. A 14 yr old vehicle with only 40K would be very skeptical, unless it's something of value or owned by the elderly and rarely driven, if it's the former, you wouldn't be using it for RS anyhow, if it's the latter, what's the service history, many elderly suck at maintaining vehicles, at 40K it may never have had the oil changed, could still have the original tires on it, etc..

Comparatively, what's the history on the '13 with 70K, has it been rode hard and put away wet, or babied. My wife's '13 Buick only has 32K miles, the service history is above and beyond factory recommended, BUT, it's been to the body shop 5 times.

Also depends on the vehicle and your plans, an '07 for RS will age out in another year or two, a '13 still has many years left, but will it be destroyed before it ages.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

reg barclay said:


> All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?


For an Uber car, the 2013 in my market because the 2007 is only good for Uber until the end of 2022. Even if you drive 100K miles a year the 2013 is the better deal.

For a personal car I will take the 2007. Older cars work better because they don't have government mandated ABS and traction control.

I have had a 2007 and a 2013 ford focus in my family. The 2007 was by far the better machine when it came to snow or ice.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

This is hilarious. 2015 Honda has 192000 on it. Bought in November 2017 with 87000. I be driving!


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## ScoobyDooFan (Oct 25, 2021)

Trafficat said:


> For an Uber car, the 2013 in my market because the 2007 is only good for Uber until the end of 2022. Even if you drive 100K miles a year the 2013 is the better deal.
> 
> For a personal car I will take the 2007. Older cars work better because they don't have government mandated ABS and traction control.
> 
> I have had a 2007 and a 2013 ford focus in my family. The 2007 was by far the better machine when it came to snow or ice.


You can turn off traction control. Did it occasionally in my Mustang GT, as that was the only way to smoke to tires.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

ScoobyDooFan said:


> You can turn off traction control. Did it occasionally in my Mustang GT, as that was the only way to smoke to tires.


Unfortunately on the 2013 Ford Focus, the traction control can only be disabled at speeds below 25 mph. It automatically kicks back on again when you reach 25 mph, which means if there is any hill covered in ice that you need momentum to climb, you will be guaranteed to get stuck halfway up.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

Trafficat said:


> Unfortunately on the 2013 Ford Focus, the traction control can only be disabled at speeds below 25 mph. It automatically kicks back on again when you reach 25 mph, which means if there is any hill covered in ice that you need momentum to climb, you will be guaranteed to get stuck halfway up.


Dude you lost me at Ford Focus. Buy a Honda!


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

Ted Fink said:


> Dude you lost me at Ford Focus. Buy a Honda!


I have a Honda... but it's a Honda Rebel! Only for DoorDash and GrubHub.


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## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

reg barclay said:


> All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?


Same models?

For personal use or Uber/Lyft?


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## BrainDead Driver (Dec 15, 2021)

Now do not be a idiot .
When you buy that car you already know the average miles per year is 12000 to 15k. 10 year old car 120000 k to 150
Do you not know about actual real tools used by mechanics to adjust the milage ? They can do anything they want such as by pass air bag lights engine lights . Set back the miles to will say 275k for a 2010 truck worth only 3000 tops , It now registers only 45k ! wow amazing now its 12000 . You will buy it .
Now there is an issue with the Registered milage . But trust me car dealers know what those miles are and how fare they can set them back before they get caught . Private owners can do anything they want. They do not have enough papers flating around to m atter if they get caught . Hey they bought it like that . 
now i have seen this done to repair the milage many times not to cheap people I do not sell cars .




__





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## Wildgoose (Feb 11, 2019)

reg barclay said:


> All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?


Facts...
It is an average driving miles for 2013 with 70K. 
2007 has low miles which means owner doesn't use that car so much. This car should be very nice and clean. Should be handsome pretty much.
Age difference is 6 years.

My opinion..
I would go with 2013 if it was for personal use. Cars have rubber mounts and rubber bushes every where such as engine mounts. They don't relate with how many miles driven already but they do relate with age.

But if you have habit of selling cars back those have mileages close to 150,000, Go with 2007. Doing R/S will give you a lot of miles on car within few years.


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## W00dbutcher (Jan 14, 2019)

2008 Lincoln Town Car
413,000 miles

Its been in the livery business its entire life.
Depends completely on driving style, maintenance and yearly weather conditions.


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## FLKeys (Dec 27, 2018)

I have always been weary of older low mile cars. Cars are meant to be driven, the people I know that have low mile older cars always seem to have more mechanical issues. Seems like parts like to be used instead of sitting idle.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

New2This said:


> Same models?
> 
> For personal use or Uber/Lyft?


Yes.

Yes, but delivery only, so I'm not sure whether the year matters as much.


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## Ted Fink (Mar 19, 2018)

reg barclay said:


> Yes.
> 
> Yes, but delivery only, so I'm not sure whether the year matters as much.


Delivery only buy a 1990 toyota tercel or similar


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## Wildgoose (Feb 11, 2019)

reg barclay said:


> Yes.
> 
> Yes, but delivery only, so I'm not sure whether the year matters as much.


Delivery only. That means car will be mainly used for personal. 
Then, Consider 2013.


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## New2This (Dec 27, 2015)

reg barclay said:


> Yes.
> 
> Yes, but delivery only, so I'm not sure whether the year matters as much.


Then it comes down to what you're comfortable with. 

Personally I'd probably go with the 2013.


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## ScoobyDooFan (Oct 25, 2021)

BrainDead Driver said:


> Now do not be a idiot .
> When you buy that car you already know the average miles per year is 12000 to 15k. 10 year old car 120000 k to 150
> Do you not know about actual real tools used by mechanics to adjust the milage ? They can do anything they want such as by pass air bag lights engine lights . Set back the miles to will say 275k for a 2010 truck worth only 3000 tops , It now registers only 45k ! wow amazing now its 12000 . You will buy it .
> Now there is an issue with the Registered milage . But trust me car dealers know what those miles are and how fare they can set them back before they get caught . Private owners can do anything they want. They do not have enough papers flating around to m atter if they get caught . Hey they bought it like that .
> ...


Just look at the Carfax. Cars I’ve sold show the mileage from every time I’ve had then services. It would be impossible to roll back the miles. If there’s an incomplete carfax, that’s a red flag, stay away from that car


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

UberBastid said:


> In real estate its called "effective age".
> 
> A normal yearly mileage for a passenger car is 15k.
> So, if you have a car with 45k miles on it - it has an effective age of 3.
> ...


So Ive been on this earth 10 years longer than you, but our effective age is the same?


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

W00dbutcher said:


> 2008 Lincoln Town Car
> 413,000 miles
> 
> Its been in the livery business its entire life.
> Depends completely on driving style, maintenance and yearly weather conditions.



Thats just 32000 miles a year. My car (also a Ford product) is 10 years old, with 340000 miles (34000/yr). I agree, its how its cared for


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## oldfart (Dec 22, 2017)

reg barclay said:


> All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?



: age and milage both contribute to depreciation. Both of these are low milage, so I think age is the bigger contributor to depreciation here. Id go for the 2013


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## Birdogg (Aug 30, 2017)

reg barclay said:


> All things equal, what's the better option. A 2013 with 70k miles, or a 2007 with 40k?


I drive a 2021 Mitsubishi Mirage G4. I bought it new February 9th 2020. It has 54,000 mile so far.


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## sumidaj (Nov 2, 2020)

It really depends on the vehicle, the maintenance / upkeep provided and the conditions the vehicle was driven in. 
Just because its low mileage doesn't mean things won't wear / break from age / time or lack of initial build quality. 

I'd personally go for an older higher mileage Camry vs a newer low mileage malibu. but I also know the known issues / problems of each. 


Id go based on the cars reputation as far as known quality / build and regardless go and have either one inspected thoroughly by a mechanic.


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