High kms.

jussa, Jun 23, 10:07am
what differnce does this make tocar!
im looking at a car on tm that has done 462 000km
i know people look at kms but unsure why or how this effects anything.
morrisman1, Jun 23, 10:23am
a good service history doesn't stop things like suspension bushes, shock absorbers, steering racks and that sort of thing wearing out. Definitely get a proper mechanical inspection done if you don't know how to properly inspect a vehicle mechanically. If its had good service history then chances are the engine is in good nick but make sure gearbox/transmission servicing is also up to scratch as they often go forgotten.

Theres no reason to go running from high Km vehicles but it would be silly not to inspect them properly before purchasing as there will be minters and there will be lemons.
ceebee2, Jun 23, 11:18am
I can tell you from experience that whatever car it is it is almost past its use by date. Bear in mind that all suspension / drive train components have done this huge mileage and I bet not all components have been replaced.

If you buy it be prepared to spend continuous money keeping it on the road.

Cheers CeeBee (Auto Tech 30 years)
sifty, Jun 23, 11:25am
460,000! + yeah that is getting up there.

FYI, there is a difference between high kms on say:
1)a sales rep's car that has travelled on the open road and been regularly serviced and,
2) a vehicle that had done many kms of short trips where the driver has got in and out frequently, the car has been stopping, starting and braking often, has been running cold etc.

Vehicle 2) will show much more wear and tear due to the nature of the kms travelled than vehicle 1).
moosie_21, Jun 23, 1:14pm
What make/model/year car OP!
curlcrown, Jun 23, 1:17pm
I did 10000km in 6 months in a car with those km on it. No unexpected expendature at all. Two wofs with nothing to spend and one oil change.
attitudedesignz, Jun 23, 1:18pm
I think it's either going to be a Commodore, Falcon or a Hiace.
msigg, Jun 23, 6:57pm
If it goes OK and is $1000 more or less then don't worry, probably good for a while. can't be worth much with those Km. most people loose $1000 -$2000 per yeardepriciation anyway.
phillip.weston, Jun 23, 7:03pm
It's Japanese and starts with M.
bent_ate, Jun 23, 10:25pm
Mazda Roadpacer ahahahaahahahahaha
icemans1, Jun 24, 2:00am
and has a GDI engine
ralphdog1, Jun 24, 4:58am
Don't be silly Phillip, it will be a Toyota Cavalier for sure with those sort of k's
tgray, Jun 24, 12:05pm
I saw a cavalier with over 200,000k's once. Unlikey to ever see another.
321mat, Jun 24, 12:14pm
ALL my cars have done MASSIVE mileages (500,000+ km). but then I travel 60,000+ km a year.
Having said that, with every passing year, cars seem to be getting more and more unrealiable - not in breaking down as such, but in the fact that I now seem to be throwing more money than ever at them in terms of maintenance, even though I drive nowhere near as fast as I used to.ie, 95-115km/h as opposed to 130-170km/h 15+ years ago.

They just seem to wear out quicker - tie rods, ball joints, suspension bushes, cv joints. the list goes on and on.
I think it is because of all the recycled material they use in building cars now. it just doesn't have the durability of the original material.
But engine wise, not a problem.
johnf_456, Jul 20, 11:55am
I'd second that, I have found that also with a lot of the older cars they tend to need less replacing but you only get rust if its really old. Reminds me of those old 323's those things just go and go, no matter what you do to them. One I fix regularly is still on the original clutch, water pump, alternator, starter motor and with really need doing other than fluid changes and brake pads. Engine wise its brilliant but the only issues really is rust as you get with older vehicles. Vs a lot of the modern cars I see major components crapping in some cases without even reaching the hundred thousand mark.

But I think its also now that the manufacturers build there cars to last in some case 5 years, I have heard. But there is no money to be made if everyone drove the same car for a decades, which is why they do it.