Used Car Mileage Vs. Age: Which Is a Better Determiner of Quality?

Buying a used car is a great way to get a reliable vehicle that saves you money. It is important to take several factors into consideration when shopping for a used car, though, to ensure you get a good vehicle. A very common inquiry that prospective buyers have when it comes to used cars is whether mileage or age is a better indicator of the car’s overall quality and performance. Here’s our guide to help you parse out what information is most important to your decision.

Mileage

The average American driver puts about 14,300 miles on their car each year, according to a 2019 study by the Federal Highway Administration. That means that most used cars are going to have several thousand miles put on them at minimum. The way the car was driven has more of an impact than the total mileage, though: a car driven at a constant speed over highways is typically going to be in better condition than a car driven through stop-and-go traffic all the time.

Vehicle Age

Typically, American cars are about 12 years old on average these days because owners have been hanging onto cars for longer instead of trading them in. For a used car buyer, this means that any given used car on the market will be older than used cars used to be, although this isn’t necessarily a drawback.

If a car has sufficiently up-to-date safety features on it and it’s been well-maintained, then the age of the car isn’t as big of a factor.

As you can see, it’s helpful to use both of these factors when determining whether a used car will be a good value to you. Are you looking to buy a used car in North Carolina? Visit our Franklinton dealership today to check out our inventory of used cars for sale. JPN Auto Import LLC is proud to serve our customers in South Carolina.