Buying a used car with high mileage - what do you recommend? | Ask Honest John

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Buying a used car with high mileage - what do you recommend?

I'm being forced out of my company car and need to buy my own. My budget is £7000 and I'm looking for a 2009 onwards high spec Ford Mondeo or Honda Accord diesel. At this money each will have 100k miles plus. I need the car to do an additional 20k miles P.A. for the next 3 to 4 years. Which is likely to be the most reliable or is there anything else you would recommend?

Asked on 27 March 2014 by ahudson

Answered by Honest John

Expecting a 100k diesel to be reliable for another 60k to 80k is expecting too much. You're likely to need a new DPF, a new DMF, a new EHGR, a new turbo, and, in the case of the Mondeo, a new timing belt.

Budget £4000 - £6000 for repairs, in the hope that the engine does not fail entirely due to 20,000 mile oil changes for its first 100k miles.

Tags: buying a used car technical issues high mileage

Similar questions

Buying a used Civic - what should I look out for?

Having read a number of reviews on your site, I think a Honda Civic 1.8 i-VTEC (8th gen) is probably the best car for my needs. Ideally I’d like to spend £4000 or under and my wife likes the idea of the...

Buying a used car - Lexus or Peugeot?

We have a 'next-car' conundrum that we can’t stop agonising over and we really need some independent impartial advice. We would like a raised-height crossover/4x4 type vehicle (four-wheel drive is not...

What cars are still reliable over the 100,000 mile mark?

I'm looking for a cheap to run car which will be reliable, but over the magic 100,000 mark, as I do plenty of miles and don't want to crucify value. Ideally for about £2500. I do enough miles (12,000 plus)...

Related models

Ford Mondeo (2007 - 2015)

Very good to drive. Refined and comfortable to travel in. Massively roomy cabin and huge boot. Reasonable value. Efficient ECOnetic and EcoBoost models.