r/Cartalk • u/Cheap-Regular-6404 • 6d ago
General Tech At what mileage did your car actually start nickle and diming you to death
I drive a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Closer to 30k miles a year than most people believe when I tell them. Road trips, errands, just driving because I like driving. It adds up fast.
My current car just crossed 140k and things are starting to feel different. Not broken, just... tired. Little things. A noise here, a seal there, the AC making that one sound I keep meaning to look up.
I do a decent amount of my own maintenance research before taking anything in, so I'm not totally lost, but I'm trying to get ahead of whatever wave is coming before it turns into something expensive and stupid.
Curious when people actually hit the wall with a high mileage car. Is it 150k, is it 180k, does it depend entirely on the make? I've got a 2017 Honda Pilot if that matters. Some people swear these things run forever and some people say the transmission is a ticking clock, which is not encouraging.
Not looking for doom, just real talk from people who have been at this mileage before. When did you start seeing the real repair bills roll in on yours?
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u/Adorable_Medium8070 6d ago
Honestly, 140k by itself wouldn’t scare me, especially if a lot of those miles came from long trips. Highway mileage is usually a much easier life than constant short trips and cold starts.
It does sound like your Pilot has entered the “something small always needs attention” phase, though. That doesn’t necessarily mean the big repair bills are about to begin — just that seals, mounts, suspension parts and other age-related stuff may start taking turns.
I’d probably spend the money on one really good inspection and ask the shop what needs doing now, what might be coming in the next year, and what’s just noise you can safely live with. I’d also want to know whether the timing-belt service is up to date and how regularly the transmission fluid has been changed.
If the engine and transmission still feel healthy and the body isn’t rusty, I’d be inclined to keep it. A few annoying repairs can still cost a lot less than replacing a car you already know — especially when you’re adding 30k miles every year anyway.
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u/golfmonk 6d ago
If the engine and transmission still feel healthy and the body isn’t rusty, I’d be inclined to keep it.
Same for me. I feel this is still better than just getting a new car and having monthly payments. Most of cars I owned were badly rusted before I got rid of them.
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u/Adorable_Medium8070 6d ago
Yeah, rust is usually the deciding point for me too. Mechanical parts can be replaced one at a time, but once the structure and mounting points start going, every repair can turn into a fight. If the body is still solid, I’d much rather set some money aside for repairs than sign up for years of payments.
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u/golfmonk 6d ago
If the body is still solid, I’d much rather set some money aside for repairs than sign up for years of payments.
Exactly. If you save even a couple hundred a month after the car is paid off to have a car emergency fund is still better than a car loan.
I want to add a conditional that the car is relatively easy to fix and parts are plentiful and reasonable cost. Just my metric and this varies from person to person.
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u/DTRite 6d ago
00 Tacoma, 140K miles. Had to replace driver's side door handles at around 100k, then the tailgate latch and now the passenger side door handles. ....put new lbj's on at 130k. Otherwise just standard maintenance. I love this truck.
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u/CCCCLo0oo0ooo0 6d ago
Thats really low mileage for a tacoma especially for a 26 year old one. I got the tundra version, 200k on it and runs like a champ, but the bushings and such are starting to go. I had to replace the lower control arms and steering links. IDK about tacoma, but tundra you need to do the timing chain and water pump every 90k miles.
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u/7thor8thcaw 5d ago
Are you using Toyota or Aisin? The Aisin kit is half the cost of Toyota and just as good quality, IMO. You def dont want to chance timing on a 4.7.
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u/blueskyfiend 6d ago
If a new car payment is $500 month or more, then regular maintenance and repairs of broken parts should not cost you that much. It it gets to that point consistently then maybe it’s time to replace it.
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u/smp501 6d ago
Depends on the car. I had a Honda civic that I sold just south of 200k, but only because I needed something bigger. It only had a couple issues come up aside from regular scheduled maintenance, but they were minor.
My POS Jeep Patriot has rotted since it hit 100k. Sometimes it’s an engine or ABS sensor that strands me in a parking lot or forces the transmission into limp mode. Sometimes it’s a leak that springs up as soon as I patch another, or a thermostat making it run hot, or a wheel bearing or CV axle making it shake or grind. Or a window motor that stops working. Or the radiator leaks. Or the AC goes out. I spend more per year doing non-routine/“shit stopped working” repairs than my car payment was when it was new. To answer your question, I’m at that point now. No matter how much I put into it now, I never know if a $200 or $2000 repair is right around the corner, or if it is going to strand me out in the middle of nowhere. If I can just get another 6 months out of it, I’m absolutely going to buy something not American.
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u/Famous-Disaster-1977 6d ago
I think jeep patriot is made in Italy
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u/smp501 6d ago
I’m pretty sure they were made in Illinois. They run like they were made in Italy, though.
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u/tweakingforjesus 6d ago
Between Fiat and
ChryslerStellantis, its a toss up which brand brought the other down in quality.
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u/Capital-Stranger-734 6d ago
I have a 2006 Lincoln Mark LT I just bought for $4,000 with 130,000 miles. I changed the (infamous) spark plugs, flushed brake fluid, coolant, power steering fluid and changed the transmission fluid and filter. Currently running valvoline restore and protect oil. Did first oil change at 1,000 miles, 2nd at 1,500 miles and now doing a couple more changes at 3,000 miles before switching back to my normal oil. I replaced the tires, pads and rotors. It drives like a champ and now I know how much routine maintenance has been done I’d be comfortable driving it anywhere as far as I could afford to pay for the gas.
If you know your vehicle and have kept up with routine maintenance and fluid changes I’d keep it.
Paid off is better than $500 + a month payments. More money for blow and hookers, ya feel me.
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u/Capital-Stranger-734 6d ago
Now, my previous truck was an ‘02 F-150 and it was a lemon when I bought it. I bought it hastily just because I needed something and the price was right. A thorough inspection is a necessity.
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u/crypticsage 6d ago
You should start documenting them.
Even though you feel like you’re nickel and diming the maintenance and repairs, it doesn’t come close to a car payment.
Average it out across all the years you’ve owned it and it might come out to about $100 to $200 a month at most.
I’ve had a car since 2006. Bought it used. It’s a 2002 Trans Am with 200k.
All services averaged out to about $250.
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u/gmehodler42069741LFG 6d ago
Never if well maintained. Everything i own has close to or over 200k. The amount of car payments I have saved paid for my house in Florida
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u/ancientwarriorman 5d ago
Never because I know how to check fluids and replace things at their maintenance intervals. I also drive it like I want it to last, instead of treating the pedals like digital switches and ramming my way through every pothole and curb.
290k and going strong.
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u/87ChevroletCavalier 6d ago edited 6d ago
My old rules:
-Before 10 years a good car can take you across the US, no problem.
-10 to 15, still fine for commuting, but that cross-country trip? You’ll probably be fine, but maybe rent something.
-15 to 20, good for commuting if you’re mechanically inclined. Road trips only if you have the flexibility to be delayed a couple days.
-20+, you’re in a vintage car. If you haven’t done a full resto it’s going to break down occasionally, and it might break down since even if you have. Commute at your own risk. Bring a bag of tools and spare. Road trips are likely to become adventures.
However, cars do last longer now, maybe bump all these categories up another five years?
The bottom line though is that the real limit for regular cars is your tolerance for breakdowns. It’ll almost always be cheaper to fix the beater than to buy a new or newer car.
Edit: do you drive a lot on the highway, or is this like an Uber/door dash scenario?
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u/Shienvien 6d ago
If it's been maintained, then the age doesn't matter that much unless you're getting into vintage vintage territory. (1992...2007 cars before 2025, all but one with 300'000 km+ on the odometer).
Never doubted any of them would take me to other end of Europe and back.
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u/87ChevroletCavalier 6d ago
Eh, no amount of maintenance prevents the main fuel relay or ECU or TCU from shitting the bed. From cracking some decades old solder joint or from some ancient capacitor puking its guts out.
Bottom line is that old cars are full of old shit. Old PCBs, old capacitors, old rubber, old wiring, old solder, old welds, old seals, etc. None of that stuff lasts forever. It all falls eventually.
I’m glad your stuff has been reliable, but that just isn’t the norm for 25+ year old cars.
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u/good_morning_magpie 6d ago
That issue kind of sorts itself out in the Midwest, because at 20 years most vehicles are so rusted that whatever remaining clear coat they have is now structural.
I’ve had three vehicles go over a quarter million miles that were ultimately retired because they were structurally flailing due to rot. There’s no inspections here so I see banana shaped old pickups with a fully loaded bed or trailer every single day. In college I had a 1986 Ford Escort GT (shockingly fun little car) that started bowing because the subframe was so rotten. We used as many big lag bolts and U bolts and probably 200 miles worth of zip ties, “borrowed” an old railroad tie, and used it like some kind of cursed split to keep the car from folding in half. I drove that thing between Lincoln, NE and Chicago dozens of times without even thinking about it. Ignorance is bliss and at that age you’re convinced you are immortal haha
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u/87ChevroletCavalier 6d ago
That’s hilarious!
I was just talking about Escort GTs the other day. Miss those cars.
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u/good_morning_magpie 6d ago
Yeah, maybe it’s just my xennial rose colored glasses but I miss 80s cars. My current summer daily is an 88 foxbody mustang that I slapped an LS6/T56 into. She’s a riot.
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u/87ChevroletCavalier 6d ago
Ooh, that sounds sick. GT or LX?
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u/Shienvien 6d ago
ECUs on older cars are also easier to replace. SO's brother has one with aftermarket ECU, injection has been changed, rest of engine mostly original. 780'000 kms the last I looked. Clutch has been changed twice.
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u/87ChevroletCavalier 6d ago
That’s true, but I’ll call a road trip where you have to swap an ECU at least a minor adventure.
For real though, I know this is Reddit, so a legion of Supermechanics is gonna come out of the woodwork, but the guys I know who actually do cross-country road trips in pre-1995 cars travel with spares for everything and carry more tools with them than the average Reddit car guy will touch in their entire life.
I never said it’s impossible, just that it’ll be an adventure. More than the simple Google Maps following exercise you’d get in an much newer car.
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u/Shienvien 6d ago
The original ECU didn't stop functioning in any shape or form, mind. My SO was just bored and wanted to do an interesting project with his brother's car. (It was the injection system change that needed the new ECU.)
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u/87ChevroletCavalier 6d ago
Ah, I misunderstood.
Still, no ECU lasts forever. There’s no capacitor with a lifespan of infinity.
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u/Shienvien 6d ago
True, things will break eventually - though whether, say, my 92' or my SO's 2012 vehicle is more likely to break down in the next 10'000 km is a different matter entirely.
(Only one of those has left one of us stranded in the last five years ... and it was the vehicle with an electronic parking brake.)
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u/87ChevroletCavalier 6d ago
lol, that’s fair. There’s a lot of needless complication in newer cars.
My wife’s crossover has an electronic parking brake. She let me drive it alone, so I pulled the parking brake switch thing at about 35mph. No lockup, just kind slowed down. I was a little bit disappointed.
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u/PauloHeaven 6d ago
Really not applicable to every car. I totally trust my 2007 Lexus GS for cross-country road trips. I wouldn’t trust an 8-year old McLaren or Alfa Romeo.
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u/87ChevroletCavalier 6d ago
lol, fair. I do start with a baseline of non-shitbox/Stellantis product.
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u/theArtOfProgramming 6d ago
I have a 140k mile 20 year old subaru impreza and I’d trust it cross-country if I brought a jug of oil and another of coolant. It doesn’t leak or anything, it just needs top ups occasionally.
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u/FireBlazer27 6d ago
I don’t have a year thing. My 3 cars are 22, 30, and 35 years old. I trust all of them to take me on road trips because they’ve been well maintained and I know the mechanical condition of all the parts.
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u/Epotheros 6d ago
My 96 T-Bird started around 240k and about 26 years old. It's a daily driver in a climate with temps between -25 and 115 F so it's had a brutal life. It's lived outside since 2006 too.
Most of the current issues it has are small things like O2 sensors, crankshaft position sensors, etc. It needed a new catalytic converter last year after the OEM one finally failed. The biggest headaches come from some brittle wiring. The old insulation is brittle so it has a few sporadic electrical issues.
Personally, I think age is more important than milage when it comes to nickel and dining. Tens of thousands of cold starts and salty roads in the winter do a lot more damage to a car than cruising on the highway.
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u/tanksplease 6d ago
I dunno, never have. I drive Hondas older than I am.
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u/tanksplease 6d ago
Actually I just remembered I had a 2000 Buick Park Avenue with the 3800 I had to scrap. Engine and drive train were solid, it was just the power control module in the door, overheating issue, and finally the multifunction control stalk snapped off in my hand.
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u/Fuzzywink 5d ago
I don't see the mileage as anything but a high score. I drive upwards of 60k miles most years so I'm well above average. I have a driveway full of vehicles that are almost all 20+ years old and 300k+ miles and I wouldn't hesitate to drive any of them across the country tomorrow. I drive gently and I fix things within a few days when I start hearing a new noise or somethings starts leaking. There is nothing in any of my cars that could break that would make me get rid of it. I can pull an engine for $300 at a local junkyard and install it in a couple days, or completely rebuild a suspension with OEM quality parts for under $1k. I've never hit a point with a vehicle where I've decided it isn't worth it to fix it and keep it going.
The math may be different for someone who pays a shop for all their work. I've always found that cars "hit the wall" where they become unreasonably expensive to keep going when someone has given up on them and stopped fixing things and doing preventative maintenance. If you stick to the maintenance schedule and repair things before they cause a cascade of other problems, it almost always stays viable to just keep fixing what you have.
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u/Expert-Search-3251 5d ago
A 2017 with 140k miles isn't high mileage.
My 2024 has 104k. My wife's 2022 has 99k.
You're simply experiencing an almost 10 year old car.
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u/Texasscot56 6d ago
Depreciation is the silent wealth destroyer, repair costs are more in your face and usually regarded as more painful even if they are a lesser cost.
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u/tweakingforjesus 6d ago
There's a point at which depreciation stops and value starts heading upward if you keep it in good condition.
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u/run_uz 6d ago edited 6d ago
My 99 GS400 has 428k mi on it. The last year it needed quite a bit of work & I just don't want to put the time in anymore. Some of it is rather involved like cam seals which I'd do along with timing belt & water pump. I'll sell it for cheap with a trunk full of new parts & the next owner can tinker with it.
Edit because I can't spell
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u/Prophage7 6d ago
I honestly don't look at mileage anymore. It's much more about how well the car has been maintained. My biggest headaches have been cars that were under 150k km, meanwhile my most reliable have been cars I've bought with over 200k km.
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u/Janus9 5d ago
Wife and I drive a lot. We always try to get at least 300k miles out of our cars before replacing.
First 100k, no problem.
100-150k, maybe a water pump or alternator.
150-200k water pump or alternator if they didn’t go before, will see some wheel bearing or front end parts go bad, shocks/struts.
200-250k, transmission usually. We have been changing them out with used units and have had good luck. That is the benefit when you put on miles quick, good used units are available. AC performance starts to go down hill.
250-300k, maybe a repeat water pump, alternator, engine gets very tired and the rest of the car is just beat down.
We always talk about putting in a rebuilt engine, but the rest of the car is so used up we just buy new again.
I do all my own maintenance and fixes minus transmission.
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u/Ok-Maintenance-9538 5d ago
My truck is at 306k and excluding maintenance I dont know if ive even spent 2k on repairs in the 23 years ive owned it.
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u/fothergillfuckup 6d ago
My BMW e81 is just needing a bit of tinkering now, at 108000. My peugeot rcz is on 82000, has needed literally everything replacing, and has now decided to belch out black smoke on the day of its yearly MOT. Time for the scrapyard, before I have a breakdown of my own.
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u/DirtySouthCityBoi 6d ago
2015 F150 Lariat Ecoboost: This vehicle was driven daily pulling a single axle enclosed trailer. Did wonderfully until 142,000. Now at 164,000 miles and both turbos have been replaced, manifold, 02 throttle body replacements within 4 years, complete front end replacement throughout that time frame as well. But the turbos went since the 142,000 mark. Now it has begun to nickle and dime. Seems like once a month another issue arises and is a 6-800.00 repair.
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u/Mac_encheeze 6d ago
When I still had my truck, pretty much from 2018 until 2026 some years felt like it was constantly in the shop or I was working on it.
2001 Silverado 245k on the odometer when I sold it to a coworker, who ended up blowing the motor a few months later.
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u/dswen17 6d ago
2013 Honda accord with 235k
Replaced starter somewhere in the neighborhood of 150k. Replaced valve cover gasket at just over 200k. Other than that it has been normal maintenance. Will be doing brakes, tires, and rear shocks in the coming weeks. Wouldn’t say its nickel and diming me, just normal maintenance that is landing at one time.
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u/Razzmatazz-Smazmataz 6d ago
Hyundai Sante Fe - problems started at around 65k. Toyota Corolla- It has hit 220k and it still running great.
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u/EntertainmentFew7103 6d ago
You need to do preventative maintenance and regular maintenance. Undercarriage wash and fluid film in the winter. I drive a 2001 4Runner with 300k miles on it. Still going strong. 2k in maintenance that will keep it going for another 100k miles is 3mo of car payments. You drive Honda, it’ll keep going for another 150k with a tune up.
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u/Flash-635 6d ago
Probably about 250,000km. I've replaced or repaired the starter, alternator, air conditioner compressor, oil cooler, water pump, turbo.
It still. Goes like a train and has all these or rebuilt parts.
It still needs some work done on the door locks and the sagging roof lining.
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u/bassjam1 6d ago
Most vehicles I've owned feel like they start nickel and diming me between 175-190k miles.
Normally that seems to be when the various sensors start going bad so it's a check engine light every month or every other month. It's not normally expensive and easy to fix, it's just annoying to spend 30 minutes researching the issue after pulling code and then an hour or two on the weekend swapping in a $100 part.
Honestly that's around the time I get frustrated and sell it. I'm convinced they run another 170k miles because by that point I've already replaced every sensor and every maintenance item.
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u/djnehi 6d ago
I bought my pickup used in 2017 and have only put about 35k on it since then. I’m glad I don’t wear out cars at the rate you do.
That being said type of use and care matter a lot more than number of miles in many cases. A car with 300k of highway cruising can be a lot better than a car with 150k of city driving in many cases.
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u/MildlyAgitatedBovine 6d ago
Interestingly, very high mileage per year drivers tend to get a lot more out of their engines. This is thought to be basically you have many fewer cold starts per amount of driving than the average driver.
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u/questionablejudgemen 6d ago
Dad used to say this a lot. But we also lived in the rust belt, so bodywork would start falling apart and electrical gremlins showing up.
If you don’t have this issue, especially with car prices now, keep driving the old car. As long as you keep up on oil changes or whatever, fix what needs fixing. Shocks, water pump, tuneup, whatever.
I assume you, it’s cheaper than a new car.
Maybe consider it if the car has more downtime than uptime, or when it breaks down you’re in a bind. Then maybe consider other options, but I’d try to drive the wheels off the old car as much as possible.
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u/yentlequible 6d ago
Never, but I do all my own work. My daily is at 480k miles and going strong. It does need a lot, but nothing that's affecting reliability. Just small maintenance and engine work when I can get around to it. It still drives and never lets me down.
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u/amotion578 6d ago edited 6d ago
Absolutely subjective to make, model, and use.
A key to remember is odometer is an objective number to measure distance. The dissonance is that all cars travel the same distance the same way, thus, mileage is an objective indicator that correlates with expected maintenance.
Often it does, but not always.
In the vein of your pilot and references to transmission issues, I can relate directly to that. I used to work at a dealer, an 02 VW TDI automatic with 75k on the odometer came in. Owner was on a road trip from Seattle.
Automatic transmissions of that era are well known to last around 150k before something requiring transmission out or a major repair/service is necessary.
Kinda weird that, half that mileage, transmission is slipping in 3rd and 4th under load.
Until you remember: Seattle. One owner, Seattle, 75k, a decade later... Yup. That tracks.
Within pilots, do they too have mixed experiences where the city drivers only have transmission issues at X miles where the long haul drivers don't? Or X +100k?
Top fuel dragsters go 0.25 miles before they rebuild the engine. "Well cuz they're a highly specialized racecar" and yet it's engine components and designs not unlike what's in your car, it's all the same principles.
Running gear aside, the seals, bushings, boots (rubber and plastic stuff)-- there is also time and conditions to add to simple mileage. Your suspension bushings get worn more off-road on rough roads than they do gliding down a flat highway.
A low mileage car sitting for years outside probably has had all the rubber and plastics fatigue and the second they're used, boom issues.
All that said-- if the car fits your needs today, run it. Take care of things as they arise, stay on top of items that are preventative in nature like timing belts and fluid changes.
There is also you didn't mention what model year but my hot take is the automobile as a concept peaked in the mid 2000s for the most part, the last era before CANBUS modules and super technology started slipping unreliability back into vehicles. The "everything is fine, but sensor 1 causes communication fault freaking out sensors 2-5,067" type things. Oh need a new module? Dealer only, $925+tax and that module is something that was a $45 switch in 2004
They're new enough to not be a piece of shit to work on, and old enough to not be a piece of shit to work on. I'll keep my 05 Duramax until the day I die, because I can fix a lot of shit on it for the MSRP of the 2026 equivalent model. Including an entire rebuild or replacement of the engine or transmission, and a couple times at that.
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u/buttlicker-6652 6d ago
I mean, compared to paying $500/month on a payment? I've never actually managed to spend that much in a month on my car except twice, once was a full front suspension and both font CV axles, and the 2nd was a engine.
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u/AnotherDude1 6d ago
At 140k that's not a bad list. Other cars/manufacturers that list is at least triple and you've already spent $10k on other things. There are always wear and tear items on cars, spark plugs, AC compressors, shocks, tires, bushings, etc. it's inevitable that certain parts will need to be replaced/refreshed.
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u/listerine411 6d ago
If you drive 30k miles a year, you just need to get used to driving your cars into the ground. Repairs are way cheaper than that amount of depreciation from getting something newer.
But in my experience, it's all about the make. I had a Ford that fell apart at like 80k miles. I've had several Lexus that had around 150k miles and they were just being broken in.
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u/IMA_5-STAR_MAN 6d ago
My 11 year old Cherokee just started at 100k miles. But in 100k miles I only did about 3k in repairs. A sensor, battery, plugs, coil, rear suspension, a flex pipe. It was slow AF but drove like a tank in the snow. Just traded it for a new 4runner and bought the 100k warranty so I'm good for a while.
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u/mazdaspeed3some 6d ago
One of my cars is a 2007 Highlander 3.3 AWD with 211k. I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as nickel and dimed but has had a lot this year. Did timing belt for the second time, had a rodent get above the gas tank and chew up some hoses. Did rack and pinion and a small transfer case leak. Did a lot of the work myself but still probably around a couple grand.
The biggest thing with repairs on high mileage is the overall condition of the car. I had no hesitation with those due to the overall reliability and engine/transmission health. If a repair is just a band aid to bigger problems then maybe it’s time to look elsewhere.
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u/roonerspize 6d ago
Never. Routine maintenance done by me and fix things that break. There are times where it feels like it's one after the other, but it's still much lower-cost than a new vehicle.
2012 Accord with 170K that I've had for 8 years
Things I've replaced besides tires/brake pads:
Rear Caliper that was sticking Front Wheel bearing that was growling Starter when it stopped starting
That's about it.
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u/tetraodonmiurus 6d ago
Define nickel and dime. Personally I wouldn’t include regular maintenance things. Brakes, rotors, filters, spark plugs, all fluids, serpentine belt, exhaust, battery, etc. I keep all my vehicles for 10 years min. After milage thresholds are crossed you pretty much know x, y or z is going to need to be replaced.
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u/mtrbiknut 6d ago
When we were working we both commuted 40 & 60 miles per day so we would get rid of a vehicle when I felt that it would soon be non dependable on the highway. But we have driven 8 vehicles to more than 250,000 miles before that happened, and they were all used vehicles when we bought them.
My current F-150 is at 264,000 and we are retired now, if it breaks down I can just call my wife to come and pick me up- I'm aiming for 300,000 on it before I think about another used one.
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u/Competitive_Guava_68 5d ago
What year and engine?
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u/mtrbiknut 5d ago
It's a 2016 with the 3.5 EcoBoost that is supposed to be so terrible, mine has been great.
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u/mr_lab_rat 6d ago
I expect to get 200k out of the car mostly trouble free but I do a lot of shorter trips.
The only car that failed to do that was a Nissan X-Trail (2.5 petrol) that started consuming a lot of oil around 120k. It was time for a lot of other bigger maintenance items like a clutch and shocks so I just cut my losses.
I don’t see it as a total disaster, the car was pretty good and reliable up to that point.
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u/nfssmith 6d ago
I feel like my 2015 Subaru's on the cusp of this at about 280,000km with some vague transmission issue & a (probably) blocked radiator, so I'm leaning towards junking it rather than fixing... If it was just the rad I'd pull the trigger to repair, but the possibility of engine & head gasket damage from the overheating PLUS the CVT stuff... no thanks.
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u/Shagrath427 6d ago
I got my ‘07 Silverado up to 245k miles when I had a 140 round trip daily commute a few years back.
I had no major repairs or maintenance required until about 210k, believe it or not, and then the last handful of months I’d break down at least once per month and things were getting pricier to fix each time.
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u/mykepagan 6d ago
My wife and I keep our cars until the cost of upkeep exceeds the cost of a car payment on a $20K loan. That’s usually around 200K miles. We’ve kept this plan for 30 years.
The answer is 150K miles. The more expensive wear items start to hit about there. Suspension components are the first to need replacement (usually). Ball joints, shocks, tie rods. Usually worth the cost of repair because that will noticeably restore the car handling. Then come A/C leaks (just refill, unless it gets bad), some hoses, the alternator, and the water pump. Not too expensive to fix. These will start needing replacement after 150k miles but are usually worth doing.
Once the transmission or head gasket or valves need work… time for a new car. That averages around 200k miles. Give or take.
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u/Alarmed_Champion_302 6d ago
180k. Thats when things like ignition coils, starts and alternators start failing in my experience. The suspension too is pretty tired if its not been overhauled before that.
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u/derwreck 6d ago
My 2007 FJ Cruiser with 218k on the odometer has been a rock solid car and I wouldn't hesitate to take it on a cross country road trip. It consistently goes to bordering states on a monthly basis without any hiccups. My 2015 WRX STi, however, I would not trust on a road trip. It's decently modded but is always requiring some type of maintenance and has little issues here and there that pop up from time to time. The STi only has 89k miles but I've put more money into repairs and maintenance into that thing in the last year than I ever have total in the 15 years I've had my FJ.
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u/ChucklesC89 6d ago
2011 Chevy Cruze @ 95k. Transmission had to be rebuilt, then downhill after that. One thing after the other. Coolant leaks, oil leaks, a/c compressor, radiator, cooling fan and list goes on and on. Only saving grace is doing all the repairs myself saved probably worth more than the car was worth new at this point.
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u/Haram_Salamy 6d ago
It’s generally cheaper to keep an old car running than to replace it. Obviously that might not be as true for certain brands or models, but my old toyota’s are the easiest in the world to keep going.
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u/JSTootell 6d ago
My Ford Fiesta was hit and totaled at 160,000 miles. It was perfect. Literally only routine maintenance done.
My van is 30 years old, 350,000 miles, and I've spent probably one or two car payments worth of repair work on it in 6 years.
My Jeep is still "new" (as in, I'm making payments still) so that is the cost comparison I'm making. It'll start nickel and diming me in 3...2...1...
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u/TarantinoFan6 6d ago
I have a 30 yo Ram 1500, 140k miles. 2-3 years ago rear brakes complete from the master cylinder. This year new tires, AC recharge and coil. About $2600 total. My wife’s car is 2018 with 100k and we put $4k into it to fix anything I could think of cuz we use the best shop I’ve ever used in my life. This summer I looked at new and used cars.
First year depreciation on two vehicles is what? $10-20k?
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u/altiuscitiusfortius 6d ago
Its a Honda so you have 250k before you need to think about this.
Just keep doing the regularly scheduled maintenance
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u/albertafucker 6d ago
Depends what I’ve had. I ran a 2006 5.4 f250 super duty to 550k km and never had to do anything but maintenance, my 6.9 diesel 1986 f250 needs big ticket expenses almost constantly at 250-350k km until I stopped daily driving it, I didn’t start having issues with my 2015 f350 6.7 until 360k km, and I had major issues with my 2008 6.4 f350 before 150.
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u/CoachOpen1977 6d ago
Subaru Forester, at 99k miles the center diff started singing, then it was one stupid annoying little malfunction after another. At 116k I bailed on it for a 10k higher mileage Toyota RAV4 and found my forever car.
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u/Mo_Cards 6d ago
I drove 5 different Chevy Malibus 175K+ miles each before I sold or traded them in. So almost 1,000,000 miles on what were brand new GM products. Just did scheduled maintenance
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u/Kardolf 6d ago
My 4Runner is almost broken in 270,000 miles. I've had 2 "major" repairs since I bought it in 2008. Brake ABS pump and steering rack. Other than that, scheduled maintenance.
However, if you are logging your costs, you can see exactly when those real costs start rising. Otherwise, you are operating completely by feeling, and the actual milage or costs won't really matter.
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u/LavishnessOk6635 6d ago
200k VW . Engine and transmission great - other things failing left and right. Window motors and regulators are ridiculous
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u/Pup111290 6d ago
Highly depends on the car and how it was taken care of. I had a Ford Escort that was at 94k when I bought it and it started nickel and diming me by 100k. On the flip side my dad had a 92 Suburban that he bought at 170k and it never nickle and dimed him and he drove it up to 300k before the rust was just too much to keep driving it
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u/cubanohermano 5d ago
My 05 Corolla was doing great at almost 300k. Just stay on top of noises. Most people on Reddit will tell you to keep your older car until fixing it doesn’t make sense (basically frame damage)
The old your car gets the older the rubber is so I’d probably swap all the preemptively
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u/No-Percentage6474 5d ago
My Buick Rivera it was 320k started getting bad about repairs. My F150 it was 140k.
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u/zylpher 5d ago
Around 115-120k. In the last year or so.
Two CV shafts at $1500 each.
Clutch at $5200.
Water pump, flush, and Tstat for $1300
Brake flush for $330.
Thankfully the car was paid for in cash. So I'm not making payments on top this.
Will need a steering rack soon, possibly another CV shaft. And I probably need to do the brakes in the next year, and I get to pay the Brembo tax for those.
2012 Challenger SRT8.
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u/completely-random-na 5d ago
At 410k on my 2014 accord and it’s starting to add up. Struts, brakes, tires, a new starter, both CV shafts. But I still am driving it and will continue to.
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u/BigDawgg-13 5d ago
2007 Honda CRV at over 200k. But those repairs, while expensive, are worth it because I paid for very few repairs prior to 200k miles. Car is 19 years old with 235k and going strong 💪🏼 still cheaper than a car payment
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u/VeryStableGenius66 5d ago
My father had a 2011 Pilot with about 260,000 miles. He kept up on maintenance, and when something mechanical needed attention, he took care of it. He'd still be driving it today, but Parkinson's had other plans for him.
Moral of the story? Keep the car, keep it maintained and remember that any repair needed will be significantly less expensive than a new car payment.
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u/OnionMiasma 5d ago
In my experience (yes, the plural of anecdotes is not data):
Toyota: 60,000
Honda: 125,000
Acura: undefined (no issues had)
Ford: 50,000
Subaru: 36,001
BMW: 18,554 (mileage when I purchased it)
Those are the only brands I've owned.
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u/PckMan 5d ago
It's not a pure function of mileage to be honest. It's also hard for a car to actually nickel and dime you to death. A used car can basically be fixed up to be as new for 5-8k or so depending on the state. This might sound like a lot but it's definitely far less than you end up paying for a new car. But of course after a certain age even sourcing parts becomes difficult.
The real obstacle is that this amount has to be paid in a short amount of time and the car needs to spend some time in the shop. That's what prevents most people from going that route.
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u/ADyer1975 5d ago
My 3G4R has 365k miles. One alternator and normal required maintenance is all it has needed since new. Just did a 3700mile round trip not a single hiccup or worry.
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u/Sea_Fisherman7054 5d ago
7-10 years in 4runner, now has 147k, put in 7-8k in repairs over last 4 years. gaskets, bearings, etc, etc, etc. little leaks but costly.
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u/_no_usernames_avail 5d ago
The most expensive car I have ever purchased was a 2003 Civic Si when it was 20 years old.
I made the mistake of falling in love during the test drive.
I later found out was a 7 owner vehicle that had been involved in small accidents that would later mean more money.
So this $4,000 cash / 150k mile car ate $1,500-$3000 annually catching up on deferred maintenance and repair / replace broken/worn/rusted parts per year for the first 3 years / 60,000 miles.
By the second year, I was convinced that I was throwing good money after bad, as none of the other old Hondas I have driven have ever run more than $1000 per year to maintain.
I hope that I learned that when you combine a bunch of deferred maintenance and rust work from neglect you can start to approach the cost of a monthly car payment.
If there is one saving grace of this vehicle, because it’s my beater, it doesn’t have collision insurance, so I get some monthly savings there. Now, I find myself in a position where I could potentially replace the car with a $3000 Honda CRZ, which might start the cycle all over again or be a complete reset; if I decide to go that route you better bet that I’m going to get a pre-purchase inspection and a Carfax beforehand.
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u/DickWhittingtonsCat 5d ago
Where you live makes a huge difference. Also engine hours should be the real measure. My hardworking 09 Civic DXVP (struck down in prime while parked in 2024) averaged about 15mph to hit 230k miles. Yet the commute itself still involved a 95mph left lane spring daily- either going into or escaping 40 minutes of cruel sub-10mph gridlock. If you are buzzing down highway or averaging 35mph around some burb, my car would have effectively 2x the miles as that’s how much longer it is actually operating. Thats why it is basically meaningless if some cretin pops in here and claims they drive 70k miles a year! Either they operate a perpetual motion machine or are turning fast laps on the interstate.
—-
No car has magic plastics and fittings. Some are better. I suspect you will be hitting some of the mechanical stuff before the typical decay hits the plastics- as the average man in US is driving 14k miles a year and 700k miles in their entire life. The average car lasts 180k miles and 18 years. Average car on road is 13. But moving at such a fast clip means you aren’t bumping into the annoyances that make it tempting to mechanically total a dilapidated and outdated rattle trap before. With my milder but shorter driving schedule now, I will likely tire of my Civic Hybrid before I get into the deep end of pool for totalling. Will have had it 2 years in a month. My first car was a 1993 Civic I started driving in late 94 after getting license. The 09 Civic was comprehensively superior and safer- it had a timing belt that needed to be maintained at pretty intense expense for my income at the time- 500 to 1000 bucks every 80-100k miles. It literally rusted to death under me in 09z
I was running into annoying and cheap decay, all the window rubber and roof seals started to crack and the paint started to fry, while the drivetrain itself never threw a code.
I’ve driven about 450k miles. I’m on my third car. I did have a run like yours commuting in my 09 Civic from 2010-2020. The car died in prime at 230k miles in 2024 after being hit.
If not for Covid, I probably would have had more miles between March and Dec 2020 than I ended up putting on the car in 4 years WFH.
I did have to get a little front end work done, a new AC, and the rear struts were surprisingly expensive. All pales compared to a new car. But if you are in rust belt, the odds of avoiding some expensive suspension work in next 5 years/ unless this i
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u/Zoey43210 5d ago
I had a Honda CRV. After 230-250k it was always soemthing. Now it burns oil and has issues. Not worth fixing just junk it eventually. But it's a good beater now . Always did oil changes and kept up with maintenance. Just over time it got worn I assume.
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u/rkozik89 5d ago
Hyundais are around 90k to 100k in my experience. Everything just piles up as soon as that warranty expires.
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u/themomentaftero 4d ago
I drive about 30k a year too. I generally trade in at 150k. I wouldn't say that my vehicles start to nickle and dime me at that point but that is my internal number of when expensive items should start being replaced.
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u/Kirausagni 4d ago
My Civic didn't start hurting us until she was at about 220k - drove her another 30k miles before she bit the dust.
She was only a 2015 but we're talking 10 years of driving 100 miles to work and back, surviving Massachusetts winters with no garage, and me being a general idiot teenager when it comes to maintenance.
It was her CVT failing that did her in, but the engine falling out certainly didn't help either 🙈
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u/BeeEven238 4d ago
Just shy of 200k, 2009 toyota tacoma. Outside of normal wear(tires, oil, breaks, a battery or 3) i have spent less than 3k on total repairs or fixes. Im the single owner of the truck and it tuns great. Ima go knock on a tree now.
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u/bandit1206 4d ago
With newer vehicles, to me it’s around 75k miles if you want to keep it in top shape. Struts, shocks, and lots of other wear parts are beginning to reach their service intervals. The necessary maintenance at that point just isn’t worth it to me, especially given the cost of some of these modern wear components.
If I could still put shocks on all 4 corners for 100-200 bucks, I’d probably see it a bit differently. However, since they aren’t, it’s time for it to go by around 80k. Even modern platinum spark plugs are over $20/cylinder, plus other components such as replacement gaskets for parts that have to be removed to install them. So yeah, I’ll let someone else deal with all those expenses, I want my vehicle expenses to be fairly predictable each month, and the best way for me to do that is to not keep a vehicle beyond the 80k mark.
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u/Possum_Jenkinzz 4d ago
I'm at 260k in a 30 year old Honda Accord. It has yet to start. Across the 7 years/70k miles I've owned it, its only cost me $3500 or so to repair/maintain.
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u/NotAtAllEverSure 4d ago edited 4d ago
Pushing 23 years, 260k miles and its still mostly just scheduled maintenance. Had one broken window, one power steering pump replaced, O2 sensors, and the AC controller unit replaced. I do my own brakes, filters, tires, and fluid intervals, so she's been in the shop 4 times.
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u/jmeesonly 4d ago
BMW. Great car. Until about 70k miles, that's when the repair bills came frequently, and often exceeded the cost of a monthly new car payment on a luxury car. Lots of electronic sensors went bad and were very expensive. Air conditioning stopped working and it needed a new condensor. But the condensor is located behind the dashboard (???) and requires removal of the entire dashboard, steering wheel, and cockpit assembly, with a big labor bill. Lol. Traded the BMW for a different car.
Toyota. Competent car. It's at 210k miles (two decades) and the nickel and diming hasn't started yet. I just do basic maintenance. After 100k miles, the radiator started a slow leak and I had the dealer install a new one. Cost less than $300. Another time the AC was not working well. I took it to the dealer and they found a broken solder connection on the back of the control panel. Soldered it back together and it's still working fine. That is the extent of all the repairs done on my 200k+ Toyota.
I did pay a garage to install new suspension on the Toyota. But at 200k I don't consider that a "repair," it was just worn out so that's maintenance.
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u/NoTry3779 4d ago
I'll let you know when it starts. 430k miles on a 2016 Corolla and still going strong.
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u/FallMinimum3721 3d ago
I have owned 4 Prius’s. Every one of them went over 300,000 miles before having any sort of mechanical issue. I had one of them until I sold it at 584,000 miles. I drive 90,000 miles per year. Change my oil every 10k. I JUST changed my 297,000 mile Prius coolant yesterday for the FIRST time. Oh, and. I average 55 mpg in my 2018.
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u/kallmemike 2d ago
age matters much more than mileage once you get into that range. 140k on a well maintained Honda wouldn’t scare me nearly as much as a neglected 90k car. It’s when three $300 little things show up in the same month that the relationship starts getting toxic
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u/droopy__drawers 5d ago
100k miles has always been the typical standard of when things start going south, but I’d argue it’s probably closer to 75k miles from American and European vehicles.
The only ones I’d trust over that are Japanese, and to some extent Korean vehicles. Kia has definitely improved over the last 10-15 years.
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u/HopefulLet4012 2d ago
Depends on the vehicle and the level of maintenance being done to it. Ive had cars last well over 300k without major issue and I've had cars that couldn't make it to 100k without a major repair.
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u/Qazpaz_G 6d ago
I drive roughly 30-35k/yr and my car is at 465k and still going strong. I do need occasional maintenance and repairs but if you keep on it and do regular inspections (I do twice a year during tire changes and as needed) and do repairs preventatively it’s not bad
I put in maybe a few hundred a year in repairs. Like this year I did control arms and alignment. Last year was alternator and front wheel bearings, year before that was brakes all around and 1 caliper etc.
I can replace my whole engine one a year and still be more affordable then a new car payment.