Buying a used car when service history is good but mileage is high

Safety-critical vehicle advice should be treated as general discussion; use qualified repair help when a fault could make a vehicle unsafe.

I'm considering a used car with higher mileage than I originally wanted, but its service records are unusually complete: regular oil changes, documented repairs and consistent ownership. A lower-mileage alternative has patchy history and looks cosmetically better. I know mileage alone doesn't tell the story. What would you prioritize in an inspection to decide whether the well-maintained high-mileage car is a sensible buy rather than a false bargain?

  • car-ownership
  • buying
  • used
  • service
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