How many miles are modern cars expected to run for?
I have several cars with 200,000+ miles. My ’88 Volvo 240 has about 260K. My daughter drives it on and off freeway every day. In 5 years it has been out of service for 1/2 day to replace the rear main seal. My ’91 Honda Accord has 190K and just passed the Test Only Smog exam in Calif. The CO emissions are .01 %, which is better than many new cars. I generally recommend Japanese cars such as 4cyl Toyotas. You can get low mileage used engines for $400, which makes the overall cost of ownership pretty low. I like cars under $2000 but most drivers should pay a little more if they can afford it. You should find plenty of cars in the $3000 to $5000 range. Here’s how to drive a NICE car for $1000 per year. Buy a used BMW for $10,000. Drive it 5 years. Sell it for $5,000. That equals $1000 per year depreciation.
