Tips on Buying Cars: Used (but like-new) car Millage, independent mechanic, high mileage

Question
Hi,

First I want to thank you for sharing your knowledge with the online community people like me are really lost when it comes to buying a car. :)

I'm looking for a car to buy (Audi A4 or A3 or a Mini Cooper S). The car should be between 2004 and 2009. I have $15K.

While doing my research, I found few cars with few years but with a high millage. I read online that high milage is bad, however I also read that new car are a better shot.

I'm a little confused because the A3, I'm looking at and will test drive tomorrow morning is 2007 with 60K mil. It's a lot but the car is new...
Does it makes sense to buy a car that has over 20K mil per year even if it's only 3 years old?

I planed to use use 8,000 mi. a year.  need the car for 3 years approximately.

I really hope to hear from you very soon.

Best.
Neil


Answer
Neil,

Thanks for your question.  You are quite welcome for the sharing.  An educated consumer is always better than a non-educated.  The high mileage isn't always a bad thing.  Especially when that kind of miles, because more than likely those miles are mostly highway miles, which provides for less stress on the vehicle as opposed to city miles where there is a lot of breaking, and slow and high speeds, which is harder on the vehicle.  All of this really doesn't matter though, and here is why.  Most cars, especially the ones you are looking at, are built to withstand a lot of miles.  The thing that you need to look at is whether or not the maintenance has been done regularly, pull a carfax on the vehicle, which the dealership can pull for you, and it should show most of the service history.  Have the car looked at by an independent mechanic to make sure that everything is ok.  

Don't get scared on the mileage, just do your homework, and take the precautions that I mentioned, and you will be fine.

Hope this helps.

Thanks - JB