What factors do you consider when searching for the ideal used car? Many people boil their considerations down to three main issues: price, age, and mileage. Depending on where the facts land on one of those considerations, people are often willing to compromise on others. Someone might be willing to pay a little bit more for a younger car with fewer miles… within limits.

If you are looking to buy a used car in Calgary, you probably shouldn’t limit yourself to just those three factors. There are a lot of things to consider, things like: price/budget, vehicle history/condition, inspection results, the model’s reputation, driving experience, your lifestyle, how you’ll finance or pay for the car, any available warranty, cost of insurance, and expected operating costs (including anticipated repairs and maintenance). But sometimes, a shortcut is handy. And, besides, “price and age and mileage” are arguably just shorthand for that longer list. Just don’t ignore that complete list of issues to think about while looking at certified used cars in Calgary.

So back to our shortcut and one of the trickier combinations. Picture this. You’re visiting used car dealerships in Calgary and you find a car that checks the price box perfectly. And it checks the age box perfectly. But that mileage box. Aye, there’s the rub. The mileage is a lot higher than you were targeting. How much mileage is too much mileage?

Because there are so many used cars out there, there’s simply no single answer that we can give. If you were looking for a specific number, we’ll disappoint you. What we can offer you is these four rules of thumb and guides to answering this question when considering your options.

  • All things being equal, choose the car with lower mileage. It’s a no brainer. If everything about two or three cars is equally satisfactory when you go through all your needs and wants, the lower mileage option is likely the best choice.
  • We said “likely.” Why the ambiguity? For the simple reason that not all miles are equal. A car with 50,000 miles of constant city driving and that is on its second engine and fourth owner might warrant a hard “no” compared to a similar car with 100,000 miles and a clear and documented maintenance record from a single owner. The point is that to understand how much weight to put on the car’s odometer reading, you need to read the odometer in context. Be sure to pull a copy of the vehicle’s CARFAX report, try to determine where any how those miles were put on the car, and ask your inspecting mechanic to consider how many miles are left on the car, not just how many miles have been travelled.
  • If you’re looking for a shortcut to the shortcut, look at cars that average roughly 15,000 miles per model year. A four-year-old car with 55,000 to 65,000 miles shouldn’t ring any alarm bells. But a two-year-old car with 60,000 warrants is asking harder questions and taking a closer look. If the car’s mileage is out of that sweet spot of approximately 15,000 miles/model year — up or down — try to find out why.
  • Just like regular medical attention, good nutrition, plentiful exercise, and lots of sleep can keep drivers young and healthy into old age, so can timely maintenance sustain the lifespan of a used car. Cars come with recommended maintenance at certain mileage intervals (more than just oil changes, though those are important). A car with relatively low mileage that has never received any of its recommended interval maintenance is a risk compared to a higher mileage car whose owner has followed all the manufacturer’s recommendations. Whenever possible, ask to see the detailed maintenance records of any car you’re considering, especially a higher mileage car. Used car dealers in Calgary will help you to review and understand what you’re looking at.

What’s the old saying? Figures can lie and liars can figure. Choosing a used car should never be about any single mileage figure and not even about any set of three age, price, and mileage figures. Rather, your choice should be based on how all those factors weigh against each other and the other factors on the longer list provided above. The best idea is to get additional information and context to fill in the details between and around those mileage numbers. If mileage is the only information you have, it’s not enough — no matter how low or high.