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I've bought several vehicles with that kind of mileage and had no problems, but I usually spend around $500 or less. The ones I buy tend to be a little rough around the edges, though, so if the car was exceptional I guess $2K wouldn't be so bad.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I wouldn't pay $2,000 for it. More like $500-1,000 depending on the body, tires, and upholstery. If it's not smoking or making engine noises and keep the oil changes up you may get another 30-50,000 miles on it but I'd stick close to home with it.
Often people focus on the engine and transmission as the deciding factor on whether to buy a high mileage used car or not. But don't overlook that there are many parts on a car that wear, and they all will fail eventually. I have a buddy who runs his cars into the 200's often, and he raves about how perfectly they operate. They're nearly deathtraps by that point, because the suspensions and brakes are completely worn out. Then we get into "well, 2 of the 4 windows won't roll up, the high beams don't work, only the right turn signal works, the passenger front seat is stuck in the forward position, the AC quit 5 years ago and the heat is always on full blast, etc., etc."
He's also the guy with the 300K Volvo "that runs great" but he has actually replaced the entire exhaust and fuel systems, all the pumps, a dozen sensors, and so on. Not a month goes by where he isn't dumping money into the car, and it still drives like garbage.
There's a lot more to a car than just being able to move.
Often people focus on the engine and transmission as the deciding factor on whether to buy a high mileage used car or not. But don't overlook that there are many parts on a car that wear, and they all will fail eventually. I have a buddy who runs his cars into the 200's often, and he raves about how perfectly they operate. They're nearly deathtraps by that point, because the suspensions and brakes are completely worn out. Then we get into "well, 2 of the 4 windows won't roll up, the high beams don't work, only the right turn signal works, the passenger front seat is stuck in the forward position, the AC quit 5 years ago and the heat is always on full blast, etc., etc."
He's also the guy with the 300K Volvo "that runs great" but he has actually replaced the entire exhaust and fuel systems, all the pumps, a dozen sensors, and so on. Not a month goes by where he isn't dumping money into the car, and it still drives like garbage.
There's a lot more to a car than just being able to move.
But I think being able to move reliably is the most important thing once you are looking at a 12 year old car. If you have a budget below $4000, then an Avalon is as good, or better, than most other cars. Besides, the OP said he would check out the mechanical parts / cosmetic issues before buying. You can still probably find a well-kept 1998 Avalon that has many years of service left.
But I think being able to move reliably is the most important thing once you are looking at a 12 year old car. If you have a budget below $4000, then an Avalon is as good, or better, than most other cars. Besides, the OP said he would check out the mechanical parts / cosmetic issues before buying. You can still probably find a well-kept 1998 Avalon that has many years of service left.
If getting from A to B is the only consideration, $4K would buy a much newer and lower mileage Corolla, for instance.
You can't check out all the subsystems of the car that will fail, as I alluded to about my buddy's cars. They may work during the pre-purchase inspection, but they are time bombs on a car with that many miles.
I tried to edit my earlier post with this: Yes, replacing parts on an older car is a cost to be factored into the purchase decision. But the time involved with that, and the possibility of being stranded, can be a bigger issue. In the last two months my buddy's Volvo has cost him several hours of missed work and drive time because it broke down while his wife was driving it.
I bought a '99 Avalon with 152k two years ago. It now has 210k on it, and runs like a Swiss watch....utterly reliable. No expenses other than consumables, and everything on it works.
Paid 2.5k for it. Best used car I've ever owned, would buy another in a moment.
I bought a '99 Avalon with 152k two years ago. It now has 210k on it, and runs like a Swiss watch....utterly reliable. No expenses other than consumables, and everything on it works.
Paid 2.5k for it. Best used car I've ever owned, would buy another in a moment.
Oh my! The secret is out as to how good a car the Avalon really is!
No.2 son bought a 2003 Avalon that was well cared for that will probably be such a keeper that he'll tire of it after about 25 years!
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