High mileage GTD

[DanED30GTI]

Hi everyone,

I'm after some advice on a GTD I've been looking at. It's a 16 plate with all the gadgets on I'm looking for apart from reversing camera. The only issue is it's got 25000 on the clock and I would be adding roughly 12-15k a year over the next four years.

Question is, would this be a deal breaker for anyone else? I do understand they are motorway cars so a lot of models will have high mileage. Would it be better to get the car I wasn't with high mileage.... or spend 1000 or so more on a similar car with less mileage?

Any advice is appreciated.

[AJP]

I'd personally always put condition and documented history before mileage.

And 25k? It's nothing. It shouldn't really be any worse a car than one of the same age that'd done 15k. In fact, assuming the 25k car is in good nick, you could probably find plenty of lower mileage cars in worse condition.

When you get up into the 100k mark (for argument's sake) then naturally there are more considerations when you're looking for one - belt changes, clutches etc - but at 25k it theoretically won't need anything big for a long time. Therefore you're in a good position in terms of being able to judge a car more or less at face value, ie its general condition.

The best thing to do is just get out there and see as many as you can in the flesh. So many of the cars that tick the boxes on paper turn out to be a bit rougher than the ad suggests!

[DanED30GTI]

Thanks for the words of wisdom! I've always had a rule when buying cars to try and buy one with <10k on for every year. But that's always been with cars 5-6 years old to keep miles down. Like you say, 25k is nothing regardless of it being 1 or 2 years old and the the more I think about it, a car that's 1 year old is better to buy than a car that's 2 year old with similar mileage.... But as mentioned most important is how it's been kept.

What would full service history be on a car like that? 2 stamps? Or is 2 year 20000 mile service acceptable these days anyone?

[AJP]

I'd always go for a car that'd had more oil changes, but maybe that's just me. I turned down quite a few that'd been on long life before I found the car I'm in now.

I don't know if things have moved on a bit now - maybe long life servicing isn't such a bad thing. I just can't get my head around anything with a turbo glugging 20k old oil around.

That said, it's worth remembering we're not talking about an old car (that'd done big miles on old oil). Even if it does only have 1 stamp, you'd be intervening early enough in its life for it not to make a great deal of difference.

Maybe get a few opinions on the long life situation though. My opinion is just one of many.

[dervdave]

Try it, like it, buy it, they handle the miles, my 2010 has 98k and runs like new.
Forget about longlife servicing !

[Scottymon]

Oil changes ftw - my current GTI5 has nearly 170k at stage 1.5 from 70k... regular drops pulls strong, no engine issues.