OT mechanics: Vehicle reliability - Mileage vs Age

Is it a Toyota or a Land Rover?

Interesting question. My car is 11 years old with 97,000. I cannot think of a good reason to get rid of it tbh. I'm the only owner and take outstanding care of it.

I see no reason I can't keep it running for another 5-6 years at least.

I hate cars and only have one because we have trash public transportation in the US.

quote:

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What is more important, reliable, or reference for wear/tear….the age of a vehicle or the mileage.

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#1 Reliable, otherwise I'm not buying it.
(In other words, I'll pay more for a Tacoma vs, any Chevy, Ford, Dodge equivalent.)

and mileage over age.

im not a mechanic but a chemical eng. I think there is a driving failure mechanism for age and for mileage.

For age, it's corrosion, swelling of soft goods (gaskets and o-rings) in oil or gas services, degradation of components, oxidation of electrical terminals, and things like that. I would expect that these are very slow and easily repairable. Storage conditions would play a role.

For mileage, it's the number of times each component has been actuated or stressed, thermal cycling, and accelerated corrosion or degradation due to more time at high heat. Moving parts are designed with a finite number of movements. I think this is the primary driver of reliability.

Anyway, thats my 2 cents.

Age effects rubber and plastic components. Rubber gets hard and starts to crack. PLastic gets brittle and breaks.
Doesn't matter what brand as a vehicle ages you need to start replacing plastic and rubber bits as the vehicle gets older. Good example is the plastic hose T's that get brittle and fail on older Toyotas. $11 part that takes 15 minutes to change. But can kill the whole motor if it goes and you don't notice. But those parts tend to be cheaper and easier to replace and usually a DIY sort of job.

Mileage equates to mechanical wear. Lubrication, heat, speed, and load all effect mechanical wear and can't really be judge by mileage itself.

Mileage.

A 6 year old truck with 140,000 miles is nuts. Way too high. On one hand it could be mostly highway miles which is good. But still I wouldn’t buy a “new-ish” car with that many miles.

The one that has more highway miles and has been properly serviced.

A body on frame Japanese SUV is pretty bulletproof.

The older one is better just take Nissan kia hundai off the table they are disposable cars engines everything junk I would take a 12 year old Toyota with 120k on it vs 80k miles & 2015 American anything