Is it better to purchase a high end used car/suv with high miles (BMW, AUDI,

[whiteystyle]

etc..) or a lower end with less? I need a new car- something with 4 wheel drive for the winter.

I am seeing many BMW, Audi, Volvo, acura etc cars for under 10,000 but with high miles +100,000

i know repairs on these are pricey, but for any mechanics out there- since the quality of these are much higher, and the engines last longer, would you reccomend an older high mileage higher end car/suv?

pros, cons?

any help is appreciated!

i saw a 2001 AUDI Allroad with aprox 142,000miles for 3,500 asking price.

why not buy miled up german cars?

[bluenick81]

Lower end with less. The cars with high miles might be good, but unless you know and have proof that the car has been maintained properly with everything being done as needed, it's not going to be a wise investment.
No matter how well made the car is, unless there's proof of having had regular oil changes and the like, the engine should be questionable to you when looking at a high mileage car.

[Alfonzo]

The goal is to get the best deal for your money. A vehicle with lower miles will generally last longer than one with high miles. It depends more on it's condition and how well the previous owners took care of it. This goes far beyond the cosmetic/appearance. As a general rule of thumb, a vehicle is pretty much more trouble than it's worth after 140K miles but, some last well beyond that.

Given a choice between a Chevy Blazer with 85K miles OR a BMW X5 with 125K miles (both @ the same price) I'd take the Chevy because, not only does it have a lot less miles on it, But the cost of replacement parts will be a LOT less than the BMW. BMW's are better built and use higher quality parts BUT that will only go so far (12 - 15 years old) and then they are at just about the same level.

The most important thing is that you get one that you like and feel comfortable with. I've seen several post on Y!A about people buying something then, a few weeks later, getting "buyers remorse" and they ask if it's possible for them to back out of the deal. By that time, it's too late and they are either stuck with a bad choice OR it will cost them plenty to get rid of it.

[StupidFlanders]

Lower end with less.

Less to operate, less to go wrong and less costly to maintain and repair.