If you’re buying a used car, mileage doesn’t tell the whole story

Many may hesitate before purchasing a used car that already has 100,000 kilometers or much more on the odometer. But think twice, as higher mileage is not necessarily bad news, says a German automobile association.

Instead, look twice if you’re considering an older car that appears to have been driven very little, lest you fall for any tricks involving the dials.

What really counts is the general condition of the car and the way the vehicle was previously used, says the German club ADAC.

Take a long-distance car that starts once in the morning and then runs for five hours straight at the ideal operating temperature. This may be in better shape than a family car that only drove two miles to the bakery or school and therefore experienced many unhealthy cold starts.

To get an objective picture of the vehicle you’re looking at, you’ll need to look beyond the odometer and the age of the car.

Oftentimes, depending on where you live, you may have a local repair shop that will evaluate the vehicle for you. Costs vary naturally, but can be around US$100.

Research has shown that batteries, alternators and coil springs are the most common parts that fail in a car, while the rapid advancement of electronics has increased the likelihood of more complicated and expensive failures.

If you’re buying an electric one, you’ll also need to look closely at the health of the battery. Test driving the car for a few hours to see how quickly the battery drains is probably not an option, so to be able to have an expert determine the so-called state of health (SoH), an independent check of the battery with a certified is possibly your best option.