pinhead

As a household we have over the years bought 4 cars > 80,000 miles and 2 <12,000 miles.

The only problem one was a Fiesta bought 2nd hand at 6,000 miles. 4 wheel bearings and two springs went over the next 20,000. Someone (not I) bought an ex motability car and my guess is it had been regularly clobbered up kerbs for parking.

I really don’t subscribe to the view that “new cars make sense” for people worried about breakdowns. Anything under 50,000 miles that isn’t a known bad model and is well maintained is going to have basically the same reliability. Buying used low mileage filters out the duds sometimes. If you’re worried about breakdowns, get good breakdown coverage and try not to travel on Christmas Eve or Christmas day. Two of my three strandings were not “breakdowns” as in not related to mechanical failure but driver error (Over optimistic approach to potholes and leaving the lights on… Being with the AA made far more difference than having a new car would have done…)