Should I buy a car with 200000?

Answer 1

Depends on the type of car, appearance and service history. that's the short and simple answer.

For example, I wouldn't buy a 1986 Hyun--- Excel with any number of miles for anything more than $100 but I wouldn't really think twice about a Mercedes 300E or any 240 series Volvo from the same era for up to 400K miles.

If the vehicle looks like it's been cared for (and not just by the dealer), for example eating inside the car, items lodged between the seat cushions reveal a lot about the history of a car and it's previous relationship with it's prior owners.

Moms, though they tend to drive with more caution, don't tend to keep up with frequent upkeep. Young men although, most of which like to work on their cars, most also are very demanding with their cars . Ideally one would want a lease return from a single, adult professional. Unfortunately at 200K miles those are hard to come by unless they're purpose built machines such as the aforementioned, not appliances.

When testing a car out, let the car idle for several minutes, an idling car with the a/c turned on full blast WILL reveal many engine and cooling flaws within. So will the Power Steering test. The transmission should not slip and the clutch (if it's a manual) should have a quick and tight engagement. The car should NOT smell of fluids other than gasoline, perhaps.

Expect normal wear and tear. Some cars age better than others. This is where quality takes precedence. An old or 'used' Bimmer will look 100X's better than an old Dodge. It will also wear better. Some cars on the high end are designed to last forever BUT the manufacturer also assumes the owner is absurdly wealthy and can afford the upkeep. I.e., any big bodied foreign luxury car (esp. any equipped with 12 cylinders). Ideally, I would lean on the entry level of the marquee marques. 3 series, Mercedes W201, Saab 900 or most anything from Volvo. Also Toyota makes a damn fine car. But I'm just a car and safety snob.

So unless you're a plutocrat, stay away from wretched excess or utter frugality and you will do just fine with the aptly engineered 6 and even some modestly powered 8 cylinder models.