AUTONEWS

Which cars are the best after 100,000 km?

“Decades ago, 100,000 miles was seen as the upper service life for a lot of cars, and that number has sort of stuck in people’s imaginations to mean that a car is past its prime,” says Mike Crossen, lead technician at CR’s Auto Test Center. “Although expensive maintenance items come due at or shortly after 100,000 miles, most cars today can last a lot longer.”

Crossen says that things like spark plugs, timing belts, the water pump, and rubber parts such as coolant hoses are among the pricier maintenance items likely to pop up when a car hits 100,000 miles, typically in the eight- to 10-year range. “That’s also when automatic transmissions can start to show signs of wear, and when cars with manual transmissions might need a clutch replacement,” he says. “You can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in potential maintenance and repair costs if these things have been taken care of before you buy the car.”

What to Keep in Mind When Researching High-Mileage Cars...Choose a model known for reliability and low repair costs. Any car with more than 100,000 miles is going to be out of warranty and possibly in need of big-ticket maintenance items or repairs. But buying a car with a good reliability record and low maintenance and repair costs can help keep these expenses to a minimum.

Keep your options list simple. “Cars with more and higher-tech features are likely to be more expensive to fix when they break,” Crossen says. “Also, be wary of used luxury cars, which tend to have higher costs for parts and labor, as well as greater complexity, which will mean higher labor fees when repairs are needed.” Extras like all-wheel drive, heated and ventilated seats, multiple camera systems, and motion-activated tailgates, while nice to have, can be expensive to fix if something goes wrong.

Check the maintenance records. Once you’ve found a high-mileage car you want to buy, scrutinize it for anything that might cost you later. The seller should have maintenance records. If the car was maintained at a dealership service department, there will be computerized records that can be printed out upon request, even if they have to black out the customer’s name and other personal information. Carfax vehicle history reports (see below) include reported service work and can be a useful tool to judge how well a car has been looked after. If you can’t get clear records from a history report or the seller, consider buying another car. “The bottom line: You want to make sure the car has been serviced and maintained under its previous ownership,” Crossen says. Review the repair and maintenance records to make sure things like oil, filters, and brake pads were replaced at regular intervals, and make a note of any major repairs. Keep in mind that electric vehicles need maintenance, too: By 100,000 miles, there’s likely to be a record of work done to the brakes and cooling system, for example.

Get a vehicle history report. Vehicle history reports may include information about the car’s accident history, as well as warnings about odometer tampering. The owner may include a vehicle history report in the sale listing, but it’s a good idea to get reports from a few different sources to rule out omissions from the car’s history. A Carfax report costs $45 and one from Autocheck costs $30. You can also get free reports from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and carsforsale.com, which provides reports from the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS). Most listings in the Consumer Reports Used Car Marketplace include free history reports. CR members will also see the reliability and owner satisfaction ratings with each listing. 

Have the car looked over by a mechanic. As with any used car, you should take a high-mileage car to a mechanic you trust and have worked with before. “A mechanic will be able to spot most major mechanical problems, as well as paint and bodywork hiding accident damage, and deal breakers like corrosion that you might not be able to see until the car is up on a lift,” Crossen says. “A little surface rust is fine, but bubbling paint, rust holes, and damage to parts of the steering, braking, and suspension systems or the frame are not. Make sure the technician also checks rubber suspension bushings for damage from leaking oil or high-impact usage.”

The German car magazine Auto Bild has the rare opportunity to test cars in a marathon test of 100,000 km. It now has a large database of vehicles that have undergone the demanding treatment, and the best models with the fewest faults have been published. The cars are driven in all weather conditions, on short trips as well as on motorways. The result is not just a technical assessment, but a comprehensive and reliable picture.

The following models were impressive and achieved the highest rating. Not only did they demonstrate high quality and reliable technology, but they also showed only minimal weaknesses in everyday use and during disassembly! So, the best after 100,000 km was the Audi A3 Sportback g-tron, tested in 2017. It received a rating of 1+ (in German terminology, the best rating is 1 to the worst rating is 5). Audi did not have a single fault.

Next comes the 1+ BMW M3, tested in 2023, with a manual transmission and carbon ceramic brakes.

In third place is the 2019 Audi A4 Avant TFSI ultra with a 1 rating (all subsequent models also have a 1 rating) without any major issues.

Next comes the Audi A6 Avant 40 TDI (2021), with no faults other than the parking sensor that kept triggering error messages.

The BMW Z4 sDrive 30i (2021) completed the endurance test with virtually no wear or complications. It never required an unscheduled service visit during the entire period. Even a teardown under the strict supervision of DEKRA revealed no defects or significant wear.

Seat Ateca 1.4 Eco TSI Style (2020) – after long drives, several drivers complained of back pain and numbness in their buttocks. This resulted in a penalty point, spoiling the otherwise exceptional and impeccable performance.

The VW T-Cross 1.0 TSI (2023) covered 100,000 kilometers without a single fault or defect. During the final inspection, a light brown film was noticed on the front and rear axles, which, as harmless surface corrosion, did not affect the performance of the T-Cross. Engine, gearbox, clutch – all in perfect working order!

The BMW 320d Touring (2022) endured 100,000 kilometers with complete calm and ease. A few functional weaknesses in everyday use, a couple of (mostly cosmetic) problems during disassembly and a high price – that's all that could be noticed.

The Mazda CX-5 Skyactiv-D 184 AWD (2021) also passed the test without any significant defects and with impeccable service in the service. Initial, but still harmless, corrosion was found under the trunk lid seal. The installed 2.2-liter diesel engine showed no signs of wear after 100,000 kilometers.

The Suzuki Swift Sport 1.4 Boosterjet (2021) completed the test without any problems. It was only during disassembly that a defect was discovered: (relatively minor) rust in the longitudinal members. The corrosion protection was insufficient.

Without this defect, the Swift Sport would have received the highest rating.