Used car guide · Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center · Elgin, IL

How Many Miles Is Too Many for a Used Car?

There is no single odometer reading that makes a used car a bad buy. A more useful test is how the mileage compares with the car's age, and whether the maintenance records, the vehicle history and an independent inspection back it up. Here is how to judge the miles on a used car you are shopping for.

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Used cars on the lot in front of the Elgin Auto Sales building in Elgin, IL
Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center, 1200 E. Chicago St., Elgin
10,787average miles per light-duty vehicle, 2024 (FHWA)
11,106the same average in 2023
5key indicators in an NMVTIS history report
Recordsask the owner, dealer or repair shop

The short answer

Compare the odometer with the car's age. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) puts the 2024 average at 10,787 miles per light-duty vehicle, so a five-year-old car with about 54,000 miles is typical. Higher miles are not a deal-breaker on their own; maintenance records, a vehicle history report that confirms the odometer, and an independent inspection tell you more about the car than the number alone.

Average miles by age: a quick benchmark

FHWA's Highway Statistics table VM-1 reports that all light-duty vehicles (passenger cars, light trucks, vans and SUVs) averaged 10,787 miles per vehicle in 2024, and 11,106 in 2023. Multiplying a rounded 10,800 miles by a car's age gives a rough benchmark for its odometer.

Vehicle ageMiles at about 10,800 a yearHow to read it
3 yearsAbout 32,400Well above this suggests heavy use, such as long commutes or a former fleet or rental car; ask about it.
5 yearsAbout 54,000Within a few thousand of this is ordinary.
8 yearsAbout 86,400Well below can mean light use, but confirm it with the history report and records.
10 yearsAbout 108,000At this age, condition and service history matter more than the reading.

Benchmark is our arithmetic from FHWA's 2024 national average (Highway Statistics 2024, table VM-1, updated February 2026). Individual drivers vary widely; the average is a starting point, not a rule.

What matters more than the number

Maintenance records

Ask for the car's maintenance record from the owner, dealer or repair shop. If the owner does not have copies, the dealership or shop that did most of the work may share its files. A higher-mileage car with steady service records can be a better buy than a low-mileage one with none.

An independent inspection

Have a mechanic inspect the car for mechanical soundness and safety before you buy. A vehicle history report is useful, but it is not a substitute for an inspection.

A real test drive

Drive it under varied road conditions: on hills, on the highway and in stop-and-go traffic.

The previous owner

If the seller does not know the car's history, talking to the previous owner can fill in how and where it was driven.

Checklist items adapted from the used-car buying tips on the Department of Justice's NMVTIS website, which summarizes Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidance.

Make sure the odometer reading is real

A low reading only helps if it is true. The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), run by the U.S. Department of Justice, warns that odometer fraud can lead a buyer to pay more than a vehicle's fair market value or to buy an unsafe vehicle, and that checking the odometer reading helps spot discrepancies in a vehicle's history.

  • Get an NMVTIS vehicle history report from an approved provider listed at vehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov. It covers five indicators: current title and last title date, brand history (labels such as junk, salvage and flood), odometer reading, total loss history and salvage history.
  • Compare the readings over time. Our advice: odometer readings in a car's history should only go up, so ask about any reading lower than an earlier one.
  • Know what NMVTIS leaves out. Its report is intentionally short. Repair histories and recall information come from other sources, such as private history reports and NHTSA's recall information.

Report contents and the odometer-fraud warning are from NMVTIS's pages on understanding a vehicle history report and used car buying tips, read October 26, 2026.

Before you buy a higher-mileage used car

Mileage tells you how much the car has been used. These steps tell you how well it has been cared for:

  1. Compare the odometer with the benchmark above for the car's age.
  2. Ask for the maintenance records and look for the services in the owner's manual schedule.
  3. Run the VIN through an NMVTIS history report and the NHTSA recall lookup.
  4. Have an independent mechanic inspect the car.
  5. Test drive it on hills, highway and stop-and-go roads.

More on each step: our guides to what to look for when buying a used car and how to check a used car for recalls.

Shopping for a used car at Elgin Auto Sales

Browse our used inventory, and ask us for the VIN and any service records we have on a vehicle you are interested in, or contact us with questions.

Our service department serves pre-owned car buyers, from routine oil changes to complex transmission replacements, so you can keep a higher-mileage car on its maintenance schedule with us; request a service appointment online or see current service specials. You can also value your trade or apply for financing online.

Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center is at 1200 E. Chicago St. in Elgin. Sales hours are Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; service hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both are closed Sunday. Get directions.

Used car mileage FAQ

How many miles is too many for a used car?

There is no single cutoff. Compare the odometer with the car's age using FHWA's average of about 10,800 miles a year, then weigh the maintenance records, the vehicle history and an independent inspection.

What is the average number of miles driven per year?

FHWA's Highway Statistics table VM-1 reports 10,787 miles per light-duty vehicle in 2024 and 11,106 in 2023.

Is a high-mileage car with good records a good buy?

It can be. Records show whether the car was maintained, and an independent mechanic's inspection shows its condition today. Those tell you more than the odometer reading alone.

How can I tell if the odometer has been rolled back?

Get an NMVTIS vehicle history report, which includes odometer readings, and check that the readings only go up over time. Ask about any discrepancy before you buy.

Is low mileage always better?

Not always. Very low miles for the car's age should still be confirmed with the history report and service records, and the car should still be inspected.

Can I have my used car serviced at Elgin Auto Sales?

Yes. Our service department serves pre-owned car buyers, from routine oil changes to complex transmission replacements, so you can keep up with the maintenance schedule after you buy.

Sources

Average miles per vehicle are from FHWA's Highway Statistics 2024 table VM-1 (updated February 2026), read on October 26, 2026; the age benchmark is our own arithmetic from that average. Vehicle history and buying tips are from the NMVTIS website, read the same day. Our address and hours are from our own website, checked the same day.

  1. Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-1: Annual vehicle distance traveled in miles and related data (updated February 2026), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
  2. Understanding an NMVTIS Vehicle History Report, National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, U.S. Department of Justice
  3. Used Car Buying Tips, National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, U.S. Department of Justice
  4. Service department and hours, Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center
  5. Address, directions and sales hours, Elgin Auto Sales & Service Center