Used Cars: Pay For Fewer Miles or Newer Model?

philwells

I'm conflicted when looking at 4wd Expeditions. I am considering a 2015 Platinum with 26k mi for $38k, and a couple 2017 Limiteds with <32k mi for ~ $39k. And, in Phoenix, there is a 2015 Limited with 22kmi for $38k. None of these are local, of course...

My conundrum is that I don't know if its better to buy an older car (2015) with fewer miles or a newer car (2017) with more miles. Frankly, if the 2015 Limited is $38k, i would probably lean toward the Platinum with ~ same miles, same year, and more features.

What would YOU do - better miles or the newer year? Thanks in advance.

Phil In San Diego

kyfdx

philwells said:

I'm conflicted when looking at 4wd Expeditions. I am considering a 2015 Platinum with 26k mi for $38k, and a couple 2017 Limiteds with <32k mi for ~ $39k. And, in Phoenix, there is a 2015 Limited with 22kmi for $38k. None of these are local, of course...

My conundrum is that I don't know if its better to buy an older car (2015) with fewer miles or a newer car (2017) with more miles. Frankly, if the 2015 Limited is $38k, i would probably lean toward the Platinum with ~ same miles, same year, and more features.

What would YOU do - better miles or the newer year? Thanks in advance.

Phil In San Diego</p>

If resale value is your concern (say, in three or four years), then the lower optioned newer vehicle will be worth more. If you drive a normal amount of miles/yr (12K or so), the average mileage/yr will narrow, as time goes on.

But, if you drive vehicles a long time, it won't matter.. Eventually, all models are worth less than $10K. If that's the case, just get the one you want.

Mr_Shiftright

Unless the 2015 had something really compelling about it, I'd buy whichever has the longest warranty, either in miles or time. You might need to pencil that out among the different choices. You'd have to know when each car "entered service", because that sets the warranty clock ticking with regards to time. Miles are miles, so if you had say 2 years left but only 2,000 miles left on warranty, that's pretty worthless.

philwells

Dear Shifty,

Thanks for the quick reply.

Warranty certainly makes a difference and it gets convoluted by deal "Certified Preowned" additional warranties. But, the 36mo/36k bumper-bumper warranty has expired for the 2015s. If I buy from a Ford dealer and the car is Certified Preowned, I get an extra 12/12k but the Platinum is sold by Lexus dealer so there's no CPO warranty.

The Powertrain Warranty is 5y/60k.

So, in either case, the 2017s have more warranty. But what about wear? Do you think a 2015 with fewer miles than a 2017 has less wear or more (because it's been around longer)?

And, I am not as logical or circumspect as you! So, putting warranty aside for a moment, would you take the car with the extra features and nicer seats with fewer miles but 2 more years? In fact what if they were both the same package - same features but one has fewer miles and one has fewer years?