Thread: How many KMs is too many KMs when buying used?

Lots of research for you to do, but in a nutshell:
1. Go for the latest model you can afford (changes were more than cosmetic in mid 2013, not so critical after that)
2. Regular servicing is good, but regular servicing with low km intervals is better. For example, a vehicle that has been serviced every 12 months with interval km less than 15,000km is better than one that was serviced at the high end of the interval range which is 24,000 to 26,000km. Note that most on here would recommend oil and filter changes every 6 months or 10,000 to 13,000km. There is some evidence that extended service intervals is a factor in later model 3.0L crankcase failures.
3. Whatever you do, remember that you are not buying a $40k or $50k car. You are buying a $100k car with leading edge hardware and software that has the servicing requirements and costs of a $100k car. And you're buying it out of warranty and with major servicing issues due: transmission servicing ($774); front lower control arms ($1,200); timing belts ($2,500) etc.

I would not even think of owning a D4 if I wasn't capable of learning how the whole thing worked and doing all my own servicing (except transmission service).

I had a petrol D3 which i bought with 150k km and sold at 200k km. In that time i had to replace the air compressor, fuel pump, front struts, all of the front suspension bushes and bolts, transfer case seals, steering arms, all four wheel bearings (fronts aren't too expensive and are super easy to swap). All up this cost me, doing most of the work myself (apart from rear wheel hubs and transfer case seals) about $6k and when i sold it the brakes and rear suspension struts and bushes had about 10-20k km left (about $2.5k in parts alone, shopping around - the dealer would be 3-4 times that in parts).

I would buy one again but i would have all of the above checked to see what state they were in and then budget accordingly. I wouldnt buy one wothout making sure the transmission had been regularly serviced.

It's amazing how many would be buyers look just at the mileage done and ignore the service record. I had this when flogging the Puma Defender. I guarantee that vehicle had oil in everything needing oil you could fry eggs in and everything that could possibly need it got fixed asap.
All the normal crap stuff like half shafts and the shocking bit of crap trans mission shaft was changed but no, they'd look just at the total mileage and nothing else. Words nearly fail me ....... but then selling any vehicle is something I hate as the loonies really come out of the woodwork.
AlanH.

PS. And I suspect when I flog the D4 I'll get exactly the same comments and attitude... no wonder I drink!

As said buy as young and lower km as you can. 8 speed and face lift model would’ve high on the Wishlist. But I would rate very highly desirable 10,000km oil changes.

I bought my tdv8 L322 with 230,000km as had oils changed every 10,000km. The motor is sweet.

Even a 2015 car will be up for bushes, so expect that expense unless done. New front struts won’t be far away either.

Look for evidence of trans service at about 100,000.

Look for a well presented car as it indicates it’s been well cared for.

With all of the above satisfied I would be comfortable with a D4 with 200,000km.

I was doing some demo work on my house yesterday for a reno, and was talking to one of the labourers who was sitting down having lunch. He motioned at my L322 and sort of scoffed “what are they like”. I said mate fantastic, great on the beach. He said what you take that on the beach. Said yeah Moreton Straddie Fraser Bribie Double Island Point. He said lotta money to put on the beach. I said mate it’s 13 years old and has nearly 300,000 km, your little Toyota truck would be worth more. He was amazed as it looked in such good condition.

Originally Posted by rar110

I said mate it’s 13 years old and has nearly 300,000 km, your little Toyota truck would be worth more. He was amazed as it looked in such good condition.

I had that same response when I took my D3 out North of Perth last time, experimenting with different settings on the Terrain Response. I told the 200 Series driver it was very well looked after for 14 years old, had done 530,000kms, and I paid a lot less than $10K for it. Gobsmacked would be a good word to describe his reaction, after I had just driven further and harder than he had in the dunes!

If you keep up with preventative maintenance, these vehicles can give good service for a long time.

I read the average distance for an Aussie vehicle is about 13,000 kms a year so you could keep that in mind.
As others have said, what counts is service history, not just routine services, but preventative maintenance.
There are things that should be done at 100,000kms and others at 150,000kms. If they are done the vehicle should go double that distance before doing again.
For example I have just spent $3000 on a service at 170,000ks. About $1000 of that was a major service after hard outback trips. Most of the rest was on bushes, control arms and various stuff. Those things should go another 150,000ks before needing doing again.
So, it is not just servicing that counts, but also preventative maintenance, that counts.
Hope that helps..

no such thing as too many km

just too many km for the wrong price.

eg
car with 100k kmon it, $40k
same car with 500k km. $20k plus cost of replacement engine ($20k)

You wouldn’t buy a 200,000km+ Disco unless it had a huge well documented list of maintenance and upkeep and an owner who could wax lyrical on every aspect of the car.

Unfortunately that owner would be reluctant to sell that awesome car as what could he possibly replace that capability and comfort with?

(Similarly, planes don’t keep flying on oil changes alone)