What is considered low mileage on a car per year?

Asked by: Warren Rice  |  Last update: October 14, 2022
Score: 4.4/5 (7 votes)

Low mileage designations are largely determined by state laws as well as the specific policies outlined by your car insurance provider. In general, anything less than 12,000 miles per year is considered below average. However, some insurance companies may consider 10,000 miles or less as low annual mileage.

What is considered low yearly mileage on a car?

Some companies consider anything under 12,000 miles per year to be low mileage. Others consider anything under 10,000 miles to be low mileage. And yet others only consider you a low-mileage driver — and reward you for it with better rates or a discount — if you drive less than 5,000 miles per year.

What is the normal mileage for a car per year?

What Are Average Miles Driven Per Year? The United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration said that the average person drove 14,263 miles per year in 2019. That's roughly 1,200 miles per month per driver or about 39 miles per day.

How many miles is a low mileage car?

If you are a low mileage driver, typically driving less than 6,000 miles per year, you could be paying too much for your car insurance.

What is good low mileage?

To determine whether a car has reasonable mileage, you can simply multiply 12,000 by its age. That means good mileage for a car that's 5 years old is 60,000. Significantly more or fewer miles could indicate a problem or trouble in the future.

How Long Can a Car Really Last

45 related questions found

Is 20k miles a year a lot?

20,000 miles a year can be considered a lot given the average miles driven by both, American men and women. Additionally, 20,000 miles a year on a car can easily be considered high but it all depends on maintenance. If a car is well maintained, 20,000 miles a year may not matter too much.

How many miles should a 2021 car have?

Estimating an acceptable delivery mileage isn't an exact science, as the amount can vary by manufacturer and dealer. The general rule, though, is that anything under 200 miles is acceptable for a new car.

How many miles should a 4 year old car have?

So for a car that's four years old, you might reasonably expect it to have around 57,200 miles.

What do insurance companies consider low mileage?

What exactly is a low-mileage driver? Most insurance providers consider someone who drives between 0 and 7,500 miles per year a "low-mileage driver." Most insurance consumers are initially rated by default at the standard U.S. average mileage of 12,000 miles per year.

Is 10000 miles a year low mileage?

Driving around 10,000 miles per year or less is considered low mileage by insurance companies. Most companies offer you good discounts if you drive under 7,000 miles a year.

Is insurance cheaper with lower mileage?

Is Car Insurance Cheaper If You Drive Less? There are several variables that play into your auto insurance premiums, including mileage. In general, drivers who spend more time on the road have higher premiums. If you're driving less, you may be eligible for lower rates.

How many miles is normal for a 3 year old car?

A car that is three years old should have around 45,000 miles.

What is the average mileage for a 6 year old car?

Glass's, the valuation experts, work on the assumption that the average car will cover 12,000 miles in years 1, 2 and 3, 8,000 in years 4, 5, and 6, and 6,000 every year after that so for example average mileage for an eight year old car would be 72,000.

What is a good mileage for a 3 year old car?

Your Friend: The Vehicle Inspection History Report

Generally speaking, a used car with about 12,000-15,000 average miles per year on it is considered average. Consider cars that are three years old with about 40,000 miles on them, or cars five years old with about 60,000 miles on them.

Is low mileage better than age?

Is Mileage More Important Than Age? The short answer is no. There is no clear winner in the battle of mileage vs age. This is because, when shopping for a used car, you don't just base your decision on either one.

What mileage is too high?

Up to 1000 miles a month – or 12,000 miles per year – is seen as average car use, any more than that would be considered high mileage – a two-year-old car with 40,000 miles, say. That said, the term 'high mileage' is usually reserved for cars that have covered 100,000 miles or more.

Is it better to get an older car with less miles?

It's typically a general rule of thumb to go for the car with the lowest number of miles on it. The more miles a car has, the more likely it is to need repairs and maintenance. This raises the question of whether buying a used car with unusually low miles on it can lead to problems down the road.

What is more important year or mileage?

Even when mileage is low, the older a car gets, the less reliable it becomes. Modern cars are much more reliable, even as they age. Five-year-old cars record what is considered a major problem every three years, while 10-year-old cars are more likely to face a problem every 18 to 20 months.

Is 30000 miles per year a lot?

Continuous driving is the ideal state for the longevity (in terms of miles) of a car. 30,000 miles in one year should be better, not worse, than 30,000 miles spaced out over 2-3 years as would be more typical. A modern, reliable car is virtually good as new at 30,000 miles with routine maintenance.

Is 17000 miles a lot for a car?

In general, most modern cars can cross 200,000 miles without any major issues, provided the vehicle is being well-maintained. Considering that an average person drives 10,000-20,000 miles per year, this will account for roughly 15 years of service.

How much is too much for a used car?

Financial experts say to not spend more than 35% of your annual income on the car itself and the costs that come with your purchase. Below you'll find a breakdown of what to consider when buying a new or used car and how much you should spend.

Is 13 000 miles a year a lot for a car?

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration states the average person drives around 13,500 miles every year. This is the highest average miles per year in American history. It equates to well over 1000 miles every month.

What is the best age to buy a used car?

All in all, the best age to buy a used car is around the 5-year mark, as this minimizes depreciation and maximises reliability for the price you'll pay, meaning you're less likely to have any problems or need to pay any more money for later on which is a common problem with really cheap or much older vehicles.

How many miles should a 2004 car have in 2021?

Typically, cars from 2004 will have around 204,000 miles on them. Generally, you can assume that a car's previous owner has driven the car 12,000 miles for each year that they owned the vehicle.