Cars with high mileages cause hesitation in buying decisions for 81% of UK drivers, according to research by eBay.
The online auction platform also found that 72% of those surveyed would not buy a car that had covered more than 100,000 miles, while 52% would not consider buying a car with a mileage of more than 50,000 miles.
On average, those surveyed defined a high-mileage car as one with more than 96,000 miles on the clock, with their own cars averaging 58,134 miles.
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eBay’s research also found that 85% of drivers would be open to keeping their current car for longer than they kept their last car. It found drivers aged 18-24 planned to keep their cars for the shortest period – an average of 4.5 years – while drivers aged 65 and over were likely to keep their vehicles for longest, at nearly seven years.
Data reveals high-mileage vehicles on the road
eBay said a Freedom of Information request to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) had revealed that more than six million vehicles were MOT tested last year with mileages of more than 100,000 miles, and more than 400,000 had passed 200,000 miles. Nearly 2,700 had covered more than half-a-million miles.
The data showed that electrified vehicles were also covering high mileages, with more than 93,000 hybrids having covered 100,000 miles, and nearly 32,000 having driven more than 200,000 miles.
Abir Tewari, UK director of commercial operations, parts and accessories at eBay, said: “High-mileage cars can offer outstanding value, especially when they’ve been well maintained. Even the latest hybrid models, with their low running costs, are engineered to deliver high mileages.
“With eBay’s extensive range of parts and accessories, plus the My Garage number plate recognition feature, it’s easier than ever for drivers to find the right components to help keep their vehicles running smoothly well past the 100,000-mile mark.”