Mileage..How low is too low?

looking to buy a 355. I've seen cars advertised with low mileage 5,000 to 10,000 miles. Assumming the major svc has been done by time rather than mileage and a car passes a PPI, is there any major concern about a 96-99 car with mileage under 10,000?

 

I wouldn't worry about low miles as long as the car hasn't been parked for a long time. I would stay away from a car that has not been driven a fair amount recently.

Dave

 

We work on many very, very low mile cars and the concerns are very overblown. We bought a 10 year old TR with 900 miles on it and had zero trouble related to the car sitting. It now has over 15,000 and has been a superb car.

 

It certainly has more to do with where it was stored than how long.

Low mileage means less wear on moving parts. Hoses and belts get old whether driven or not.

In my experience, moisture is the biggest enemy.

Frequent running for short periods in a cold place does more harm than good.

 

The biggest problem with low miles is the premium you may have to pay to get it then waste it by racking up the miles by using it as it was intended.

 

Thanks for the replies. Car I'm interested in is a southern cali. car. Looks like new. With 7500 miles, would a compression check/ leak down be recommended or just a test drive/ check for smoke at the tail pipes/ leaks?

 

No.

 

If you're going to do the PPI and no deal breakers are found in the initial part of the inspection (visual, drive, cosmetics, etc) - then I believe you absolutely should spend the extra money to do the compression/leakdown. If not, you might wind up with a huge hole in your wallet if it needs all sorts of remediation to the engine compartment.

 

It is definitely best to make the initial investment in a PPI and full compression/leak down test. Why risk an expensive nightmare?
Plus, you will sleep better at night knowing you did your due diligence.

 

I bought a 328 with 800 miles on the clock 18 years old and had no real problems in the time i have owned her. I payed a premium but best money i have ever spent, i would do the same for a 355 every day of the week, good luck with your new purchase mate.

 

Thanks for your advice.

Jordan

 

+1 Ditto what Tim said.

A 355 which has sat in a damp and unheated London lock up for 10 years is going to be in vastly different shape than one that sat in a climate controlled garage in Arizona....

 

just curious

when you brought it home did you simply drive it as is or immediately replace a few simple things before you took it on the road ?

 

It got a service just like any car gets every few years. It was a very basic service, I didnt even replace fuel or coolant hoses until the most recent service.

And for 25% of the original sales price we got a brand new TR.

 

I don't think you can use any set of rules to predict the future.

Rules of mileage, time, storage conditions or occupation of the po might mean something or might not.

Buy several thousand identical new cars, treat them identically, and chart the mechanical failures until they are totaled by some drunken fool and I suspect even the old "never buy a car built on Friday or Monday" will fail to produce any valid prediction of failure.

Buying a used car, inspect and measure what you can, but most of all cross your fingers.

 

Bought a 4400 mi 328 7 years ago and now have 6900mi. All scheduled maint done on time with the exception of a failed alternator. My daily drivers cost more to insure, run and it depreciates faster. I cant see it depreciating more than 10% if you put miles on it.

 

2500 miles in 7 years on a serial production car! The lost of smiles per mile is much worse that any depreciation loss you incur by driving your Ferrari. It you don't want to drive it, sell it to someone who does.