UK Mileage Benchmarks 2024: What's Normal, What's Not

The National Mileage Picture: 4 Age Bands, 4 Different Stories

Key Insight: Notice how the "cone of normality" widens as cars age. A 2-year-old car with 25,000 miles is high, but a 10-year-old car with 150,000 miles is perfectly normal.

UK cars fall into four distinct age cohorts, each with different mileage expectations:

1. Nearly New (0-2 Years Old)

Expected Annual Mileage: 8,000–12,000 miles

• Q1 (Low): 5,000–7,000 miles/year
• Median (Typical): 9,000–11,000 miles/year
• Q3 (High): 12,000–15,000 miles/year
• P90 (Very High): 18,000+ miles/year

Buyer's Note:
Very low mileage (<3,000 miles/year) on a 2-year-old car can indicate:

• Company car sitting unused
• Short city journeys (potential DPF issues for diesels)
• Possible clocking if mileage suddenly "resets"

Very high mileage (>20,000 miles/year) suggests:

• Motorway commuting (actually better for engine longevity)
• Ex-fleet or rental vehicle
• Check service history carefully

2. Mid-Life (3-5 Years Old)

Expected Annual Mileage: 7,000–10,000 miles

• Q1 (Low): 20,000–30,000 total miles
• Median (Typical): 35,000–45,000 total miles
• Q3 (High): 50,000–60,000 total miles
• P90 (Very High): 70,000+ total miles

Buyer's Note:
This is the "sweet spot" age for used car buyers. Higher mileage here is less alarming if:

• Full service history (FSH) is present
• MOT history shows consistent annual increases (not sudden jumps)
• No major advisories at previous tests

3. Mature (6-9 Years Old)

Expected Annual Mileage: 6,000–9,000 miles

• Q1 (Low): 40,000–55,000 total miles
• Median (Typical): 65,000–80,000 total miles
• Q3 (High): 90,000–110,000 total miles
• P90 (Very High): 130,000+ total miles

Buyer's Note:
Higher mileage becomes a bigger risk at this age:

• Suspension components (bushes, bearings) wear out
• Timing belts/chains may need replacement (8–10 years or 80k–100k miles)
• Turbochargers (diesel) start to fail

Green flag: High mileage with comprehensive service history = well-maintained motorway cruiser.
Red flag: High mileage with no service history = avoid.

4. Veteran (10+ Years Old)

Expected Annual Mileage: 5,000–7,000 miles

• Q1 (Low): 60,000–75,000 total miles
• Median (Typical): 90,000–110,000 total miles
• Q3 (High): 120,000–150,000 total miles
• P90 (Very High): 180,000+ total miles

Buyer's Note:
At this age, mileage is less important than condition. Focus on:

• Recent MOT advisories (are problems escalating?)
• Rust (underside, wheel arches, sills)
• Engine smoking (blue = oil burning, white = head gasket)
• Service history for major components

A 12-year-old car with 150,000 motorway miles and full history can be a better buy than a 12-year-old car with 60,000 miles and no history.

The Mileage Reasonableness Index (MRI): Is Your Car's Mileage Normal?

How to use: Calculate your MRI score using the formula below, then see which zone you fall into. Scores between -25 and +25 are normal. Outside that range? Investigate further.

Use this formula to calculate whether a specific car's mileage is reasonable for its age:

MRI Formula:

[ \text{MRI} = \frac{\text{Actual Mileage} - \text{Expected Median}}{\text{Expected IQR}} \times 100 ]

Where:

• Actual Mileage = The car's current mileage
• Expected Median = Typical mileage for that age (from tables above)
• Expected IQR = Interquartile Range (Q3 - Q1) for that age

MRI Score Interpretation:

Example Calculation:

Car: 2018 Ford Focus (6 years old)
Actual Mileage: 95,000 miles

Expected Median: 72,500 miles (midpoint of 65k–80k)
Q1: 47,500 miles
Q3: 100,000 miles
IQR: 52,500 miles (Q3 - Q1)

MRI = (95,000 - 72,500) / 52,500 × 100 = +43

Result: Above average mileage, but within acceptable range. Check:

• Service history (timing belt, brakes, suspension)
• MOT advisories (any escalating issues?)
• Test drive (listen for suspension noise, check brakes)

When High Mileage Is Actually Fine

Contrary to popular belief, high mileage is not always a dealbreaker. Here's when it's acceptable:

✅ Motorway Miles

Long-distance commuting = consistent engine temperature, less stop-start wear, fewer gear changes.

Example: A 2016 BMW 3 Series with 120,000 motorway miles (company car) can be more reliable than a 2016 BMW 3 Series with 60,000 city miles (school runs and traffic jams).

✅ Full Service History (FSH)

If the car has been serviced on time, every time, high mileage matters less. Look for:

• Timing belt/chain replacement (if applicable)
• Brake pad/disc replacements
• Suspension component replacements
• Oil changes every 10,000–12,000 miles (or annually)

✅ Diesel Engines

Modern diesels are built for high mileage. They're less stressed at sustained RPM and benefit from long journeys (keeps DPF regenerating).

Red flag: A diesel with low mileage (<6,000 miles/year) may have DPF issues from short journeys.

When High Mileage Is a Red Flag

❌ No Service History

High mileage + no proof of maintenance = walk away. You're inheriting:

• Worn suspension (expensive)
• Overdue timing belt (catastrophic if it snaps)
• Clogged DPF (£1,000+ to replace on diesels)

❌ Inconsistent MOT Mileage Progression

Check MOT history at MOT Ninja (Free). Red flags:

• Mileage goes down between tests (clocking)
• Sudden jumps (e.g., 60k → 95k in one year, then 96k the next = likely clocked back)
• Multiple tests in short windows with different mileages (manipulation)

❌ High Mileage + Major MOT Advisories

If a high-mileage car has recent advisories for:

• Suspension bushes/bearings
• Brake discs corroded
• Steering play
• Exhaust blowing

…then the seller hasn't maintained it. These are all predictable wear items that should have been replaced.

Mileage Myths: Debunked

Myth 1: "10,000 miles/year is the rule"

Reality: Varies by vehicle type. Diesel vans average 15,000+. Petrol city cars average 6,000–8,000.

Myth 2: "Low mileage is always better"

Reality: Very low mileage can indicate:

• Short journeys (bad for DPF on diesels)
• Sitting unused (flat spots on tyres, seized brakes, stale fluids)
• Potential clocking (if it's too perfect for the age)

Myth 3: "High mileage means it's worn out"

Reality: A well-maintained car with 150,000 motorway miles can outlast a neglected car with 60,000 city miles.

How to Spot Mileage Clocking

Red Flag: The clocked car (red dashed line) shows mileage dropping from 57,000 to 41,000 between 2020 and 2021. This is the smoking gun. Always check MOT history for these patterns.

Clocking = rolling back the odometer to inflate a car's value. It's illegal but still common.

Warning Signs:

1. MOT history shows mileage discrepancies
   Check MOT Ninja (Free). If mileage drops or jumps erratically, walk away.

2. Service book doesn't match MOT records
   If the service book says 45,000 miles but MOT records show 70,000, it's been clocked.

3. Wear doesn't match mileage

   • Steering wheel shiny and worn on a "30,000-mile" car = clocked
   • Pedal rubbers worn smooth = high mileage
   • Driver's seat heavily sagged = high mileage

4. Dashboard cluster looks tampered with

   • Scratches around the instrument binnacle
   • Loose or misaligned trim panels
   • Digital odometers can still be clocked (requires specialist tools)

Pro tip: Use MOT Ninja to get a comprehensive MOT history report, including mileage progression graphs that instantly highlight inconsistencies.

Practical Buying Strategy: The 3-Step Mileage Check

Step 1: Calculate MRI

Use the formula above to see if mileage is reasonable for age.

Step 2: Check MOT History

Go to MOT Ninja (Free) and plot mileage over time:

• Steady annual increases? ✅ Good
• Sudden jumps or drops? ❌ Red flag
• Consistent with seller's claims? ✅ Good

Step 3: Match Physical Wear

On test drive:

• Steering wheel wear = high mileage feel
• Pedal rubbers smooth = high mileage
• Gear knob/handbrake worn = high mileage
• Seat bolsters sagging = high mileage

If wear matches the claimed mileage, you're likely fine. If a "40,000-mile" car feels like a 100,000-mile car, it's been clocked.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)