Car Mileage – Exaggerated Or Truly Important Detail?

Car mileage is one of the key details that every individual checks before making a purchase. For many drivers, it is determinant of the lifespan of a vehicle. High mileage means more wear and tear. Due to that fact, low-mileage vehicles always cost much more than others. At some point, the importance of low mileage in a used car is understandable. However, many factors affect the overall condition of a vehicle.

There are many true and false opinions related to mileage data. To clarify whether its role is exaggerated or not, I suggest reviewing all the necessary information. You can clarify the issue only after combining all the information.

In this blog, we will discuss the discrepancy of the car odometer and the importance of its accuracy. You will discover what information can be obtained from the odometer data. Additionally, we will discuss strategies for avoiding extra mileage charges legally. So, let’s start the journey and explore all about the mileage!

What Is the Auto Mileage and Why Is It So Important?

I am sure you, like other individuals, were interested in clarifying what a good mileage car is before purchase. Mileage is the data that provides information about the total covered distance of the car. In other words, it is a tracker unit, with the responsibility to calculate and reflect covered distance in numbers.

For some individuals, car mileage is simply a set of numbers indicated on the odometer. However, for most drivers, it is one of the main determinants of a car’s value. For instance, it’s a fact that with a low mileage car you can save a lot of money on monthly expenses.

To calculate fuel consumption for a car, divide the covered miles by the gallons used. For example, imagine you drove a car for 300 miles and used 10 gallons of fuel for that trip. To calculate the MPG (Miles Per Gallon):

MPG = Miles Driven ÷ Gallons used = 300 ÷ 10 = 30. 

Therefore, your car’s mpg is 30. Low or high MPG can affect the value of a car when purchasing or selling. It is derived due to different reasons.

What determines the importance of mileage data?

First of all, car mileage is the data predetermined by a manufacturer for each released model. Auto manufacturers use mileage data to portray the life expectancy of their cars. They always provide information about the expected average mileage that the car is capable of covering without any issues.

In other words, it’s similar to a warranty that covers a certain amount of mileage without requiring any technical assistance. Thus, people often use mileage as the primary factor when determining the remaining lifespan of an automobile.

For instance, if you know that the model is capable of covering a certain amount of mileage, you would avoid buying a high mileage car that is reaching the limit. It is logical to prevent getting an automobile that has already covered most of its predetermined mileage.

Another factor that makes car mileage so important is that, in many cases, high mileage means more wear and tear. However, many other factors affect the reliability of a vehicle. Despite all, mileage remains the most important detail when inspecting a vehicle. Especially if you are loyal to your car’s manufacturer, you will find it hard to believe that there are more important factors to rely on. In the following sections, we will clarify unknown details regarding mileage data.

Can I Determine the Lifespan of an Auto with The Car Odometer Data?

The short answer is no. You cannot determine a car’s lifespan solely based on its odometer data. The odometer truly displays the total number of miles. However, it does not provide more detailed information.

For instance, we don’t know how the distance was covered, in which driving manner, or what was the purpose of the vehicle. It is a fact that the lifespan of two vehicles of the same model with the same mileage can be totally different.

Let’s see some examples. If we compare a racing car and a vehicle used for moving in the city center from home to work, we will see a big difference. The difference is derived from the fact that, regardless of whether we are inspecting a low or high mileage car, driving habits are a very important detail.

Still, mileage reflects the approximate condition of a car, and there are some tips and tricks to take good care of a car. However, it doesn’t take into account other factors, such as driving habits, road conditions, location, regular maintenance checks, visiting service centers, oil changes, and the quality of petroleum, among many other variables. Those and many other details affect the reliability and longevity of vehicle parts. All in all, the life expectancy of an automobile depends on multiple factors, and auto mileage is not the only determinant.

How to Avoid Extra Car Mileage?

Due to the low importance placed on mileage, various devices have emerged that aim to reduce the actual data. That way, some sellers can earn more from the sale. But is it ethical?

Of course, changing actual mileage data for deceitful purposes is unethical, and depending on the state of residence, it may result in significant penalties. Odometer fraud is prohibited under both federal and state laws. Besides, using adjusting tools is easy to detect. Hence, it’s unreasonable to use it. Paying for adjustment tools can just increase your expenses for the penalty.

Even though there are cases when one might need to avoid counting extra miles. For instance, when you are checking the maintenance of a vehicle and taking it for a test drive. Luckily, there is a legal device that you can use in such cases. Mileage Blocker is the tool that was created specifically for testing and tuning purposes.

Reasons to use Mileage Blocker

There are many reasons why I’d always suggest using the tool. First of all, compared to other odometer devices, using a Mileage Blocker is totally legal. It doesn’t change any existing data of a vehicle. It simply stops counting miles while in motion. After deactivation, the car’s odometer continues to work as usual.

Besides, it’s user-friendly. No matter your previous knowledge or experience in the auto industry, you can easily install the plug-and-play module. The DIY instructions are simple for any user. Installation might take up to several minutes. It doesn’t require cutting or soldering wires and is totally untraceable.

Hence, once you install the module and activate the mode, you can start the test drive and check the vehicle’s maintenance without thinking about extra miles. That way, you can legally avoid counting extra miles on the odometer and lower the total mileage of a car.

Takeaway

Overall, there are numerous opinions regarding car mileage. On the one hand, it is an important detail that can give us an idea of a car’s approximate life expectancy. However, many other factors affect lifespan and reliability.

Besides, many correction tools can change the existing data on the odometer. With the help of such devices, you may see a significantly lower mileage on the odometer than the actual one. Hence, it would be incorrect to consider only the mileage data when purchasing a car.