The curse of low mileage
07/02/2014
Cars with low mileage are sought after. In this context, English-speaking enthusiasts like to talk about "low mileage cars". A Mercedes R107 with minimal mileage may well cost more today than the original price at the time, while reasonably driven examples that have covered 3,000 to 8,000 km a year (and thus already below average) and therefore have a mileage of between 80,000 and 150,000 km today are traded at perhaps half or a third of the original price.
It's no different with Ferrari, Lamborghini or Porsche. We remember the barely driven (650 km) 911 Speedster that Bonhams was able to sell in Paris in February for no less than 310,500 euros or CHF 379,958.
But what do you do with such a magnificent specimen afterwards? Every additional kilometer significantly reduces the value. If the Porsche Speedster shows 12,000 km instead of 650 km on the speedometer, it will probably fetch considerably less at the next auction. And with cars that have not been driven, there is also the risk of damage and you have to worry about the condition of the hoses and belts. The "low mileage" collector's car can quickly become a curse, a mere garage object. Hardly any driving pleasure to speak of!
So it might make more sense to accept a "healthy" mileage and just repair or replace something here and there and enjoy the rolling rather than the stationary cultural asset ....
