Reasonable Upper Limit on Miles for Purchase Consideration?

[CHRISCAM]

Hi guys,
I just wanted to get a feel for how many miles are generally considered to be "too many" for a buyer to reasonably contemplate buying a Gen 5 LS3.
I'm in the market for a 2013-2015 SS M6 in the $20-25K range. Obviously I would prefer to find one with as few miles as possible, but if I happen to find one with the options and color that I really want with, say, 50-60K miles (assuming good maint. history) for around $20K asking price, would that be worth pursuing?
I've seen a few examples here and there that had 10-20K miles, but they tend to be more in the $26-29K range.
I guess if I had to simplify my question, would it be better to buy a well-maintained SS with 50-60K miles for $19-20K, or spend $23-25K for a 25K mile car?
I know the LS3 is well-engineered and likely can go at least 200K mi. with good maintenance, but I'm still a little leery about financing over $20K for a car that has over 50K mi.
Any thoughts, suggestions?

[Matty Ice]

Depends what you want to do to it. Are you leaving it "stock"? If you are going to change out suspension pieces, change the heads and cam, wheels you could get away with getting one with higher mileage. Find one with good paint and interior you would be saving money. If you are going to leave it stock then pay a little extra and get a nice pristine one with low miles. Most people who daily drive a car put on 12-18K a year depending where they live. Get the 14-15 with Recaro seats, makes the car so much better.

[Savagehenry]

Be patient with your search. I just bought my first Camaro 2 weeks ago. 2015 SS with less than 16k miles for $25k


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[Roader]

$20-25k range you should be able to find a relatively low mileage car. Low mileage as in less miles than dollars

[Rock-It Man]

There's a lot more to maintenance than engine life!

I would be looking at the overall condition of the car. The most expensive age problem is corrosion. I would pick a car with no corrosion and more miles over a low mileage car that has seen a lot of road salt or has been stored mostly outdoors. Paint is ridiculously expensive, too, so I would be looking for a car that doesn't need a paint job (unless you are looking for show quality, in which case you are going to be repainting anyway). Also would want a clean, undamaged interior.

[Centauri]

1 year ago, I got a bone stock, ultra clean 2012 2SS/RS from a Chevy dealer with 12k miles - paid 22k. If you go up to 50-60K miles, you should be down into the teens easy.

[NHRABill]

paid 16k for my 2011 2ss/rs convertible in November had 53,000 miles has a cai intake everything else stock. minor accident on the car fax why it was so cheap. They gave me a new passenger mirror everything else is ok.

I test drove cars with 20k miles even one that felt like new with 11k miles but they all didn't feel right and they had too much work done to them. Point is deals are out there buy a convertible in the winter and drive it and see if it fits you. Best of luck.

[CHRISCAM]

Thanks for the replies so far, guys.

Let me just add a little more detail to my situation--

I'm in SoCal and I'm only looking at cars that are from California or the Southwest (none that have been in snow/ road salt areas).

It will be a daily driver for me. I realistically drive about 9K miles per year, with mostly freeway driving.

As far as mods, the only two mods from stock I'm going to do are CAI and a catback exhaust. With CA smog laws we can't get away with much more than those mods here anyway.

My finance payment range is going to be in the $250-350 range (after a $3k- 4K down payment), but for me those $100 do make somewhat of a difference with my overall monthly budget since I'm living with coastal southern California high cost of living.

So, to sort of re-phrase my question-

If I came across a very clean, well-maintained SS (again, I'm only interested in an M6 model) with about 50K miles for about $18K should that be a big enough incentive to me to pull the trigger on it? Or, is the prospect of finding a 20K mile car for $25K that is in similar condition otherwise, that much of a better option that I should simply wait for one that is more along those lines?

For additional perspective, with 9K miles per year, by the time I pay off the 60 month loan, the car would have ~45K more miles on it. I know it seems 'intuitive' to just say, "Well, the fewer miles you have on it to begin with, the better." But, with the known reliability of the LS3/TR6060 combo, along with other Gen 5 build quality factors, is the additional ~30K miles really that much of a factor for concern?

[Rock-It Man]

I would go for the higher miles and lower price, particularly because you are financing it and paying interest.

[Stefano]

A low mileage LS3 which has been tracked, and ridden hard can be more worn out than one which has mostly highway miles and never tracked or abused. Pay close attention to how the clutch and transmission operate, especially the known second gear grind.

[Pbr]

Check out Car guru. There is an 11 1ss for 19.5 I think it has 11or 14 k miles on it . 1 owner and bought it new. (He bought a new gen 6 ) I just about went to get it do to the low milage . But I really wanted the 2ss rs package. There is also a 13 low mileage 1 LE in Texas for like 23. It's black nice car . I just couldn't get a flight that worked out . With having a lean on the car and dealing with an out of state bank and I didn't want to carry that much cash . I bought an 12 ss convertible with 14 k miles for 22 out of Ohio from a dealership that sold the car new serviced the car and took it in on trade .when the owner got a new corvette. This car is like new . I had it shipped to Florida. I bought it sight unseen. But with a lot of pictures and phone conversations. There are a lot of cars out there . With a lot of them low mileage.

[samman11]

Originally Posted by Stefano

A low mileage LS3 which has been tracked, and ridden hard can be more worn out than one which has mostly highway miles and never tracked or abused. Pay close attention to how the clutch and transmission operate, especially the known second gear grind.

The known second gear grind has nothing to do with it being tracked or not. I had that issue occasionally when the tranny was cold. I switched to Royal Purple tranny fluid, and that took care of the issue 97% of the time. "Occasionally," when cold, I still get the grind, but way less now.

[dawazeek]

Originally Posted by Rock-It Man

I would go for the higher miles and lower price, particularly because you are financing it and paying interest.

Originally Posted by samman11

The known second gear grind has nothing to do with it being tracked or not. I had that issue occasionally when the tranny was cold. I switched to Royal Purple tranny fluid, and that took care of the issue 97% of the time. "Occasionally," when cold, I still get the grind, but way less now.

The financing really isnt too much of a concern in the grand scheme of things IMO. Overall on a $25K you may pay $2K or so in interest, rate dependent. The second gear grind is known in the earlier year 5th Gen, after speaking with a performance shop they informed me this is a synchros issue in the Transmission. To each their own. IMO I would go with a lower mileage one owner vehicle. When I bought my 2011 I could have gotten a 2016 for $3000 more. The 2016 had 2 owners and 30K miles, so to me it was clear on which one to get.

[DSEowner]

Might want to check out 2017 models. This time of year they practically give them away and will do almost, if not, 0% financing if you have decent credit. If you want a 5th Gen be sure to check NADA Loan Value (not KBB values). And of course I can sell someone a car with 400 miles but if it's been 1/4 mile at a time... well....