Is a private car with 150,000 kilometers considered old?
2 Answers
A private car with 150,000 kilometers is not considered old. Generally, with proper maintenance, a car's lifespan can reach up to 1 million kilometers. The national regulation that sets the scrapping mileage for household vehicles at 600,000 kilometers also indicates that a car's lifespan can far exceed 150,000 kilometers. Therefore, a car with 150,000 kilometers is still quite young. According to the latest national regulations on vehicle scrapping, ordinary household 5-seater cars and 7-seater SUVs, as long as they are non-commercial private vehicles, have no usage time limit. However, when the mileage reaches 600,000 kilometers, the state will guide the vehicle to be scrapped. If the vehicle is over 15 years old, it needs to be inspected every 6 months, and if it fails the inspection, it will be forcibly scrapped. Vehicles that still do not meet the national safety technical standards for in-use vehicles after repair and adjustment; vehicles that still fail to meet national standards for pollutant emissions or noise after repair, adjustment, or control technology application; vehicles that do not obtain an inspection qualification mark for three consecutive inspection cycles after the expiration of the inspection period; vehicles that reach a certain age and mileage.
As a seasoned mechanic with years of experience, I must say that whether a 150,000-kilometer car is considered old can't be generalized. It depends on the specific condition and maintenance, such as whether the engine has oil leaks or unusual noises, the smoothness of the transmission, and the state of the chassis suspension. I've seen some Japanese cars that have run over 200,000 kilometers and are still in great shape, all thanks to regular oil changes and timely fixes for minor issues. On the other hand, if maintenance is neglected, even a car with lower mileage might be headed for early retirement. 150,000 kilometers is like reaching middle age for a car—it's no longer new, but with careful maintenance, it's more than capable for daily commuting. I recommend a comprehensive check-up every six months, especially focusing on brake and tire wear, to ensure safe and cost-effective driving.
