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I'm still searching for a Ford Territory for my $18,000 budget. It seems I can only afford my vehicle of
Choice with higher kms. I found one. That has done 170,000kms and another for 220,000kms so for a 4 ltre engine how much is too much? I am of very limited means I cannot afford mega repair bills. I always get an AA inspection but at what point does a vehicle become a liability?

A proven past service history will always provide extra peace of mind with high mileage vehicles however, once any vehicle hits that 200k barrier you have to be prepared for unexpected and possible ongoing high maintenance costs.

Remember at around 200K's every mechanical part of the vehicle has had to work in one way or another and wear and tear eventually takes its toll on components such as suspension, driveline, transmission and engine.

Buying any second hand vehicle has an element of luck attached to it however, the higher the mileage the bigger the risk.

You also need to consider resale values once a vehicle heads towards the 250 - 300K mark.