NEXTAGE Co.,Ltd. published the key findings of a survey of 300 people conducted in July 2026 on when owners sell high-mileage private vehicles and why they make that decision. The approach of vehicle inspection deadlines and rising repair costs were triggers for considering a sale, and many respondents said the appraisal amount was roughly in line with or higher than expected.
The study on when owners sell high-mileage vehicles and why was conducted as an online survey from 14 to 22 July 2026 among 300 people who had sold or traded in a private vehicle with 50,000 km or more on the odometer within the past 5 years. The survey was conducted nationwide by NEXTAGE Co.,Ltd., which operates used-car sales and purchasing businesses across Japan, and constitutes primary-source information.
The most common trigger for beginning to consider a sale was the approaching vehicle inspection date (34.7%), followed by rising repair costs and more frequent breakdowns, each cited at a relatively high rate (24.7%). Some respondents also cited reaching a mileage milestone or the vehicle's age, indicating that rising ownership costs are an important factor in the decision to sell.
Regarding appraisal amounts, a total of 59.7% said the actual amount was roughly as expected or higher, while 21.7% said it was lower than expected. The most common concern before selling was not knowing the appropriate sale price, cited by 35.0% of respondents, a result that also supports comparing appraisals from multiple companies.
Looking at respondents' actions, 58.7% requested an appraisal from only one company when selling, while the most common advice, given by 36.7%, was to compare appraisals from multiple companies. The top advice for people planning to sell was to compare appraisals from multiple companies, with considering a sale before the vehicle inspection and obtaining an appraisal early identified as key ways to reduce regret.