What's best?

Since your mileage is below average, buy a high miles car. If you keep it for a few years you'll claw back some of the mileage back towards average.

Ex fleet cars are usually well maintained, but look out for stone chipping and excess drivers seat and carpet wear etc, or signs of the driver being careless about the vehicle condition.

The condition of the vehicle is more important than the mileage or age. A 5 year old car can have rust problems if it is parked on the sea front or has never been hosed underneath. Also an engine can be worn out after 50k if it's been thrashed by a boy (or girl) racer. Low mileage in an old car can make some problems more likely (all bearings don't like to stand for a long period without moving and brake disks can get pitted with rust through under-use). Remember that a low mileage car will probably have done most of the miles on a cold engine.

I've always had old cars, some with high, some with low mileage. I have no strong preference for my next car, but I will know the right car when I inspect it and take it for a drive. I would avoid anything with a mileage of

Age and mileage are only guides to what you can expect. They both have a definite bearing on price. If you can find an old car with a high mileage that has a good chassis and bodywork, has not been resprayed (unlike Dave I like to see a few paint chips) and has a sweet sounding engine you will have probably found a bargain.

I'd agree paint chips tell quite a bit about how a car has been used - if it's done lots of motorway work (a good thing, mechanically) then there will be more at the front. But they reduce its value, so as long as you take this into account I've no objection to them - as you say better than a poor attempt to re-spray them. They usually show an 'honest' car.

Buy the newest you can get for the least money. 2yo fleet car with 80k on the clock. In 5 years time you will have added 35k - 115k on a 7yo car = approx 16k/yr and the car is still saleable.

-- Krystnors