So, what's the most mileage you have put on a car? Is there a secret to your success?
- Thread starter bhill29
- Start date
127K on my 1978 Camaro. Had it in college and for a few years after when I was still living in State College. Started to rust out.
No secrets other than regular maintenance.
No secrets other than regular maintenance.
Honda Prelude, 296k and still running fine. Body is falling apart. Change oil as required.
'98 camry, drove it to about 150k, gave it to daughter who drove it another 50. At 19 years old (the car, not her), daughter sold it, still running well and I'm sure it continues to serve someone out there. It never needed anything more costly than a water pump at 100k. What a phenomenal bit of engineering. I suppose the secret, aside from changing the oil, is to buy the right car in the first place.
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206k on my 2000 Chevy Silverado. Hadn't driven it more than a couple times in the past 3 years .... last Thursday I am relaxing with an Old Nation Boss Tweed when I hear a knock on my garage door. Dude asks if I want to sell my truck. I say sure but the battery is dead and I'll have to put air in the tires. He leaves to get cash and a battery; half an hour later my truck is gone. He bought it for his girlfriend, who must be really special lol
I had a diesel Rabbit I turned in after 317,000 miles. Changed the oil every 20,000 miles. When I got rid of it, I was adding a quart of oil with every tank of fuel. Maybe if I had changed the oil every 10,000 miles as recommended, it would have lasted longer.
I sold my 2005 Lexus ES 330 to a co-worker with 285k miles on it. He recently texted me a pic of the odometer showing 300,000 and said still running fine. I followed the recommended dealer service schedule but started to have it done by a 3rd party garage that specializes in Lexus and Toyotas once all warranties were expired. I did replace front and rear struts, bushings, etc. They did not fail but replacing them improved the ride and handling immensely. Other than that, no repairs were ever needed.
...2003 Honda Odyssey...
...I logged about 285,000 and then gave it to my granddaughter 2 years ago ... she is a Junior at PSU and is using it to go back and forth to her job at Shavers Creek ...
...now pushing 350,000 miles...
...I logged about 285,000 and then gave it to my granddaughter 2 years ago ... she is a Junior at PSU and is using it to go back and forth to her job at Shavers Creek ...
...now pushing 350,000 miles...
I'm currently driving a 2005 Ford F150 with 235,000 miles. I bought it new and drive it daily. A couple times a month I drive it 200 miles each way to upstate NY and often tow my 3,500 lb. boat. I do all of the maintenance and repairs myself and it's great to have no payments. The secret is to pay close attention to anything that might seem off and fix it before it turns into something very expensive.
1985 Nissan 300ZX 270k, followed by a 95 Nissan Pathfinder 255k, changed the oil regularly and I'm sure it didn't hurt to garage them both. Had a new Corvette @91 that was always in for repairs, that was the only vehicle I didn't hand down .
When I went to Penn State my Dad gave me his 1963 Oldsmobile stationwagon. You may have seen it in National Lampoon's movie, Vacation. It had 75k on it and my Dad figured it would implode by 100k. Well, I put 145k on it before it completely feel apart. Cars today are built so much better.
I have logged 300,000 on BMW's. Secret is don't smash them up and be frugal about buying new cars but spend on maintenance! Twelve years is pretty standard and then someone else takes over. Never go back to the "Stealer" once the warranty runs out.
One secret is to live somewhere where they don't salt the hell out of the roads. Be careful buying used from somewhere that does.
217,000k+ on a 2000 Toyota Avalon XLS. It is still running as quietly as the day I bought it. Sticker on it in 2000 was $35K. Regular Toyota service for the duration.
Had 226k on my 1988 Acura Integra when my wife made me get rid of it. Was rusting pretty badly at that point. Bought it in 1992 when it had 26K and put 20K/year on it. Used very little oil, and always got > 30 mpg. 5 speed that would go whatever speed you wanted to go....
Secret is buy a well engineered car and perform regular maintenance. But if you get a lemon, which I believe is very rare if you stick to Honda's and Toyota's, get rid of it and try again.
Secret is buy a well engineered car and perform regular maintenance. But if you get a lemon, which I believe is very rare if you stick to Honda's and Toyota's, get rid of it and try again.
You just can't beat Hondas and toyotas. Can't beat em.
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?!?!? Lead was added to fuel in the "old days" because it actually helped reduce wear on valve-seats... change to unleaded was for environmental reasons and wreaked havoc on older engine designed to use leaded fuel...
My dad did oil changes on his Oldsmobiles every 4-5000 mi and hitting 100k was a real milestone and by then the cars (chassis/bodies) were simply spent/ready for the pickun' yard...
The primary reasons 200k is common in contemporary engines? a) computer-designed engines are better built with much smaller tolerances, b) computer designed suspensions and geometry that reduce stresses on components, c) advances in materials and structure /corrosion resistance, bodies simply don't rot away like was common 40+ yrs ago... d) advances in engine oil (synthetics and syn-blends), e) fuel injection did away with the voodoo that was the carburetor f) advances in systems monitoring and cooling componentry
Amazing how roadsides of 30-40yrs ago were simply littered with hood-up carcasses ... unlike "the good old days" there are simply very few truly crappy cars (i can name one) on the market today
2005 Chrysler Town and Country. Bought it new and put 256,000 on it before I sold it this past March. Only big repairs other than standard wear items I can think of were a radiator and a water pump at different times. I use synthetic oil and change about every 14,000 miles or so. Guy I sold it to is happy as heck. I generally do my own repairs so the little things don't really bother me much.
You 3,000 mile oil change guys should really think about switching over to synthetic.
You 3,000 mile oil change guys should really think about switching over to synthetic.
...the Odyssey was always garaged when I owned it, but not - unfortunately- since then and it shows some wear...
... changed the oil every 5,000 miles - easier to remember...
...changed spark plugs, timing belt, water pump and trans fluid every 100,000 miles...
...it was the best vehicle I've ever owned, going back to my 1937 Lafayette...which I learned to drive on in 1948....
... changed the oil every 5,000 miles - easier to remember...
...changed spark plugs, timing belt, water pump and trans fluid every 100,000 miles...
...it was the best vehicle I've ever owned, going back to my 1937 Lafayette...which I learned to drive on in 1948....
Does the "action" in the back seat of a '74 Impala count as "mileage"?
I fondly remember "gaining ground" in 10" increments.
I fondly remember "gaining ground" in 10" increments.
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Easy. Buy a Toyota or a Honda. Put the key in and drive.
Two Toyota trucks. Sold one with 137k. No repairs to that date. Have another with 209k No repairs to date.
Had a Ford Expedition, Saab 9.3, dodge Daytona and a VW Jetta. At some point each of those left me on he highway.
247 on a VW Passat v6 5 spd manual. Nickel and dimed its way to its eventual death by needing new stainless exhaust and wouldn't pass inspection without it. It drove amazing but I would never again. It cost much more over its lifetime than the $50k Tundra that now has 209 on it.
Toyota, Honda....it's never been much of a secret.
Two Toyota trucks. Sold one with 137k. No repairs to that date. Have another with 209k No repairs to date.
Had a Ford Expedition, Saab 9.3, dodge Daytona and a VW Jetta. At some point each of those left me on he highway.
247 on a VW Passat v6 5 spd manual. Nickel and dimed its way to its eventual death by needing new stainless exhaust and wouldn't pass inspection without it. It drove amazing but I would never again. It cost much more over its lifetime than the $50k Tundra that now has 209 on it.
Toyota, Honda....it's never been much of a secret.
I guess if you can afford that Tundra at $50 grand, you can afford the terrible gas mileage that they get. I hope you don't tow far distances with it, as you may need to carry extra fuel tanks with you to make it to the next gas station.
318K on a 1992 Mazda Protege 5 speed, changed oil every 3K, even with no tuneup past 150K was getting 41 mpg.
2002 Acura MDX, got to 220,000 miles, then a window dropped into the door, the timing belt was due to be changed, and a bad transmission code started popping up on the computers at the mechanic, so I finally decided it was time to move on. Up until then, it was absolutely nothing but routine maintenance.
Had 2 Pontiac Grand Prix, a '91 and a '98. Both had >210,000 miles on them. Only reason I got rid of either was because I got a really good deal on the next car. I know the 98 was still around for a while longer, because it was a rare color and had a small dent in the passenger side door I never bothered to repair.
Those 3800 GM V6's were simply rock solid... among the most relable mills ever dropped into a car
