Originally Posted By: addyguy
Been very busy, no real time to post, but I rolled the odo on the Tribute a couple of weeks ago over 300,000km.
I've rolled several vehicles over 200k km; but this is the first one that I've had go over 300k km. I did take pics, will try to post them at some point.
Honestly, given what it took ($$$) to get to this point, I'm not sure I will do it again. My 'usual' MO is to ditch cars around the 240k - 260k km mark when they start needing major repairs, but for this one, I spent the $$; but there was little 'return' on the investment.
Truck is VERY worn-out, and I'm just trying to squeeze 1 more year out of it until I can afford a newer one. It's gone next October no matter what; as it will not pass a mandatory emission test w/o over $2k of work (new exhaust and cats).
Congrats on the 300k km roll-over, but sorry to hear that your truck is VERY worn out and that it cost you a lot of $$$ to get it to where it is today.
I have an old Chev Venture (2001) that I use for towing and odd jobs (around the house or moving large things), and it has also rolled over 300,000 km a little while ago. However, my experience was pretty much great with this vehicle...
It was first purchased brand new by my dad's company, and given to him as a company vehicle (right from the dealer lot). He drove it for a number of years, and then bought it from the company and gave it to my mom. She drove it for another number of years, and then got a new (smaller) vehicle. I bought it from my parents for trailer towing, and have had it ever since. I can say (knocking on wood lol) that it has not caused us any great amount of trouble at all. Other than the known issues (GM 3.4 L intake manifold gaskets were done once at 120,000 km with updated parts), I have not really done much to it other than maintenance. I did upgrade some suspension components for towing (progressive springs in the rear and new shocks/struts all around), and added a tranny cooler. It also needed new front wheel bearings (one at a time over it's life), a fuel pump, and sway bar links once. That's really about it. Tires, brakes, fluid changes, and nothing much else to say. The original tranny shifts absolutely perfectly for a 15 year old vehicle, the engine runs and tows great, and the original A/C is still relatively cold!!!
BUT... The rust is getting the better of it now, so I'm not sure how long I will be able to keep it around for. It's not a daily driver (hasn't been for a few years now), so I'm not too concerned. I try not to use it much in the mid-to-late winter months when salt is at it's highest concentration. When it falls apart (body-wise), then I'll junk it. But it certainly won't go to the scrapyard because it doesn't work properly, and it's not costing anything to keep it driving safely for now.
I guess it's just luck sometimes... I have a friend who drives a lot that routinely puts 500,000 km plus on his cars within 8 years, and they still run relatively well. He doesn't really take good care of them either! His best record was a 1997 Chrysler Intrepid (Dodge for the US folk here) with the 3.5 L engine... He made it to 690,000 km before the tranny kicked the bucket and he junked the car.
