Engine life threshold where you are satisfied with longevity?

[doublebase]

It really depends on the car manufacture and driver. I think most Toyota’s and Honda’s, Lexus, will go 200,000 easy without major repair. 300,000 with some work.

I have taken a Honda Accord to 289,000 miles before selling it. I imagine it made it past 300,000, but it took some work. Don’t let anyone fool you, it takes work. I replaced almost every suspension part TWICE, maybe three times. I replaced the steering rack, subframe, gas tank, engine mounts (twice), countless mufflers and exhaust pieces, a bunch of sensors, brake lines, calipers, calipers again, a few gaskets, a radiator, an egr valve, and probably ten things I’m forgetting.

I took an LS460 to 178,000 miles before it started drinking oil and needed $4,000 worth of work (that I didn’t want to do because the interior was falling apart and the engine was consuming 5 quarts of oil between changes).

We have a Honda CRV with 142,000 miles on it. Not ONE single issue with that thing. Nothing. I can’t believe it. Not one check engine light, misfire, brake issue, steering issue, suspension part replaced. Nothing. Just change the oil every 5,000-6,000 miles and general fluid changes.

Meanwhile I bought a 2018 Chevy Silverado brand new and put 50,000 easy up and down the highway miles on the thing...replaced a starter, towed out of my driveway, had a check engine light (cylinder 5 misfire), oil consumption from day one, torque converter shutter, Chevy shake, transmission seemed like it was utterly confused at all times (despite two tranny services). Frame was rusting before I even drove it off the lot...crawled under it when I got home...rust all up and down the frame because GM’s frame wax already was coming off. Other than that...yeah, I actually liked the truck.

 

[addyguy]

150-160k miles.

 

[Lyman]

300k + I owned a 1957 Chevy PU that went 350,000 miles on the original 6 cylinder. I swapped in a V8 at that point. I also had a 1990 Ford ranger with a 2.9 V6 that was at over 350,000 miles when I sold it. It still ran good. Mobil 1 it's whole life. My Jeep is currently over 200,000 and running strong.

 

[supton]

I guess that is always the question--what is an excessive amount of money spent on repairs vs what is not? And does it matter what the car? I mean, you buy a super car, you don't expect cheap running costs. You buy an econobox, you gripe if you have to fix one rubber suspension part at 120k.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I’d say 200,000 miles but most people won’t keep a vehicle that long so it’s up to the subsequent owners. I have a Chev 6.0 with 205,000 miles and all original accessories.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I haven't reached the point yet. I am trying to get my Tacoma to 300,000 miles. With my vehicles we keep them forever as there is no need to get rid of them. My Tundra and 2014 Tacoma have Lifetime Powertrain Warranty compliments of Toyota as well as my new Camry.

Now that you mention it, Putnam Lexus gave us the lifetime drive train warranty for the RX...
My guess is, they expect few original owners to keep their car all that long.

 

[350Rocket]

I’d say 200,000 miles but most people won’t keep a vehicle that long so it’s up to the subsequent owners. I have a Chev 6.0 with 205,000 miles and all original accessories.

Water pump will be the first thing to go likely. Everything else has held up on my 4.8 with 8600 hours and 197k miles.

 

[350Rocket]

I guess that is always the question--what is an excessive amount of money spent on repairs vs what is not? And does it matter what the car? I mean, you buy a super car, you don't expect cheap running costs. You buy an econobox, you gripe if you have to fix one rubber suspension part at 120k.

It takes a lot of repair costs to add up to the price of a new car, when a lot of cars can technically last 3 or 4 typical car lifetimes.

Usually people use the "becoming a money pit" excuse to get a new car. It doesn't make sense financially but they can make it sound like it does so that they get a new car. I saw it constantly in the garage when I worked there.

Joe Blow's 2005 Camry isn't worth fixing because it needs $800 in repairs and a new one is only $25000. Sure, whatever you need to tell yourself.

 

[danez_yoda]

It takes a lot of repair costs to add up to the price of a new car, when a lot of cars can technically last 3 or 4 typical car lifetimes.

Usually people use the "becoming a money pit" excuse to get a new car. It doesn't make sense financially but they can make it sound like it does so that they get a new car. I saw it constantly in the garage when I worked there.

Joe Blow's 2005 Camry isn't worth fixing because it needs $800 in repairs and a new one is only $25000. Sure, whatever you need to tell yourself.

I 100% agree here. The old that more money than its worth trick. old car with a blue book of $2K needs a $2.5k transmission due to transmission neglect. Nope toss it even if the engine, paint and interior are perfect.

Dont have money for that will sit in front of a dealership salesman and sign the dotted line for 30-40K on a 7 year payment plan.

 

[ripcord]

I look at it in terms of a car payment. You can make A LOT of repairs on a payed off car over time and still spend WAY less than a $500 monthly car payment. Especially if you turn the wrenches yourself. I read somewhere that Americans carry over a trillion dollars in car notes.

 

[ctechbob]

I peeked at the odometer in the Accord this afternoon on the way to work. 233XXXk. The car had the transmission good-willed at 110k-ish and will probably be the next big thing to break. Although I noticed today that the swaybar endlinks in the rear are starting to knock. The engine is strong though. Fires right up, still smooth, only uses about 1/2 a quart over the 7500 mile OCI and since I did the oil pump seals and timing belt service a few months ago, is oil tight again.

 

[RDY4WAR]

I have no threshold. It's just until it dies to the point where repair isn't worth it. I have 4 cars in my garage. The lowest mileage one has 138k miles, and that isn't the track car. The highest one has 482k miles.

 

[supton]

I dunno, a car that drops a transmission might drop a motor the following month. The rest of the car may be just as worn out. Doing one big repair means getting ready to do the next one.

Also after 10 years a car might have serious rust issues--this would of course be dependent on local usage of road salt.

I guess i can't really speak on it though, I tend to replace vehicles as I feel like. Last car I got rid of at 314k, seemed like I had put off a bunch of work and there was expected work coming up, and to get it to where I would want to keep it going the repair bill would probably around $4k. I sold it for $1k and eventually replaced it with my Camry for $1,500. Over the first year I think I might have spent $1,500 in repairs and stuff to get it up to snuff.

 

[RDY4WAR]

My 1991 Nissan hardbody didn't have much rust on it surprisingly when I pulled out of the barn. At least nothing a run over with a wire wheel couldn't fix. I don't live in the rust belt though.

 

[350Rocket]

I dunno, a car that drops a transmission might drop a motor the following month. The rest of the car may be just as worn out. Doing one big repair means getting ready to do the next one.

Also after 10 years a car might have serious rust issues--this would of course be dependent on local usage of road salt.

I guess i can't really speak on it though, I tend to replace vehicles as I feel like. Last car I got rid of at 314k, seemed like I had put off a bunch of work and there was expected work coming up, and to get it to where I would want to keep it going the repair bill would probably around $4k. I sold it for $1k and eventually replaced it with my Camry for $1,500. Over the first year I think I might have spent $1,500 in repairs and stuff to get it up to snuff.

On average transmissions are much more likely to fail than an engine, specific makes and models can be different however. The 4L60E is much more likely to fail than the 4.8 in my truck. Lots of Honda's had failure prone transmissions but reliable engines. Even in Toyota camrys that have reliable transmissions the transmission is still probably more likely to fail than the engine.

Plus rust is something that is easy to inspect on the hoist. It never makes sense to throw a lot of money at a rust bucket.

 

[supton]

10 years is a bit brutal up here.

I did elect to do the wrong thing and replace the wife's car after 10yr/176k. it needed a/c work every other year, and the dealer said it needed a complete new system to the tune of $1,500. Asking mechanics online they said yep, Honda's do that. It was not far from rusting though on a quarter panel, and I thought the brake lines were getting crusty/scaley, which you can fail inspection on. Finally... call me what you will... but I wanted my wife and kids in something "more safe", something with ABS and side impact airbags. I like to think I was protecting some investments... It was traded in and we moved on into something that still feels like a better family hauler (the better Camry in my sig).

 

[Snagglefoot]

In the end a lot of people don’t want to be seen in a 10 year old car. They think they’ll look like losers to others.

 

[ripcord]

I guess I'm a loser

 

[Ws6]

Never thought about it. Engines dont die. Transmissions and so forth do.

 

[Ihatetochangeoil]

I guess I'm a loser

Yep, I'm definitely a loser. Drive a 17 yr old "beater" with ice cold A/C and keep my money in the bank. I can write a check for a new one but why? A new car is a depreciating asset. My car gets from point A to point B just as well as a new one and everything works including the heated seats in winter.