High Mileage Vehicles

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
I invite anyone interested in mining data to come forth, but this is what I found. The USA ( for which good data exists, has 269 million car registrations.) Apparently the number of vehicles with over 200,000 miles is about 2%. The number of cars with over 300,000 miles is 0.1%. Not sure how they know the mileage.


They probably get that from registration data or places like carfax. States with inspections usually input the mileage every year.

 

[Brons2]

258,000 is my highest, an 86 Accord.

I will keep my current Hyundai until it spins a rod bearing, as these engines like to do. If they replace the engine after that then I'll drive it some more. I'll probably need a new clutch in the next 20-30K, I bought the car used and the clutch felt fairly worn when I got it. I'm trying to feather it as much as I can though.

 

[240_Ed]

In the UK we lost a lot of serviceable 80s and 90s cars to a 'scrappage scheme' that was a) designed to kick start the economy through sales after the financial crisis and b) get more people into lower emission vehicles. You'd get guaranteed money off a new vehicle if you agreed to have your old one recycled. A sad time for those of us with an affection for odd 80s cars, especially my beloved Volvos.

Speaking of which, my Volvos have 152,000 (240) and 113,000 (V70) miles on them at the moment and if neither are accidentally destroyed (the 240 was already rear-ended and bought back from the insurance company by its previous owner) I expect both to sail over 200,000. We Volvo nerds are still mourning the recent loss of Irv Gordon, the fella who had the Volvo 1800 that had done 3,000,000 miles.

 

[Andrew1972]

I make 200k the goal and everything past that is great!

My 07 Acura MDX has 188k but worn out suspension (original) and wonky automatic climate control along with pretty significant rust. I have no plans on maintaining except for safety and oil changes. Hoping for 2 more years/30k.

My 95 Civic was glorious to 245k and AC broke so I sold it.

Our 2005 Subaru Legacy turbo wagon cost tons of money starting at 170k with burned valve and finally wife's love ended in 2018 ag 235k miles with leaks all over the oil lines and tons of smoke. 170k to 235k was tons of money like $4800! Thankfully sold for $2800.

 

[aquariuscsm]

The most I ever had was a little over 350,000 miles on my 87 Olds Trofeo with GTX 20W50 and Fram OCOD's.

My dad's 90 Delta 88 had a little over 550,000 miles with PYB 10W30 and whatever filter the quick lube place used.

Both cars still ran perfect when sold.

 

[dogememe]

I have no doubt my old Silverado with 277K would make it to 300K... if I drove it regularly. I've driven it maybe 1000 miles since buying it a while ago. It usually just sits behind my work...

My Crown Vic will most likely easily make it to 200K under my ownership. It'll probably get there fairly soon, I drive quite a bit even though I only live like 5 miles from work. I plan to own it for a long time - it's a joy to drive and makes me smile.

The Escape, hmm... I don't know. I'm almost at 100K. I try to avoid driving it unless I'm doing Uber - it's no fun to drive. I'll probably run it up til 200K and say goodbye. I have no motivation to drive it beyond that.

All that said, odometer readings don't scare me.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted by Astro14
But it's my contention that consumers simply tire of their cars...can get to 200,000 miles with reasonable car, but folks will rationalize the purchase of a new car long before their old car is truly worn out.

Agreed. I'm no exception. I tend to keep vehicles a very long time, but at some point....it must go. Kept my F150 to 255K, then gave it to my brother, who drove it another 10 years, to 360K. At which point the transmission died and he gave it away.

Pouring money into old vehicles makes little sense when that same money can pay for something much newer.

It's clearly possible to spend as much in repairs as it is in payments.

It's also good to remember that "cost per mile" is not significantly different between a well chosen new vehicle and a used vehicle of the same class. Driving has never been cheap.

 

[MrMoody]

Originally Posted by 240_Ed
In the UK we lost a lot of serviceable 80s and 90s cars to a 'scrappage scheme' that was a) designed to kick start the economy through sales after the financial crisis and b) get more people into lower emission vehicles. You'd get guaranteed money off a new vehicle if you agreed to have your old one recycled. A sad time for those of us with an affection for odd 80s cars, especially my beloved Volvos.

We had the same bright idea in the US: Summer 2009, "Cash for Clunkers." The cars had to be disabled by seizing the engine to prevent reselling, and the dealer had 6 months to crush it. Ironically it didn't help sell new cars at all in the long run, only increased the value of used ones for a while.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted by Leo99
On a similar thought, my wife has a generation 2 Rav4. We rarely see them on the road now. Used to see them everywhere 10 years ago. Where did they all go? They didn't all wear out from mileage.


In the Northeast? RUST!

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Mom's Camry has about 210k miles on it. It survived my sister driving it from high school through college. It leaks oil, ATF, and recently coolant, but I don't think we've had any car in our family go over 100k without having any of those issues. The transmission still works flawlessly and the engine still runs great. Mom dd's it to work and back without any issues. Only things we've ever had to do to it were fluid changes and replacing wear items.

I believe it has to do with the owners as much as the durability of a car for it to reach high miles. My mom isn't the type to get rid of anything unless it's at the end of its useful life. She'll probably keep driving it until the engine or transmission blows.

 

[JeepWJ19]

My jeep has 155k miles on it. It has been great for me. Was reliably my only form of transportation all throughout highschool and college. I graduated college a year and a half ago.

My jeep started nickel and diming me towards the end of college. And more recently has failed PA inspection. Rocker panels were badly rusted and the frame support to the rocker panels rusted holes. I got my autobody guy to patch them. He said that would buy me another 3-5 years on average.

I've come to the sad fact that my Jeep is practically done. It is not worth to keep patching. It costs too much when something else terminal could happen.

Once it fails inspection again, if not minor, I'm done. The salt friggin' sucks. I hate that the vehicle I trust the most in snow will have to be put out to pasture soon. It's easy to work on, is cheap, and is a good overland vehicle.

It's sad. Screw road salt.

M.ade
O.f
P.lastic
A.nd
R.ust

 

[harry j]

1993 Honda Civic, 536,000 miles.

Original engine and automatic transmission.

 

[Rmay635703]

Some people seem to crash their car every 25,000 miles, my guess that is where they go

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted by JeepWJ19
My jeep has 155k miles on it. It has been great for me. Was reliably my only form of transportation all throughout highschool and college. I graduated college a year and a half ago.

My jeep started nickel and diming me towards the end of college. And more recently has failed PA inspection. Rocker panels were badly rusted and the frame support to the rocker panels rusted holes. I got my autobody guy to patch them. He said that would buy me another 3-5 years on average.

I've come to the sad fact that my Jeep is practically done. It is not worth to keep patching. It costs too much when something else terminal could happen.

Once it fails inspection again, if not minor, I'm done. The salt friggin' sucks. I hate that the vehicle I trust the most in snow will have to be put out to pasture soon. It's easy to work on, is cheap, and is a good overland vehicle.

It's sad. Screw road salt.

My son bought a 2002 WRX a few months ago and when he took it in to get the safety done, they told him the frame was completely rotted out. If this had been any other 17 year old car it probably would have been sent to the scrapyard, as it ended up costing him about $4000 to repair, but because it's a car worth saving, he invested that money into it and so far the car has been serving him well. Any other issues that come up he will fix right away, as he really loves this car and I can see him keeping it for a very long time. He eventually wants to put an STi engine into it, along with a 6 speed manual, so if either of those things were to fail on him it wouldn't be the end of this car for him. So there really is nothing that would break on this car that would cause him to say goodbye to this car any time soon.

 

[blupupher]

Man people drive a lot.

I got my current truck with 168,000 miles on it in 2013, in 6 years I have put 28,000 miles on it.
I may hit 200,000 miles on it this year. At my current rate, it would be around 27 more years till the truck hit 300,000 miles.

My Scion has 48,000 miles in 6 years. So maybe in 7 years it will hit 100,000 miles.

I know none of my family has any vehicles over 200,000 miles on it (a few are in the 150,000 - 175,000 mile range).

 

[CR94]

My Mazda kept on going past 600k and nearly 34 years with no >$150 repairs except:
Crash repair at roughly 250k;
Clutch (ruined by oil, not wear) at ~340k;
Transmission bearings at ~360k;
Rebuilt head (due to erosion of coolant passages, not wear) at 476402.

Lots of lesser routine repairs. By the end, the engine still ran as well as ever, BUT the head (or head gasket) was leaking coolant again, paint was failing, rain was leaking in, rust was becoming worrisome, it needed tires and another muffler, clutch was iffy due to oil again, etc. ...

My Subaru (also listed below) needed very few significant mechanical repairs, but had major rust issues.

 

[oilpsi2high]

In NY you can look underneath a two year old truck and find plenty of rust. PLENTY.

 

[wag123]

The primary reasons that most vehicles never make it to 300k miles are... wrecks, rust, economically unfeasible repairs, neglect, and abuse.

 

[Kestas]

I have a summer car and a winter car. It's hard to get high mileage. Theoretically each sees half the mileage it would normally see and should last twice as long. My newest car is 18 years old with 100K.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted by harry j
1993 Honda Civic, 536,000 miles.

Original engine and automatic transmission.


Every time you post the pictures of this I tear up a little.

I so so so miss these bulletproof Civics.