Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by The Critic
Originally Posted by Railrust
Originally Posted by Pew
I wouldn't. There's going to be more issues with rotten seals, bushings, and other suspension parts with age.
I tend to agree, you just can't keep up with the rubber replacement on vehicles as they age, because there's too many pieces, and it's too expensive. People don't realize that once your vehicle reaches a certain age, or a certain mileage, all of those rubber bushings, hoses and gaskets are shot. That front end is in need of serious repair...a control arm here, a set of sway bar bushings, sway bar links, steering rack bushings, the ball joints and tie rods are worn out. Then when you replace all of that? You blow a transmission cooler line, the bottom radiator hose blows, the power steering line let's go, the valve cover gaskets are leaking all over the engine, the oil pan is dripping onto the driveway, the rear main seal is weeping, the oil pressure switch is leaking like a sieve, the thermostat housing gasket is leaking, the rubber grommets for the PCV valve system aren't sealing anymore...or the hose for the PCV valve has collapsed on itself (because it's so weak) and oil is pouring out from every gasket in the entire engine (that happened to me once and that was quite a surprise). And trying getting some of this stuff, you'll go aftermarket because it's cheaper and easier to get...then it won't fit quite right...but you'll make it fit...then six months later you'll be replacing the aftermarket part with something else, probably another aftermarket part because someone will tell you on the Internet that "this one is just like OE", and then you'll spend almost as much as OE, and then it'll fail in six months.
I have taken three vehicles over the 200,000 mile milestone, for the people saying it's a piece of cake...they are forgetting a lot of things. And I can work on this stuff (I'm an ASE master tech). But working on stuff with over 200,000 miles is like putting your finger in the dam while waiting for the other leak to spring.
This is the truth.
I find that interesting--if not scary! as I have two vehicles around this mileage.
The third already shows signs of aging out instead of wearing out. I did get my VW to go over 300k but I owned it from new and was something I really liked. It also got over 30k/year during my ownership, so maybe that helped.
$5k does seem like a lot though, and yet still not enough for an SUV. Only if it was rust free and something I loved, and had another $5k lying around "just in case".
Well it looks like you have experience taking a car the distance (the VW), and you probably remember that it takes some work. It all depends on what you can live with when trying to do it...can you live with a steering wheel that maybe will never return to center and track down the road straight again? Or a shimmy that just won't go away, no matter what you do? Can you keep up with a fluid or two that needs to be topped up every 2-3 weeks? Those types of things, while fighting the occasional things you HAVE to fix (and just can't live with). I've done it, others certainly have...you have too...but it is work. It does take some effort and uncertainty - I think that's what finally caused me to eventually trade in a high mileage vehicle - the uncertainty, that lack of trust in the vehicle on the longer commutes...the worrying, will this thing leave me stranded 100 miles from home? I've had that happen and it really gets old quick.
But I do love high mileage stories/people that aren't afraid to take a vehicle 300k plus miles and more.