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David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
6/30/09 8:46 a.m.

A nice piece by friend and Challenge judge Steven Cole Smith. Yeah, half a million miles is pretty impressive.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orl-cold-car-keeps-running-062909,0,4468087.story

Grtechguy
Grtechguy SuperDork
6/30/09 8:48 a.m.

it's possible? a repost by the editor?

jk..... that is impressive though

4cylndrfury
4cylndrfury HalfDork
6/30/09 9:11 a.m.

wicked cool

TJ
TJ Reader
6/30/09 10:52 a.m.

He's the editor....it wasn't a re-post, the earlier post was a pre-emptive repost that's all.

Speaking of that, has anyone seen that Ken Block video?

Junkyard_Dog
Junkyard_Dog Reader
6/30/09 11:20 a.m.

so who owns the highest mileage car on this board? My first 90 Miata had 374,000 when I sold it, but my current high mileage car is my Volvo 945t. It only has 218,500 on it.

93celicaGT2
93celicaGT2 Dork
6/30/09 11:25 a.m.

My 92 Celica has 230k on it. I'm not sure if the Escort has 158k or 258k.

As an interesting aside, someone on FEOA.net just bought a 94 Escort GT i believe it was, with over 650k miles on it. BALLER.

M030
M030 Reader
6/30/09 2:00 p.m.

My mom bought an 87 Mercedes 300D brand new, and she won't trade it in. Ever. 676,000 miles so far.

Her words (regarding any Mercedes newer than about 1996), " I don't want a stupid Chrysler. Why would I trade in my diesel if it still runs well? They don't make them to last like mine anymore."

Her "back up car" is a 1995 E320 wagon with 331,000 miles.

Not so sure where she goes to accumulate all those miles, but the Mercedes delaership service dept loves her (that's the only place she'll take either car).

joey48442
joey48442 SuperDork
6/30/09 2:08 p.m.
93celicaGT2 wrote: My 92 Celica has 230k on it. I'm not sure if the Escort has 158k or 258k. As an interesting aside, someone on FEOA.net just bought a 94 Escort GT i believe it was, with over 650k miles on it. BALLER.

For that matter, how can you be sure its not 58k? Or 358k. Or even 458k?

Joey

pinchvalve
pinchvalve SuperDork
6/30/09 2:14 p.m.
M030 wrote: My mom bought an 87 Mercedes 300D brand new, and she won't trade it in. Ever. 676,000 miles so far. Her words (regarding any Mercedes newer than about 1996), " I don't want a stupid Chrysler. Why would I trade in my diesel if it still runs well? They don't make them to last like mine anymore." Her "back up car" is a 1995 E320 wagon with 331,000 miles. Not so sure where she goes to accumulate all those miles, but the Mercedes delaership service dept loves her (that's the only place she'll take either car).

My mother doesn't know what she drives. "As long as it starts and gets me where I'm going" is all she ever says about cars. She knows its a Honda something or other, but that's about it. How I turned out so car-crazy is beyond me.

My mileage champion was 550,000 miles on a Dodge Ram Diesel.

M030
M030 Reader
6/30/09 2:25 p.m.

My dad and mom were VW mechanics when I was a kid, so I know where I got it from...

wherethefmi
wherethefmi Dork
6/30/09 2:26 p.m.

I had a 90 something caravan that turned 1,000,000 it was used by a paper/pizza delivery guy, didn't last very long after I got my 16 year old hands on it.

Duke
Duke Dork
6/30/09 2:31 p.m.

In the family we've had a 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan and a 1981 Honda Civic go well over 300,000 miles. Both looked like rolling deathtraps but still ran.

My '67 LeMans has 270,000 on it. We had a '69 Bonneville wagon that went 280,000 or more. Oh, and my '79 Supra made it to about 235,000 before I sold it for $500 in 1995.

M030
M030 Reader
6/30/09 2:40 p.m.

My dad used to take the cynical approach that cars haven't gotten any more reliable, but that in fact, many, many cars built/sold before the late 80's have 200K+ miles on them...and, as he says,

"nobody knows about it, because before mileage tampering was a federal offense everybody did it before they sold their car."

I don't know how true that is, but I guess it's probable.

M030
M030 Reader
6/30/09 2:41 p.m.
wherethefmi wrote: I had a 90 something caravan that turned 1,000,000

I think you win the highest mileage contest

cwh
cwh Dork
6/30/09 2:46 p.m.

I had a sweet '79 280ZX that had 314,000 when wifey t-boned a truck with it. Probably would have made 500,000, but will never know.

belteshazzar
belteshazzar Dork
6/30/09 3:41 p.m.

by '81 280Z had +400k on it.

parker
parker New Reader
6/30/09 4:50 p.m.

07 Rallycross National Champion Neon now has 440,000 and the daily driver Neon has 268,000.

neon4891
neon4891 SuperDork
6/30/09 6:58 p.m.

My accord had 23X,XXX when I wrapped it around a tree.

My first Neon had 180(?)K or so on it, but the replacment dash panel knocked about 100K off. That helped with Value in the 2 accidents.

I hope to get past 200K on my current neon, that is 75K to go.

seeker589
seeker589 New Reader
6/30/09 7:21 p.m.

This truely goes to show that American cars can stack up against anything for mileage and durability.

The "Imports are better" is a lie! They are normally just more fun to drive. And have better brakes.

92dxman
92dxman Reader
6/30/09 8:10 p.m.

Had a 92 Civic I drove up until 215,XXX with a blown head gasket, toasted radiator and a swiss cheese rusted body. Then sold it to a local guy for $500. Had it up on Craigslist and got nearly 30 emails in a day!

stan_d
stan_d Dork
6/30/09 8:42 p.m.

My jeep Cherokee has 326,000 and still going strong. the radiator just fell apart recentaly. I still tow with it, in fact hauling a Saab to my brothers shop on saturday. Stan

smog7
smog7 Dork
6/30/09 9:02 p.m.

do most of you guys still compete/race with these high mileage beauties?

2002acr
2002acr New Reader
6/30/09 9:04 p.m.
seeker589 wrote: This truely goes to show that American cars can stack up against anything for mileage and durability. The "Imports are better" is a lie! They are normally just more fun to drive. And have better brakes.

I agree! In some areas there are still a lot of 30-35 year old American cars. I believe there will be very few "collector" Japanese cars cars because they are all in the junkyard due to $2500 alternators. Or those funky metals that make nuts and bolts fuse together.

griffin729
griffin729 New Reader
6/30/09 9:10 p.m.

On my 86 Chevy C10 Scottsdale the odo read 10k when I bought it, but the previous owner of the truck was Louisville Gas and Electric. I got it in 96. So, ten years as a line truck for the utility company I don't know how many miles it had, but I'm guessing a lot. I put 13k on it in four months. Before I hit a cow and totaled it. Long but funny story that.

aussiesmg
aussiesmg Dork
6/30/09 9:16 p.m.

My Town Cars regularly get 250 to 300K before I feel they are not worth a new transmission, (usual failure) highest mileage CV made 425,000 when a driver tried to find a way through a Monte Carlo at a stop sign, he failed dismally

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