200K and beyond...

[Paulson]

I just had the pleasure of watching both my 01 5.3L Suburban and my 96 4.3L Blazer go past the 200K mark.

Maintenance on both Vehicles has been relatively cheap and both vehicles still have the original engine and transmission. I consider both vehicles to be in great shape mechanically (everything works on both of them) and am planning on taking the suburban on a 600+ mile trip this weekend.

My dad has a 97 3.1L Lumina with 200K and a 94 3.3L Intrepid with 255K (his daily driver, even after being hit by a truck with a plow on it and taking out a bambi here or there.)

Seeing as to how so many people knock on the reliability of American car companies VS toyota and honda, is it just luck that we've found so many good used vehicles or do people just complain more vocally about the big 3?

Also I'd love to hear about other people who have got to see 200K plus on their vehicles (and if they're still used!)

 

[Bill in Utah]

All the time with many different brands. The Corolla will most likely see 200k just after the beginning of the year.

This is why I throw up with the oil company marketing for their HM oils and 75,001 miles.

I want to see the SHM (super high mileage) oils for 150,002 miles and beyond!

Take care, bill

 

[PeteTheFarmer]

I don't think it's luck, I think maintenance and driving style have a lot to do with it. Also, the perception of American vehicles has begun to change, and the various owner surveys are starting to reflect this. Quality control on domestics is greatly improved over the low point in the seventies and early eighties. I've never been a member of the 200K group, but my brother reached this on his Maxima a month ago.

 

[expat]

I no longer see a defining line between an Import and a domestic.
Each vheical is assessed on it's own merits.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
All the time with many different brands. The Corolla will most likely see 200k just after the beginning of the year.

This is why I throw up with the oil company marketing for their HM oils and 75,001 miles.

I want to see the SHM (super high mileage) oils for 150,002 miles and beyond!

Take care, bill


My '99 Corolla now has 228K and it it's doing just fine. It's using a bit of oil now, but only between a qt and and a qt and half per OCI, which is every 6K. This car should do 300K and maybe beyond no problem.

 

[AuthorEditor]

I hate to say it, but it is partly luck, especially with that Intrepid! Seriously, you probably do better than 90% of most drivers because you maintain your vehicles. I find that I wear the vehicles out beyond what I want to deal with before 200,000. Between all the salt causing rust, and normal mechanical failures expected in older cars it becomes problematic keeping them on the road much after 150,000 unless you are willing to deal with many minor and sometimes major problems fairly frequently. For example, if the alternator, water pump, radiator, or transmission goes out on some dark night during a blizzard in the middle of nowhere I don't my wife and children to be there! I like to be able to hop in my cars and drive several thousand miles at a moments notice without having to worry that something is going to go and ruin the trip.

 

[Nick R]

I originally thought I was going to hit 200k on the cavalier, before the oil pump and all other kinds of stuff started to go. It already had a new transmission put in at 120k, and all kinds of stuff after that.

But that is why we traded it in and got a new car, because
1. I'm commuting about 350 miles a week between school and work, notwitstanding anywhere else I go. I need a reliable car, the part of NY I have to commute to is called troy, and is known locally as "troylet" - not really a nice area.

2. WARRANTY!!!!

3. Gas mileage. I'm averaging about 28mpg a tank, mixed city/highway. I was only averaging 22-23 a tank with the cav and that was ALL highway.

 

[SLCraig]

I am going to make sure my Saturn hits 200k... It currently has like 230k kms, which is only like 140-150k miles or so.

Those 3.3's like in your dad's Intrepid are so rock solid.. I love them. They are not fast or powerful, but super dependable!

 

[AuthorEditor]

Another thing I find after 150,000 is that the petty annoyances start to escalate. Even though they aren't usually dangerous, as a group they can make your life less pleasant. The electric window motor that fails, the clock that doesn't work, the bulbs that keep going out, the hoses that need to be replaced, the catalytic converter that rots out, the rear view mirror falls off, the upholstery rips, the lock freezes, etc. After awhile it feels like you are always in need of fixing some little thing or list of things that can be very annoying.

 

[YZF_Eric]

I'm at 191k on my 99 Mitsubishi and the ONLY major thing I've done is replacing my worn out shocks/struts. I'm due for a tune-up, coolant flush and timing belt before i hit 200k. Other than that, the car looks and drives close to brand new.

 

[Jim 5]

I agree. On my '98 Chev K1500 I did the following repairs between 150 and 180k when I sold it:

- Water pump
- Alternator
- outside door handle (2x)
- inside door lever (3x)
- brake light switch
- LIM gasket
- pads and rotors (doesn't really count - wear item)
- Fuel pump
- repainting lower fenders behind the rear wheels to fix rock chips
- replaced worn pitman arm

Those things got on my nerves, but I fixed them all myself (but not the LIM gasket and fuel pump). I still feel I got good value out of the truck and it's still running probably at well over 200k miles today.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
I am going to make sure my Saturn hits 200k... It currently has like 230k kms, which is only like 140-150k miles or so.

I doubt my SL2 is going to hit 200k. If I'm not mistaken, the timing chain tensioners are starting to fail.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Another thing I find after 150,000 is that the petty annoyances start to escalate. Even though they aren't usually dangerous, as a group they can make your life less pleasant. The electric window motor that fails, the clock that doesn't work, the bulbs that keep going out, the hoses that need to be replaced, the catalytic converter that rots out, the rear view mirror falls off, the upholstery rips, the lock freezes, etc. After awhile it feels like you are always in need of fixing some little thing or list of things that can be very annoying.


Power windows are my pet peeve. I would rather have manual windows in any car, regardless how else it's equipped, because NO manfacturer seems to be able to make a reliable power window assembly.

 

[dailydriver]

Yes, the power; windows, door locks, seats, and mirrors are something I will NEVER have to worry about on this ride, since I ordered it brand new without them!!

I also saved some weight with the saved coin (slightly faster, and slightly better gas mileage).

I expect this car to go past 250K miles, despite how hard it is driven.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: grampi

Power windows are my pet peeve. I would rather have manual windows in any car, regardless how else it's equipped, because NO manfacturer seems to be able to make a reliable power window assembly.


My family has had power windows since the 60's and never had a issue with them and they keep their cars for up to 20 years...If you play with your windows every time you get into your car expect to fix them and fix them alot no matter what kind car you are driving...The only time we open our windows is for the parking garage...We got Sunpass and E-Z Pass to cut down on opening the windows.

 

[Scienceman]

I think in my case, when my power windows stop working its becuase of under-use! ( i drive more in one car than another )

 

[JT1]

Originally Posted By: Troy_Built
I think in my case, when my power windows stop working its becuase of under-use! ( i drive more in one car than another )


I wouldn't doubt it. The less you use them the more time the gremlins have to play!

 

[fdcg27]

Don't know 'bout that.
Depends upon the car, and how much durability was required from the supplier.
The power windows and sunroof work just dandy on my '84 BMW garage queen.
They also worked just fine on the last Mercedes we had, which my older son totaled at eighteen years and only 140K. The airbag worked just fine as well.
The only power window mechanism I've ever had to replace was on the driver's side of our '97 Accord, last fall.
Cost less than a hundred bucks for the complete unit, and was really easy to do.
I also have never had a problem with power locks on any car I've owned, whether vacuum, like the Mercedes cars we've had, or electric, like everything else.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Quote:
The only time we open our windows is for the parking garage...We got Sunpass and E-Z Pass to cut down on opening the windows.


Up here in the north there are lots of days when it is nice to open the windows and enjoy the fresh air--half the year we drive with no air conditioning on. In any case, I don't think I've ever had a car with electric windows that didn't begin to develop problems around 100,000 miles or so. Right now my driver's side window is busted.

 

[Paulson]

I mean don't get me wrong I've had to do some work to keep everything running...

Suburban:
Alternator
Thermostat
Throttle Position Sensor
Fuel Pressure Regulator
Upper Intake Manifold

Blazer
Radiator
Water Pump
thermostat
Alternator
Throttle Position Sensor
Lots of hoses
transmission cooler lines
fuel pump
blower motor

The drivers side power window on my suburban is starting to get very weak as well and I'll most likely have to change that and the front blower motor.

Even though it costs money to fix these vehicles it's still cheaper than a new car payment that's a guaranteed bill every month.