200K and beyond...

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250k+ on the 'Burban and going strong. Great oil pressure, great power, smooth idle, etc. I can't say that it is without faults, but she is and will continue to be my DD.
 
Originally Posted By: 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!)


My dad also broke 200k on his late 90s Lumina before it was retired from use for a new GM (at 420,000 km, or 260,000 miles). He always bought from the big 3. Fords for a while, then Dodge, then another Ford, then the Lumina. I don't remember him ever buying or considering a non big 3 US vehicle. Myself, I have bought only European and Japanese. I've considered others, but have a preference for Toyota and Honda. I had a Cobalt rental for a few weeks that I would consider down the road, though. I also like some of the more recent Ford offerings, like the Focus and Fusion.

-Spyder
 
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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.


+1 That's for sure! Plus, I figure the difference in insurance between old and new more than makes up for my typical yearly maintenance bills. But, I will say it gets tiresome at times dealing with all the little headaches, especially when you have several cars in the family to maintain. I can see the appeal of new (or at least newer) cars, but I just can't afford them.
 
That's funny, because my newest car is the the cheapest to insure!

My top employee just got out of an 85 Mustang and pays LESS to insure a nearly new Buick.

But back on topic, we have one GMC Savana 3500 van that works daily with well over 400k miles on it, no smoke, cold air, virtually original under the hood except for the water pump!

Another with 250k miles that just got a water pump and a radiator, but other than brake pads and tires nothing's wrong!
 
I had a 1984 BMW 325 with 253,000 miles on it when I got rid of it. Still ran great and didn't use any oil. Traded in on a new '99 Mercury Mystique and got 310,000 miles on that one when I traded it on a new '10 Milan a couple of weeks ago. The Mystique ran great and didn't use any oil either. Despite how well they run, after owning a car 10-15 years, I simply grow tired of them and want something different. Downside is that regardless of how great it is, nobody will even look at a car with 300,000+ miles on it. You can't even give one away, even if it drives out perfect.
 
I've got 265K+ on the 1990 Camry, it still has the original engine & transmission. Bought new in 1990 for the wife, it was the mom-mobile for its first 100K. Got her a used 96 Avalon in 2000 at which point the 90 Camry became my daily ride to work & back.
 
My son has over 300K miles on his 00 P71 [CVPI]. It runs good. He does plan on getting something newer in the near future. His car did taxi duty besides police duty. My daughter has 03 P71 with 235K miles on it. It still has the original drive train. My wife has a 98 P71 that has 280K miles that runs good. It still has the original drive train. Only recently did some a/c work. I want her to get something newer but she so far wants to keep her 98. Everything works on all of them.
 
I sold my e36 BMW with 245000 miles on it. It ran quite well... the lifters made some noise for the first few seconds at startup, but I had no problems running the car very hard. Never used any oil, expect for the one time i ran Mobil 1 5w30 for 12000 miles; then it used 3 qts. It loved Delo 15-40!

I have an e46 with 144k now. I have no doubt that 200 will come and go drama free.

Sure, I can expect to buy brakes, shocks, maybe an exhaust, window parts, and maybe a new sport seat. But it sure beats a payment, and I love to do the maintenance.

We had a Volvo 850 with 335,000 miles on it when we traded it for an Audi A6 that now has about 170,000 on it.

Why not squeeze the value out of these cars?
 
I plan to hit 200k on my Infiniti. I want to see if there is really enough room on the odometer for that 1 to turn into a 2. It looks pretty tight.

My last vehicle that hit 200k miles was an '00 tundra. Only non normal maintenance items were a rear end spider gears, a MAF sensor and a fan clutch. That was probably the most reliable vehicle I have ever had. When I sold it, it looked and performed like new. I drove it like I stole it every day.

I think I hit 200k on three vehicles previously, but they required more maint. than the Tundra.
 
I once hit 500k on a Toy pickup (before I gave it away for being Ugly!), at 200K it was still a puppy.
 
My parents since the 1980's(as far as I can recall) simply maintain their cars and drive relatively easily.

They have had an 1988 Buick Century, 1988 GMC Suburban 4wd, AMC Eagle, Toyota Pickup all kept for at least 12 years/225,000 miles. They were not sold due to mechanical issues. Mainly rust or the nail in the coffin broken AC.

I don't think 200k is anything special.
 
One thing that I've noticed, it's not so much the engine/transmission as it is with everything else. I concur with the brethren that mentioned the "other" problems. My dear old '90 Cutlass with the 3.3 was one of the best cars I ever owned. But, about a year before I sold it, everything seemed to start going at once. I had that car for 15 years and sold it to get the 06 Accord. The head liner started going out, rear wire defrosted started going out, power windows had pretty much stopped working, ingition key went out, radio went out, dash lights started failing and then the kicker....the crank sensor went out and left me stranded on the interstate one day. But mechanically, it was sound. Now, the 02 Accord for comparison, the only problem was with the transmission, which was and is well known to Accord owners of that generation but Honda helped me out at 135K when it first went. I started noticing some tell-tale problems with the second transmission around 201K, so my spidey senses said trade for a new one, hence the 2010 CRV. However, on that Accord, everything still worked except for one dash light, but you could still see it at night. Windows, keys, radio, you name it, it all still worked when I traded it in for 3500. I know time wise, the Accord was younger. But, is lingevity a function of time or miles????
 
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
is lingevity a function of time or miles????


In my experience, I think it is a function of how it has been maintained and how the miles have been put on. I drive a 2000 Ford Taurus (purchased new) on a 125 mile/day commute. The miles have been predominately highway, but I have maintained it according to a severe maintenance schedule. Car now will turn 212K this week. It has original engine, transmission. Original belts and hoses were just replaced this past August. In 10+ years, the only two things that I have replaced (beyond regular maintenance) have been a starter and an A/C compressor two weeks ago. I had people say junk the car because the compressor went out. Instead, found a guy to put a used one in for $350 out the door. It's about one car payment and I have ice cold air again. My wife is after me about getting a new (or at least newer car) but I can't find anything that I like better than this one at a decent price. So I have decided to see how long this one goes and decide from repair-to-repair whether it stays or goes.
 
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
is lingevity a function of time or miles????


In my experience, I think it is a function of how it has been maintained and how the miles have been put on. I drive a 2000 Ford Taurus (purchased new) on a 125 mile/day commute. The miles have been predominately highway, but I have maintained it according to a severe maintenance schedule. Car now will turn 212K this week. It has original engine, transmission. Original belts and hoses were just replaced this past August. In 10+ years, the only two things that I have replaced (beyond regular maintenance) have been a starter and an A/C compressor two weeks ago. I had people say junk the car because the compressor went out. Instead, found a guy to put a used one in for $350 out the door. It's about one car payment and I have ice cold air again. My wife is after me about getting a new (or at least newer car) but I can't find anything that I like better than this one at a decent price. So I have decided to see how long this one goes and decide from repair-to-repair whether it stays or goes.


Good points, and I'd add climate as has already been mentioned (as it pertains to salt and rust). Where salt is a factor, time is more important than miles. We see only a few classics here, and they are only taken out a handful of times in any given year (summer only, and on nice days). Rest of the year they're garaged.

-Spyder
 
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
is lingevity a function of time or miles????


I had people say junk the car because the compressor went out. Instead, found a guy to put a used one in for $350 out the door. It's about one car payment and I have ice cold air again.

i think it is both, but with the invention of fuel injection many more cars are making it to 200k.

i can't believe people were telling you to junk it! just goes to show peoples prevailing thoughts in 2010. mike
 
Originally Posted By: caravanmike
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Schmoe said:
is lingevity a function of time or miles????


i can't believe people were telling you to junk it! just goes to show peoples prevailing thoughts in 2010. mike


They were looking at it from a value perspective. This car has a retail value of $1599 and a private value of $934 from Edmunds. It is still a solid car without rust on the body and no more than your 10 year average on parking lot dings. If I were going to put a new compressor on it, I would tend to agree with them. However, for a car I drive to work, it is worth putting $350 into. It's still cheaper than the 2002 Taurus I looked at the other day-1 owner with 55K miles for $8500.
 
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