high mileage vehicles- high mileage commute

jose bagge · Dec 23, 2011

Reflecting on the "high Mileage Vehicles" thread and on mileage we put on relatively new vehicles now compared to what my folks' generation ran. I'm 53, and commute 62 miles one way...my shortest commute in my working career was still probably 20 miles each way. Every car we own has more than 150,000 miles on it...even the "new" one. $$ per mile, maybe we get more value than our folks did on a new car.
My dad never commuted more than 20 miles round trip- it would have been unheard of in my neighborhood growing up. My folks never had a car with over 80,000 miles on them- heck, even the clunkers I bought in high school and college had low miles on 'em compared to what we drive today. It's amazing how reliable vehicles became once we had to travel farther and farther to make a decent living. Thoughts?

TomH in PA · Dec 23, 2011

I grew up near Detroit. The road salt ate cars up pretty fast. If a person knew how to maintain them the powertrain would last longer, but most people didn't try too hard since they knew the body/chassis/exhaust would be done anyway.

John T · Dec 23, 2011

Thoughts?? I remember as a kid either myself or my uncles OVERHAULING our cars (we did it ourselves), best I recall they sure had LESS then 100k miles. I remember patching tubes, recapped tires, and having to change points and plugs fairly often and especially if we took like a 100 mile trip THAT WAS SOME TRIP IN THE FIFTIES.

Now the plugs could last 100k miles and to me a car with only 100K is kinda our main squeeze. You see cars with 200K and 300K or more that havent been overhauled and still running. As far as commuting, I used to have a VW Rabbit Diesel that got just under 50 MPG but I drove 30 miles to work all day,,,,,,then drove like 75 miles to law school for evening classes,,,,,,,,then 60 or so home,,,,,,,,,then read case books and studied law and we had 3 young kids at home and I worked 40 hrs per week at engineering, THOSE WERE HARD TIMES and I drive my A$$ off lol

BUTTTTTTT the drawback is my days of working on them are about over (dont have the computer stuff) HOWEVER they dont seem to need much either if well maintianed.

Sure I love old trucks cars n tractors and can still work on them, buttttttt if you gotta use or drive one, give me my newer model...

John T

buickanddeere · Dec 23, 2011

Unleaded gasoline and as previously stated fuel injection. Has moved gasoline engine reliability and wear in LP/natural gas engine territory.

Aaron Ford · Dec 23, 2011

My Dad drives 60 miles each way interstate and gets mad when he gets less than 80K on a set of tires. I have never gotten 30K. Course his vehicles (well maintained) go for 400K before they are considered for replacement. Lotsa miles, always well warmed, with fresh fluids really makes a difference.

Aaron

rustyplow · Dec 23, 2011

Thats still the Problem here in michigan. Most cars that are srcaped are still running decent, but the body -frame- suspention is rotted beyound being safe. Have seen many cars driven across the scales and the driver walks back out.

LJD · Dec 23, 2011

I remember things pretty much the same way. I don't think people were so willing to commute long distances like they do today. At least not on average.

When I was a kid, a 10 year old car often only had 50K - 60K miles on it. I suspect many cars got old before really worn out and people bought newer.

I remember "carbon and valve" jobs being standard maintenance for cars when they reached around 80K.

I knew a lady back in the mid 1970s who had owned a 1967 GTO since new and used it for highway trips out west. She had near 200K when she sold it and it still ran fine. One of my friends bought it and ruined it in short order.

rustyfarmall · Dec 23, 2011

When I was much younger, it was almost unheard of for a car to go for 100,000 miles. In fact, 50,000 miles was considered the breaking point between low miles and high miles. My first car had 69,000 miles on it when I bought it for $395. I managed to get another 10,000 miles out of it, and then did a complete rebuild on the 283 cubic inch engine.

Pair-a-dice farm · Dec 23, 2011

When I was a kid in the early 60's it was 12 miles to the nearest paved road and we only went to town on Saturday and church on Sunday. I still don't go to town but a couple of days a week but the gravel road is now a state highway. We only got about 8-10K out of a set of tire and now we get 50K+. The longest commute that I've had was 50 miles 1 way. I miss the simplicity of the days 50 years ago but not everything was rosie.

Fawteen · Dec 23, 2011

Oh yeah. 10 miles to go get groceries was a major trip. 30 miles to go to The Big City (Lansing, MI) was a 2 or 3 times a YEAR extravaganza. Now I drive 20 miles a day to work, and think nothing of "running into town" (25 miles away) to pick up a part.

When I got my driver's license in 1965, Dad let me drive our "second car" which was a 1956 Chevy. 9 years old, practically an antique. Don't know how many miles it had on it, but at a guess between 50 and 75K and it was worn slap out. Burned oil, body barely hanging together, clutch slipped, etc. (Remember vacuum wipers?)

My last truck lasted me nearly 20 years and is still on the road as far as I know. A 20 year old car still on the road in 1965 was something you saw in a parade.

I see no reason my '07 GMC won't last 15-20 years, and by then (assuming I'm still on this side of the grass) I won't be needing another full-size truck.

Heyseed · Dec 23, 2011

My first car was a 1965 Dart, a 170 slant six with a column shift nonsyncro transmission. It came from the factory with one option, a cigarette lighter. No radio, vinyl seats and flooring, 13 inch wheels and tires, one speed wipers. I was the third owner and it had 68K on it. I added a stereo and drove it another 200 thousand miles. Sold it for $100 less than I paid. Oh I did change the oil a few times.
Called him Fred and he never let me down.

Hobo,NC · Dec 23, 2011

(quoted from post at 02:47:18 12/24/11)
When I was much younger, it was almost unheard of for a car to go for 100,000 miles. In fact, 50,000 miles was considered the breaking point between low miles and high miles. My first car had 69,000 miles on it when I bought it for $395. I managed to get another 10,000 miles out of it, and then did a complete rebuild on the 283 cubic inch engine.

late 60's and very early 70's,,, a dealer would buy a car with 100k on the clock turn the odometer back to 10K,,, sale it as very low miles then the new owner would drive it another 100K and brag about how it was the best are he ever had.... Most All these cars came from the north if it did not sale local they would haul it back up north and sale them as a NC tilted car,,, Back then about the only difference in model's of car was the trim package,,, Spit shine, slap a vinyl roof on, stick on trim and a nice set of hub caps made it top of the line....

Bill(Wis) · Dec 23, 2011

Some years ago, Mercedes ran a contest looking for the highest mileage Mercedes still on the road. An elderly couple in the western US won it with their Mercedes diesel car that had over one million miles on it. They got a new Mercedes and their old one rebuilt at the factory and returned to them. Now, it's so common that all you get is a grille badge and a certificate. One taxi cab owner in Greece has a Mercedes diesel cab with 2.8 million miles on it.

centralilbaler · Dec 23, 2011

My commuter car just rolled 191,000 on it today. I drive 65 miles daily back and forth to work.

johnald · Dec 23, 2011

i've got a 95 nissan four cylinder with 207,000 miles on it. I've been driving it for 10 years and the only thing i've done to it are oil changes and 2 new alternators. It's been a great truck and I bet it could run another 10 years. The four cylinder nissans and toyotas are long running motors. I had a mechanic that told me he was doing some work on his toyota that had 200,000 plus miles and the cylinder walls still had hone marks on them. I just wish it could pull a bit more.

Bob Huntress · Dec 23, 2011

My first auto mechanics intructor when I was in the eigth grade told us that with proper maintenace and prudent operation a car could last 100,000 miles. That was in 1979.

tomtirediron · Dec 23, 2011

Been waiting all day for someone to mention what I'd been thinking. Had several used and some new Minnesota cars that ran like watches but became death traps on the highway due to that damn salt. 78 pontiac Bonnie, frame rust,doors; 78 Cordoba springs right up through trunk broken shackles; 81 olds body; new 79 olds rusted out frame;95 F-250 bought new spring shackles, doors, box, fenders; 2000 superduty 250, Doors, fenders ect. 2007 wife's Taurus showing light rust door at 89000 miles. I credit you guys with getting the miles you do but just can't ever see it happening for me drive too little miles 22/day and MNDOT loves pooring on that salt.

fixerupper · Dec 23, 2011

This afternoon I talked with a 88 year-old mnechanic about the longevity of the old VS the new cars. He said when he worked for a car dealer years ago, routine points/plug raplacement was done at 12000 miles. I have a BIL who still thinks a car is going downhill at 60,000 miles and needs to be traded off. It's jsut an excuse.Jim

Anonymous-0 · Dec 23, 2011

I hate to say it, but I think we have the Japanese to thank for that. Before the Japanese got their act together in the 80's, Detroit was content to turn out crap. I had an '87 Mazda pickup that I was driving 450 miles a week.Never gave me a bit of trouble. Guys that were driving Rangers and S-10's were always complaining about their truck woes and were driving a lot less miles.My brother had a new 4wd S-10 that he didn't have very long because he said it was in the dealer's shop more than it was in his garage.

BANDITFARMER · Dec 23, 2011

I was 20 and bought my first 1ton was a 80 Chevy 350 4sp that belonged to a propane company. It had 456 gears with them little 8.25x16.5 tires on it and the truck had a big utility bed and ran on propane and had 175.000 miles on it when I got it. Within a month I changed it over to gas and added 750x16 and drove it to work every day 47 miles one way and 47 back home. When I sold it it had over 300.000 miles on it and still per-ed like a kitten, Would run 55 mph up a side of a mountain and 55 mph down the other side cause it was wound tight! I kept the oil and filter changed, Then I got it they said the clutch was out, Right! I drove it 45.000 miles before I put a clutch in and just drove it. 5 years after I sold it to this older guy I seen him and asked if he still liked it, He said it was the best truck he ever owned and had put another 50.000 miles on it. He had it painted and had a new seat put in but had not done anything to the engine or clutch, Just oil and filter changes and cap and wires. I sometimes wish I hadn't sold it and kept it, But I was 26 and dumb! You live and learn. Bandit

northvale · Dec 23, 2011

I have a good old USA made Ford truck, but our high mileage cars are Subaru wagons.

wisbaker · Dec 23, 2011

As off last week our Accord has been with us 21 years and is at about 275,000 miles, still runs good but the body is starting to slide, I could fix it and paint it but that'd cost twice what it's worth, I'm using it now 'cause it runs so much cheaper than the pick up and it doesn't leak like the truck but when #2 daughter gets her license guess I'll be back into the truck all the time. I suspect the tranny will go out and then we'll end up scrapping the whole car. Some people still change cars often, #1 daughter was putting gas in her 06 Fusion when someone struck up a conversation, they were supprised she intended to drive her Fusion another 5 years at least!

ShadetreeRet · Dec 23, 2011

Yeah, vehicles go a lot farther than they did years ago. But now that you mention it, back in the 40s and 50s, especially in my area, most vehicles were driven less than 10,000 miles per year. Heck, a lot were only driven two or three thousand. They sat a long time without being run and were not serviced as often as they should have been. We now know that that drastically shortens the life of the engine and drive train. As more folks quit farming and went to work in the city, they began driving more and vehicles were serviced on a more regular basis. That, along with improved metals, etc. has made a big difference.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 24, 2011

Bought my 1978 F-150 5 years ago with 229000 miles on it (on its third bed) and drove it 6000 miles before ripping out the old 300 I6 and throwing in a brand new 460. There is a lot of wear on a lot of the truck but I am bringing it back to life and it is a daily driver. My other truck is 1 1996 F-250 powerstroke with 174000 miles and I think I will see 250000 on it before I sell it.

high mileage vehicles- high mileage commute

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