I know this is a topic that our own David Tracy is sort of obsessed with: he adores high-mileage vehicles. Any excuse to feature something about a high-mileage vehicle, David will take. If we let him, David would happily have a car show that’s just wildly high-mileage vehicles, and people would walk around, poking their heads into windows to ooh and ahh at the numbers on the odometer. Actually, he might demand that the milage be painted on the windshields, used-car-lot style. Unsurprisingly, he came up with this question.
And, it’s a good one – there definitely is an allure to a high-mileage survivor! Look at that famous Volvo P1800, for example. A guy named Irv Gordon put over three million miles on that thing! So it’s worth asking, what is your highest-mileage car?
For me, this is a tricky answer, because I don’t really know for sure. I have a suspicion, though. You see, my 1973 Volkswagen Beetle had a buttocks-load of miles when I got it at 18, over 200,000 I was told, and I drove it pretty much nonstop throughout college, post-college, a move to Los Angeles, all over LA and California, including multiple trips to the Bay Area, Yosemite, and the desert, so I think it has well over 300,000 miles or so, but I really have no idea, because the person I got it from said the odometer quit and was changed out in the late Carter Administration.
And then I ran it for years with no speedo/odometer because the cable was so noisy. So I really have no clue. I think my Scion xB had about 275,000 or more, as well. It’s probably one of those two.
But you, all of you, you probably keep better records than I do, so I bet there’s some real high-mileage heroes out there! Now’s your chance to brag! Show us odometer pictures, tell us big numbers, and hell, maybe lie a little! It’ll be fun!
Any million+ mile cars out there? That’d be exciting.
My 1990 Miata is my highest mileage car, with 208k miles on it before I bought it. My ’66 T-bird wasn’t exactly babied either; its odometer broke at 98k miles before I bought it and I have no idea how much it actually has beyond that. I’ve thought about replacing the odometer if for no other reason than to keep better track of maintenance intervals. Both cars I intend to drive and repair indefinitely and with no fear of high mileage, though I doubt I’ll reach Irv Gordon levels any time soon.
The highest-mileage car in the family however is my sister’s 2002 manual Honda Civic coupe. That car has over 268k miles on it, last I checked. Not bad at all. And that was with forgetting to change the timing belt until it slipped and other imperfect maintenance anecdotes. The car is still going strong, and still gets like 36 mpg on average, so my sister has every incentive to keep driving and fixing it until the wheels fall off or manufacturers start building affordable fuel-efficient small cars again.
I picked up a 98 Volvo S70 a week ago and it has 162k on it. Still a pretty decent car, though the front right strut mout is making some rather sketchy noises and I doubt the strut is in better condition below it. Even with access to wholesale-price parts, I’m not entirely sure I can be bothered to put struts and mounts in a $1000 car that only has to last me till December. I think my MR2 is also above 150k, but that doesn’t count as it’s only chassis miles. Everything else is significantly newer
If that becomes a long term car, see if you can get XC90 strut mounts for it. They’re stronger and they don’t have the flaw that causes them to usually wear out it break early.
Good to know!
‘01 V70 owned since new has over 280K now. My mechanic services a Tundra that passed 1M miles a few years ago.
That’s a lot of time behind the wheel.
400K 1977 MB 240D 4-spd manual. Slow as a dog, but never quit.
Realized living near the ocean with no garage was going to eat that car quick, sold it after about 7 months of ownership. Great car.
I put about 150k miles each on two consecutive first gen Lexus LSes, selling both of those right around the 300k mile mark. Before that, 325k miles on a Saab 9-5 that I bought new. Sold it, bought it back about a decade later. I’m back to racking up the miles there — I’ve put about 20k on since putting it back on the road last fall, so now close to 360k on it. Original motor, second clutch, second starter, on alternator and AC compressor #4. Also have an ’04 Jag XJ8; bought that right at 139k three years ago, now at 218k. Unless I can find a screaming deal on a decent X350 XJR or a X351 XJ, the XJ8 will stay for the long haul, as it’s quite reliable, looks good and feels special to drive, even in naturally aspirated form.
1991 Audi 200TQ. Bought from the original owner with around 235k sold with 287k. Original clutch and struts still in it.
My 2008 f250 super duty has 262,000 on it. It’s not a daily driver though. It is a former State DOT truck. A few years back I had a 2004 Dodge Intrepid with 298k on it when the transmission finally died.
Mercedes and Volvos with 300k seem to be everywhere but an intrepid with 300k is very impressive
I currently own a 1989 Mitsubishi Montero with 303k miles on it. I bought it at 218k 11 years ago with my tax returns. $1,600. It still runs but I recently lost the ability to plate it in a county with no emissions. I found a mechanic to do the valve stem seals, but then he decided not to when he saw it was running with low oil pressure and figured we would have to get into the bottom end and price jacked up to $7,900 for a rebuilt block swap.
So it has been sent out to my Cousn’s steel shop to sit on the lot, covered, as I search for a donor 6g72 mill.
I love that thing, and will keep it on the road.
My current DD is my 2010 Honda Insight with just shy of 230k miles. Only engine work was a new set of spark plugs last year (it requires 8!)
Not sure if it’ll make it to 300k. The Michigan rust worm is chomping at the rockers.
75 Pontiac Grandville convertible. Bought in 1989 with 89k on the clock. Was my daily (plus motorcycle) for 25 years, then became a weekender. Sold in 2020 with 25k on the odometer. 325k. Loved that car.
My gosh, my 2000 Acura 3.2TL is at 247,000 and counting — and in this august company, it feels like a young’un. Fantastic to see so many survivors!
I have a 2004 Subaru Legacy with 342,000 miles that was my daily driver for 10 years until recently when the small oil leak that appears to be coming from the head gasket grew to a not small oil leak. It’ll be back on the road soon though, I just need to decide what I want to do with the engine.
350k on a ’92 Camry XLE (the best year for Camrys in history), followed by 290k on an ’89 Acura Legend
Lowest mileage vehicle I ever got rid of was my ’15 F150 at 105k after having to spend $6500 on a reman transmission and transfer case. The transmission failure literally left it Found On Road Dead. After my nephew had to replace the turbos on his Ecoboost, I got sick of wondering what the next major repair was going to be.
Just curious, what makes ’92 the best year for Camrys? I’m not used to seeing people specify better years for them than others.
It’s moreso early 90s Camrys than ’92 specifically. During those years, the Camrys were more Lexus than Toyota in terms of engineering and build quality. It was way smoother and more comfortable than any other car I’ve driven from that era.
Over 300k on a ’85 Accord hatch. 269k on my first car, ’82 Accord hatch. Current daily is around 240k, ’12 CTS 3.0. When I was a kid, my Dad specifically looked for Honda’s with over 200k to buy. Since, I’ve never feared buying anything based on mileage alone.
I’m at 180k and counting on the ’06 Sierra I’ve owned since new. I know that’s nothing anybody will be impressed by, but it’s staying in my fleet for the long haul, so I have no doubt it will get to the 300k-ish range before rust breaks the frame in half.
I’ve owned several with over 250,000 mile, but when I was in high school I got to occasionally drive my mom’s Mercedes 300TD that had at least 340,000 miles on it, as the odometer stopped working at 341,000 and change. Based on service intervals, my dad estimated it has at least 390,000 miles on it when it scattered its transmission all over the road and ended up heading to the junk yard.
I had 203K on my 1992 Crown Victoria when it was T-boned and totaled. My 2009 E-150 just rolled over 200K on Tuesday and my 2003 Marauder has just under 185K.
My 98 Expedition lasted just over 319,000 before I traded her in. My uncle had my old 93 Ranger and I believe that had about 420,000 on it when he junked it.
Oh, and I also have 218,000 on my 98 Mazda B-Ford Ranger. Those 4.0’s get the gas mileage of a V-8 with the power of a 4-cyl, but damn they keep on running…
’98 Subaru Forester – 274,743 when headgasket failed and I parked it for the last time. I rebuilt the 5 speed in my driveway at around 230k. Stock seats were uncomfortable and falling apart so I put in heated power leather from an Infiniti i30 somewhere along the line. I wanted to swap in an ez30 H6 from a Tribeca after the ej25 died but the body just had too much rust. Took a few months before I was ready to let it go to the boneyard. Saw it there a month later and it had already donated tramsmission, front suspension, brakes, radiator, and half the interior. Made me feel good knowing the car contributed to someone else’s project.
Currently have an ’04 GTO with 167k and a ’18 V90 with 110k. GTO doesn’t see many miles anymore since Volvo is DD.
I’ve owned 3 BMW’s with over 300k miles:
1992 525i/5 with 314k miles that I totaled by rolling it (walked away with zero injuries)
1992 525i/5 with 320k miles, sold it back to its previous owner, I think it’s at like 340k miles now.
2003 BMW 530i/5 with 320k miles, sold that not too long ago.
1984 Volkswagen Quantum. 5 cylinder, 5 speed. I sold it to a coworker at 308,000 because 14 years in the northern midwest was too much for it and stuff in the trunk would get wet from tire spray in the rain. Mechanically, it needed all suspension bushings replaced and I did not have a press in my garage at the time, so that tipped my towards selling.
Not mine, but I believe Elon Musk has a Gen 1 roadster that’s currently done about 33.9 million miles if my orbital calculations are correct.
199k. Yep, got rid of a car just a few hundred shy of turning over 200k. It was a 2011 Honda Odyssey, and driving a canyon at night proved to be the death of it when a deer came out of no where and I didn’t even have time to hit the brakes. The deer flew 20 feet, I screeched to a stop and found a deer head shaped dent in the core support and a radiator spraying coolant. That was the end of that. Now I have 2 cars with around 160k, the Sienna will make it to 200 easy, the Cruze will go away and be someone else’s problem but might make it as well. Just not under my ownership
A few contestants for me:
I have friends that think you need to trade in a car once it hits 100k; I can’t understand that.
Dad’s truck (was with him when he got it, I was 5), and if he ever gets a new one it’s mine) has 640,000+ miles
Holy crap! What’s the truck?
02 Tundra, 85%ish original
Original engine?
Original almost everything. Service, yknow. Original alt died at 375, fuel pump 495, pinion bearing 590ish…