Autoholics

The semi-major axis of Mercury's orbit is about 36 million miles. So the distance she drove, 0.576 million miles, is about 1.6% of the average distance from the Sun to Mercury.

She's had the car for 48 years. At that average rate of speed, 0.576M miles per 48 years (0.012M miles/yr), it would take 3000 years to go from the planet Mercury to the Sun. (That includes rest stops, though finding a full-service filling station might be a problem. I'm guessing she doesn't pump her own gasoline.)

With my luck, if I made that trip, the Sun would be closed the day I got there, and I'd have to wait an extra day.

I once saw a Mercedes 220D in a parking lot for sale that had the million mile badge.

This car holds the world record for miles driven by a non-commercial vehicle at 2.8 million miles last count, over the course of 44 years....

http://hooniverse.com/2010/07/31/hooniverse-weekend-edition-irv-gordons-1966-volvo-p1800s-odometer-trips-2-8-million-miles/

How much of it, excluding things like replacement tyres, exhausts, clutch, brake parts, spark plugs, oil filters, etc.,etc...?

As described in another CR4 story a year or so ago, Ms. Veitch did all of her own routine maintenance and minor repairs on the car.

I think Cuba, out of necessity, has the most high mileage vehicles, per capita, of any nation. It is a great example of how necessity is the mother of invention.http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/27/automobiles/27MILL.html?_r=1

I have met a few high milers from around the area and every one of them has the same story.

Mine has X hundreds of thousands of miles on it and it is all original! Three rear ends, 5 transmissions, four engines of three different sizes, six seats, two steering wheels, half the body panels, and multiple full suspension and brake system rebuilds but it all original I tell you!

Yep. Like my grandfather's favorite axe. He had it for 50 years and only had to replace the head once and the handle twice.

I went to buy a "good used canoe" one time. $300.

All it needed was a new body, frame, and a paddle.

I think one would see more high milers from the mild weather states.

Up here in the northern state.....salt kills...... ^{(or whatever chloride they use nowaday for deicing roads)}

Rough weather here but seeing vehicles running 200,000 - 300,000 or more miles on all stock drive trains is very common. I have put two into the 250K+ now on the original engines and transmissions and am working on two more.

Regular maintenance is the key. Change all the fluids when they should be changed based on how the vehicle gets driven and plan ahead on adding necessary components like extra transmission and engine oil cooling if they do any towing duty.

Doing it after the damage is done is like buying a fire extinguisher after the house burns down.

This summer my 2001 Oldsmobile Intrique will turn over 200,000 miles.......I plan on a moment of silence before the party begins.

I have to say that I do not change my oil every 2500 miles, or 3500 mile for that matter........ ^{with that being said, I hope I can make it home tonight}. I change it more on the time of year and the type of useage. Not really a plan or schedule. I don't think its the best, but that is the result.

Good job Ms. Veitch!

The plan to PO the consumer has apparently been around since 1932. (Interesting to revisit this thesis in a similar time of financial woes. A definite side benefit to Globalization is the creation of so many more consumers! An interesting sidelight on this is "The Light Bulb Conspiracy." )

Renegades like Ms. Veitch have done their best not to accept it. A little luck is probably needed, too.

"Remember the Caliente!"

My suspicious nature is in great agreement with you. I used to buy Fords, but always had valve problems with them. Suspected this was planned obsolescence. I have tended to buy new vehicles rather than pay for expensive repairs after 100,000 plus miles. Vacuum cleaners have been the worst. We finally bought an Orick that we like, but maintenance is not cheap. Cheap dishwashers are another example. We finally bought a Kitchen Aide which does a great job, but time will tell. Few problems with other major appliances, aside from lousy servicemen.

thats proper maintenance for you, and notice SHE did it. Apparently correctly.

Im driving a 78 pickup with a 91 engine that has > 200K miles on the engine. RELIGIOUS maintenance.

I pulled the trans a couple years ago and remanufactured it, and in the process, pulled the oil pump and rear main bearing lower half to change the rear main seal, it was weeping a little oil, and didnt want a contaminated clutch.

The rear main lower half had NO WEAR whatsoever, the 'krinkle finish' was not worn. It looked like it just came out of the box except for a shiny spot from the oil wedge from the oil hole.

A car will last forever if all fluids are maintained, but don't expect to find many mechanics that understand that.

An oil change is not enough. All fluids in a vehicle are "oils" (lubricants) including the windshield washer fluid. No? Run the wipers dry and see what happens!

And AC system oil...PS fluid, brake system flush, power steering, transmission...

Change ALL of them regularly and a little ahead of schedule, realizing that part of the purpose of an "oil change" is to remove DEBRIS like metal fragments.

Regardless of what Yahoo thinks..

Leave it to me!