What Are the Most Miles Ever Recorded on a Car?
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Some car owners might think that 100,000 or 200,000 miles means a lot of time spent behind the wheel. But there are vehicles with far greater use. Let’s expand on this by looking at the most miles on a car (hint: it’s a Volvo that’s driven the equivalent of 120 trips around the world) and some other examples of high-usage vehicles.
And we’ll offer some suggestions to help your car get into the record books.
1966 Volvo 1800 S: The Most Miles on a Car
New Yorker Irv Gordon never realized his purchase of a new 1966 Volvo 1800 S would result in a Guinness World Record, travel across the globe, or worldwide recognition. But, his half-century of ownership and careful car stewardship helped create an automotive legend that has yet to be surpassed. During this period, Gordon racked up more than 3,200,000 miles on the red Volvo coupe. He crossed the three million-mile monumental mark a decade ago in Alaska.
Shortly before his death in 2018, Gordon told Hemmings, “I never set a goal to make one million or two million, and certainly not three million. I just always seemed to have someplace interesting to go, people to meet, instead of sitting home watching TV.“
Volvo started to notice Gordon and his car when the mileage reached seven figures. He eventually became a brand ambassador for the company. Accompanied by his trusty Volvo, Gordon traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe to showcase the car’s accomplishments.
While engine and transmission transplants can theoretically keep a car running forever, no such drastic measures ever happened with Gordon’s P1800. The most work the car required was an engine rebuild (twice) and some transmission work.
Along the way to three million miles, Gordon made sure to have the car regularly serviced (including oil changes every 3,000 miles) at a Volvo dealership. The car retired from road duty in 2018 and is now featured in the Volvo Museum in Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Other Ultra-High-Mileage Vehicles
Irv Gordon’s Volvo is an amazing example of what’s possible for the most miles on a car. But, there are other impressive instances of mechanical excellence.
1976 Mercedes-Benz 240D
The title for the second most-driven car goes to a 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240D, owned by Gregorios Sachinidis, a Greek cab driver. Over the course of almost three decades, he logged more than 2.8 million miles (an average of about 100,000 miles a year). In 2004, Mercedes traded the car for a free C-Class sedan and placed Sachinidis’ car in its museum.
Interestingly, another Mercedes (a 250SE) in the Sachinidis family was driven for 1.2 million miles from 1966 to 2014.
1979 Volvo 245 GL
According to MotorBiscuit, another Volvo earned the bronze medal for being a high-mileage champion. However, this 1979 245 GL served a more practical purpose as a company car for S.E. Makinen, a Finnish logistics firm. Reportedly, regular maintenance was all that was needed to keep this boxy sedan running strong with 1.63 million miles into 2014.
1991 Chevrolet C1500
Not all million-mile vehicles are European cars. Frank Oresnik’s 1991 Chevy C1500 is a case in point. In 1996, the Wisconsin resident purchased the truck with 41,000 miles and made frequent trips to Chicago. He crossed the one million-mile threshold in 2008, and subsequent reports indicate he added at least another 290,000 miles. Oresnik attributes the truck’s longevity to aftermarket undercoating and regular oil changes.
1997 Ford E-250
Another testimonial to the resilience of American trucks is a 1997 Ford E-250 van documented on the millionmilevan.com website. Doug Schell used his trusty ride for cargo delivery runs across North America, traveling up to 100,000 miles a year. Regular oil changes (every 10,000 miles) and maintenance helped Schell achieve this remarkable feat, but the Million Mile Van sadly met its end when the engine gave up the ghost in 2011. The final odometer reading? 1,299,986 miles.
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How to Extend Your Car’s Life
While you may not hit a million miles or more on your own car, there are steps to take that can keep your vehicle running as long as possible. Here’s what you need to know.
Buy a Reliable Car: Quality is vital for vehicle longevity. A low-cost economy car may help the wallet now but don’t expect this type of vehicle to last forever. Reliability and dependability are the keys to a long-running car.
Perform Regular Maintenance: Observing the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule is another element of having a long-lasting car. This includes following the owner’s manual guidance and using a skilled mechanic for maintenance and repairs.
Drive Gently: Rapid acceleration, abrupt braking, and sharp cornering take their toll on a car’s condition. Apply less stress to vital components by being more measured in your driving.
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Keep Things Clean: There’s more to washing and waxing a car than just appearance. Keeping the exterior clean minimizes or eliminates rust build-up, which is equally harmful as mechanical wear and tear. Likewise, keeping the cabin grime-free will minimize inside deterioration.
Use a Garage: Keeping your automobile in a garage or covered parking will also preserve its exterior by limiting exposure to moisture and the sun.
Be Observant: A vibration, an unusual sound, a strange smell, or abnormal performance are all indicators that something is wrong with a car. Swiftly acting on these warning signs can prevent a small problem from getting more serious and help you put the most miles on a car.
Use High-Quality Materials: Don’t skimp on the quality of fluids, filters, and other materials. Cheap gas can cause a host of fuel system and engine issues, and inferior engine oil is the surest path to expensive engine troubles. Similarly, the oil and air filters should be of original quality or better. In addition, if your car doesn’t already use synthetic oil, consider switching to enhance engine longevity.
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