Have you had a car that wouldn't die?

[supernova]

What's the longest you've ever owned a car? Which ones lasted you the longest?

I know toyotas can last and last. I seem to remember NSMA saying she had a truck wayyy up there in mileage a while back. Mercedes can go and go long past the 100,000 mark.

I'm asking because I found a car, an Audi, that has 80K on it. But I don't want to consider it if it's on its last legs.. er wheels... anyway.

So, what's your "car that wouldn't die" story?

[benburch]

1. I bought a 1993 Grand Am at 101,000 miles...

And got another 50,000 out of it. Not bad for $2000.

It still ran when I got rid of it, but the headliner was falling down and the rust was getting bad due to some body work that was not the best.

[brainshrub]

2. I own a 1997 Honda CR-V

It's got about 197,000 miles on it. Other than the occasional tune-up and flat tire, I've never had a problem with it.

My only regret is that it isn't a diesel, so I can't run it on veggie-fuel. :(

[OldLeftieLawyer]

3. My '76 Maverick

It was great. Never washed, ran like a dream, rusting on on the lower door panels, and paid for. I drove it everywhere - including cross-country - for twenty-two years.

It was my 'reverse snob' car - people expected to see me pull up in something fancy, and I'd show up in my pale blue rusty Maverick. It also had a big 8 engine, which meant ......... well, you know.

I only gave it up in 1998 when the dashboard started smoking one day and the whole electrical system went kaput. It was a sad day for me, and, of course, we had a funeral right before it went off to Auto Heaven.

Absolutely great car.

[mcscajun]

4. My Saturn SC-1 is in its eleventh year -- 182,200+ miles on it & counting

Never given me a lick of trouble in all that time.

It's been well-maintained, of course.

[Double T]

5. Honda Accord, Honda Civic Will Provide Long Service Life With Few .....

Problems. Had An '85 Accord With 448,000 miles, '93 Accord With 338,000
miles and had few problems. You Will Not Be Sorry With A Honda.

[Jamastiene]

6. 1989 Nissan Sentra

I have always been a fan of Pontiacs and Buicks and Chevies, but they don't last as long as the Nissan has. It's still ticking so far. I will probably stick with Nissan if anything does happen to it because it gives me no trouble as long as I change the oil and add a bottle of fuel injector cleaner ever couple of months. It's a rough riding car, but it takes me where I need to go.

[ucmike]

7. i've had several vw's that went over 200k.

i also never had a vw break down that couldn't limp home. the only time i ever had a vw towed was when traffic conditions wouldn't allow me to limp home safely.

audis are made by vw, so 80k may be "break in" mileage.

[peekaloo]

8. Pontiac Sunbird 170,000

14 years. Now I have made some expensive repairs to it but it still zips right along.

Unfortunately a Honda CR-V has caught my eye so I'm probably gonna trade it in soon.

[Hugin]

9. Toyota Pick-up...

It's been to the moon and half way back...

I admit I've had to baby it a couple of times. But, it
keeps on ticking.

[bertha katzenengel]

10. ROFL hahahahahaha

:rofl:

OMG no! I have had two that gave up the ghost in the most ghastly fashions!

One of them, a 72 Toyota Corolla Mark II, began to die by refusing to move in reverse gear.

The other, an 85 Toyota Starlet . . . well, I honestly don't remember what happened, but while traveling on the 405-N one day at about 75 MPH, the engine noise increased 100 fold. I began to merge to the shoulder and was halfway there when the engine quit. I coasted.... I waited two hours for the facking tow truck because they couldn't find me so assumed I'd gotten going again.... the mechanic gave me $100 for the car. :shrug:

[joeybee12]

11. 1973 VW bug--300,000 miles--first my father's, then mine; Civic--250,000

just went last year.

[indy_azcat]

12. '83 Toyota Corolla Wagon

212k and still rolling. I've also seen a fair number of her cousins on the road, both older and newer.

What's nice about pre-computer cars is just how easy it is to work on them. No special "Toyota-only" tools or stupid expensive electrical sheets. Just a Chiltons or a Haynes and you can pretty much do all the work you need. Also, if a large number of the models were made, it's easier to get scrap parts (at least from the SW where they don't rust as bad).

[supernova]

13. Wow! I need to take lessons from all of you!

:D

These are some amazing stories...

[Blue Diadem]

14. Our current car has 200,000 miles on it

and is a 92. We bought it new, had no problems until 95,000 when the fuel pump and condenser for the air conditioner needed replaced. We had a 100,000 miles warranty on it so those problems were taken care of and only cost us our $50 deductible.

At 125,000 miles we had the transmission replaced.

Other than that, it's been regular maintenance type stuff, and the car has been very good to us. Mileage isn't bad..about 25mpg. It's beginning to rust under the doors though now and the seats are beginning to show some wear. The ride is still comfortable and quiet.

When we bought it we said we'd try to keep it 10 yrs since we'd never kept a car that long. However, two plant closings later, income at 2/3 of our former income, we now say we'll drive it until the wheels fall off.

Besides..it's been fun to see how long it will take..for a dodge dynasty to die. During the lifespan of this car, we've had 6 other used cars that died or began to nickel and dime us to death.

[Jackpine Radical]

15. I've had good luck with Toyotas, Hondas & Subarus.

My current '96 Subaru Impreza has about 184k on it & runs like a top. Good body too, just a little rust spot above the keyhole on the trunk. We bought another Subaru (Forester) for my wife, a 2003 with 50k on it. We need the AWD where we live, & the 28-30 mpg ain't bad.

[tsakshaug]

16. several

my cars just get broken in at 100 000 mi
heck even had a renault go to 175 000.
toyota corrola wagon mid-70's model
that thing went over 300 000- rolled it twice, the door locks stopped working, had to crawl in through the hatch if you wanted to lock it. wires were shot, put in a start button to start it. put a screwdriver in the ignition lock to turn it on then press the start button. Gave it up when I had kids, didn't really feel safe with them in it--oh and the seat belts were gone.

Right now have a 86 pontiac transsport with 145 000 and a '00 Nisson with (only) 60 000

[marions ghost]

20. your toyota corolla story

is more colorful than mine...mine went to another owner at age 15 also had a toyota pickup do the same thing--it was never in the shop for anything other than routine maintenance. Not sure if that's true with the new ones...

[qnr]

17. 1986 Mercury Topaz GS - 321,000 miles

I have some hilarious photos of some of the moves it made, packed inside, in the trunk, on the roof, and on the trunk. Don't have a scanner (and they're not immediately available anyway).

Eventually donated it to a food bank in Bangor, ME.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

18. I bought mine with 73k on it (1999 Mazda 626)

(You've probably seen it, Supernova!)

She's now up to 102k- 3 years later, and I think that she's doing better now than when I got her.

[LiberallyInclined]

19. 92 dodge grand caravan- 184,326 miles and still doing fine-

although it has been thru 2 transmissions.
in the 80's, i owned sevral AMC pacers, and those things were tanks- they could take a lot of punishment, and were amazingly easy to work on...i was able to chage the starter from underneath, without even jacking the car up.
in the 70's i had a double hand-me-down ford maverick that had 130K on it when i handed it down.

[ironflange]

21. I've had two like that

First was a 1982 Toyota Tercel 4-door. Ugliest thing on the road, but kept going for eleven years. I may still be driving it, were it not for a Chevette going 30 mph with two 17-yr-old boys and a basketball in the front seat. Lucky for me, it was parked in front of the house at the time. It ended up on the front yard next door where the cop lived. Here's what was neat: the Chevette had to be towed away, my car had the trunk completely stoved in, but I could still open all four doors.

We replaced the Toy with a new 1993 Aerostar extended. That model was hit or miss, but we got lucky. The only major thing we've had to do is the obligatory head gasket replacement shortly after the warranty ran out (it's a Ford, after all). We've bombed around the logging roads in it, towed a trailer every summer, and it still purrs like a kitten. What's more, I've never had to plug it in in the winter, even when it hits -35, though it does complain a bit when it's that cold. It even looks good still, very little rust.

[Samurai_Writer]

22. 97 VW Jetta

It currently has 111,000 miles on it. I drove it off the showroom floor (literally) new in 1996. My son drove it for 3 years, then I took it back so I could baby it into 'old age'. The only thing that is wrong with it is the air conditioner compresser went out, and for some reason, one of the door locks 'fell off' when my son was driving it. I expect to drive it until it dies.

Here's a pic of it. Needs some body work/paint touch-up, but still runs great.

Outside


Inside


Don't worry about that license plate number. It doesn't exist anymore.

[demnan]

23. My 1970 Chevrolet BelAir

8 cylinders, plenty of horsepower, looked like hell because the previous owner had about 3 accidents (DWIs) in it. Dented all over. The heat wouldn't work, the rear end whistled and I finally drove it to the dump one day.

My father wouldn't drive it. It was "too fast", he said.

It was the fastest, most fun car to drive I ever had. My first car!! :loveya: Rest in Peace, Old Blue.

[nini]

24. 90 Nissan Maxima.. 225K miles and running strong

change that oil every 3000 miles and that did it!