With enough miles under our respective belts, at this point everybody’s got their own idea of which cars are the likeliest to accumulate a huge reading on their odometers. Even if your mileage might literally vary depending on where in the world you’re located, there are going to be a few of the same brands in the ballpark. A diesel Mercedes is going to shoot for a million, at least the ones made in the Golden Era of Daimler-Benz. A big-mile Toyota’s practically a given, as long as rust doesn’t get there first.
A Volvo 1800S is the highest-mile car in the world, and you probably won’t have a problem finding a diesel Volvo wagon with over 300,000 miles – at least in Northern Europe. One of the biggest-mile Volvos in the world is a 1979 Volvo 245 GL with the Volkswagen van-derived D6 six-cylinder diesel, originally sent to deliver mail and magazines in Northern Finland and retired at 1,630,000 miles, or 2,650,000 km.
Now, these are the likeliest big-mile cars, the ones that are the easiest to come up with. What car would really surprise you as a big-mile overachiever?
Collecting Cars is auctioning a Porsche 924 Carrera GT that has been in the same family since new, and it’s estimated to have done 530,000 km, or 330,000 miles. Estimated, because the speedometer (along with the odometer) was changed at one point, and it’s a five-digit odo anyway. The original gauge cluster follows with the car.
The full mileage has been calculated according to service records, which have been retained: they run from December 1980 to October 2025, and by October 2015 the car had done half a million kilometers or 310,000 miles.
The turbocharged, 210-horsepower 924 Carrera GT is a rare homologation special, one of 406 cars built, and while it’s not matching numbers – the engine was replaced after the timing belt let go – it takes huge dedication to keep a rare sports car in the same family for over 45 years and keep it accumulating miles like a family wagon would.
The Guards Red Porsche hasn’t been a trailer queen, which also shows, as some crash damage was repaired in 1999, at which point it had already been repainted once due to a carwash mishap. It also benefits from an older Strosek bodykit install and an earlier interior retrim. Currently, the auction is at 25,000 Euros, or $28,5k, with a day to go.
Another example is nearing the half a million kilometer mark: it’s a grey 1991 Lotus Elan currently for sale on the British AutoTrader.
The Lotus has some clearcoat damage, the Renault taillights look like they could use refurbishing, the left rear corner has been badly repainted, but that’s all fair – one look at the odometer reveals the car has 302,000 miles on it.
I’m sure there are plenty of Isuzu engines in the world with 300,000 miles or more on them, but there can’t be that many of those in Lotuses/Loti. And it’s even the turbocharged version! It’s being advertised at £4,995, or $6,600.
If you buy a car with big miles, there’s some sort of implied idea that you’re gonna be fine driving the hell out of it, as it’s likely to have seen worse, and the miles on it mean it will have been cheap. But with this sort of Kilometerkönig miles, the prospect changes. You have to keep it up! With, say, half a million miles just out of reach, you can’t just let it die for any reason. It has to pass the milestone, even if you haven’t been the one accumulating most of the miles. Push it to the limit, if you have to.
Images: Collecting Cars; AutoTrader
Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix. Their odometers freeze at 299,999 miles.
By that criterion, a lot of early 90s Fords. 5-digit odometers definitely not making it to 300K.
A 60s Lotus Elan, between the fragile Twin Cam engine, the rust prone chassis, the rotoflex couplings and crazing fiberglass a lot were basket cases by the early 70s. Counterpoint, they have,a lot of support and with enough money the Lotus of Theseus will go on forever.
For modern cars, a Ford with a 1.0 Ecoboost and a Powershift is in a race between which fails catastrophically first
Any Dieselgate VAG product with intact, functional emissions equipment. There’s just absolutely no way anyone is going to pay for that upkeep. Without the equipment, sure (and hopefully without any pano sunroof, lest you like your interiors constantly moist).
Two cars come to mind…
The Vector W8 Twin turbo
And the 1906 Advance steam engined vehicle Jay Leno has
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9FuCDRRb7k&list=PLcAFCEDZU39xnx1gf8_9EDKX-0kVBJXfJ&index=6
I didn’t know Matchbox made one! The hunt is on!
Any modern Range Rover vehicle.
Yes,
Look up my other comment.
I suppose that my 1964 Triumph TR4 might make it to 300k? It is a bit sort of 100k now. We’ve had it since 1975 and have rebuilt the body three times, the engine twice, and the suspension more times than that. I’m not sure we can keep it on the road consistently enough to get to 300. Maybe my kid will get it there…or his kid.
Amusingly, I sold my 2001 Audi Allroad over a year ago with 310k.
Yeah, but that triumph sounds like it is reaching ship of theuses levels of repairs. Does that count?
I think you are on track. It might make it. A few parts may be original, but most everything will have been rebuilt at least once.
At least the rust has nearly stopped since we moved it from NH to NV.
That’s how I kept my mazdas from rusting. Move to a desert. Only problem is, now paint, plastic, and rubber turn to dust
I’m learning that. Different parts fail in the desert. The adjustment screw on the bottom of one of the fuel bowls just started leaking. I suspect a rotten O-ring. I’ll bet it is 20 years old.
Tires are murdered out here. Dry rot sets in super fast. 5 years and they are done
High desert or low?
Tucson. Low dry hot and asphalt takes a beating. Makes tire lifespan short
Good weather for tortoises, I hear
And lizards
Of course!
I rescued a lizard here this morning
How has no one mentioned anything powered by the GM 6.2?
Modern Mercedes S-Class.
Anything my adult children drive. For some reason they cannot keep a car in one piece.
Are you my father-in-law?
If you are my kid in law, I’m still waiting for an explanation on how you all blew up the Honda accord. Seriously an accord with 140,000mi doesn’t just throw random piston rods through the block.
What do you mean “you all”? She’s your daughter!
Friend had a girlfriend like that.
Destroyed more cars in less time than anyone I’ve ever known.
Did your friend’s gf destroy an Acura mdx, vw beetle and a Honda accord in the span of 2 years? If so, your friend definitely dated my daughter. And D-dubs spouse.
Very hot new VW coupe, not sure of model, upside down and probably on fire.
Last one was a mid engine with a blower.
First trip in it, she cooked the engine.
I never even got a ride in it.
Not sure if I even saw it.
She only needed minutes to ruin cars.
I have no idea what she was doing.
I never let her drive my car.
I don’t know the rest of her list.
Short cute Gojira as regards vehicles.
In the old days he had a highly modified 914-6. I saw him open that up on the midtown freeway once.
She never got her hands on that!
Unfortunately anything with GM’s L87, Toyota’s V6 twin turbo, or any engine with a wet rubber belt. Bean counters definitely overruled engineering.
With a spare million dollars: any BMW
Elsewise: Camry or Accord
I answered the MOST likely, sorry.
Properly maintained, fluids, service, regular wash and wax, and not driven exceptionally hard or too lightly, I can’t see why most any vehicle couldn’t make and break the 500k mile mark.
Have you ever owned a VW? 🙂
They just have a rigorous maintenance schedule, most of which is unplanned.
58 VW Van. Had it for 4 years during the 70’s. It was already at 120 k km.
It was fine, although underpowered. Every car has its kinks and quirks. The two British cars (Triumphs) I owned had deplorable electrical systems. I worked around those problems and enjoyed my time with them. I also owned a BMW 325is and a Mercedes’ 190e. Great cars when they ran, which wasn’t often. Most German iron I’ve owned had has little issues that were annoying. I found the build quality of most domestics up to the early 2000’s to be appalling. The cars ran but rattled and and broke in small but infuriating ways.
My point was, if you follow the manufacturers maintenance schedule, enhanced where required most cars last a very long time.
If I take my personal experience into account, it would an 8th gen Honda Civic Si. The amount of effort, cost and time consumed in trying to get that thing from 140k to 160k has been just stupid.
I have no doubt the engine or transmission would make it to 300k, but there is no way the body, suspension, brakes, or electronics would let that car get there without turning it into the Ship of Theseus.
You might be the first person I’ve ever heard say that. I had one – an early build ’07 sedan – that I bought at 200k, and sold it last summer with over 320k, with nothing added to it except really hard use. It broke an engine mount, but I can’t really fault it for that – it was flying through the air at one of the several Rallycrosses it did. Track days, AutoX, Lyft/Uber – it did it all. The A/C even worked the whole time I had it. After lots and lots of experience with the brand, it’s the only Honda I’ve ever had that truly lived up to they hype. I know bad versions of every car get produced, but, man – to get a bad 8th gen Si, that’s next-level bad luck. Hopefully it clears up.
Mine’s been converted into a dedicated track car now, which is neat to see. I was going to do it, but, after dragging my feet for years and other projects piling up, I sold it to someone else to do it.
Mazdas, especially the rotary engines, but even the non-rotary ones rust before they ever have a chance at 300k LOL
Also, that Elan is fucking awesome! I just wish it was a cooler color and LHD. Of course that would be the one to make it 300k because it’s really an Isuzu 😛
Yea, I was thinking FD or RX-8, with pretty reliable engine rebuild intervals of <100k miles may be tough – said as someone who rebuilt their Renesis at 90k miles. However, FB and FCs can go for a lot longer between rebuilds, 180-200k miles is not terribly unusual for close-to-stock NA engines (no crazy porting), and the convertible I drove to work today is just north of 205k miles.
Anything manufactured in a Stellantis factory
Approaching 300,000 on the new body, 500,000 on the drivetrain.
When I started looking at full size trucks, I was offered one with a caravan V6.
Seemed to be the least reliable model on every list of bad trucks.
Unlikely to pass 100, 000.
Land Rover Freelander. I’ve never seen anything so aggressively self destruct as a 50,000 mile Freelander.
Oh yes. Absolutely.
My brother had a Freelander and they were very creative in finding ways to break down.
But look up my other comment.
I was just reading your other comment and chuckling at how, Even across the pond with completely different powertrain systems (all American Freelanders were gasoline V6/automatic), the Freelander was still a basket case.
A water cooled volkswagen marketed as a porsche. yall nailed it.
Chrysler tC by Maserati? Honorable mention?
I think most ordinary cars these days can make 300K miles, if they’re maintained well. And driven a lot. None of my cars will make 300K miles because I dont have 75 years left to drive them and I drive less than 5K miles most years.
My vehicles, as I plan to spend my remaining years living in a place where driving is not required for every single thing I do. Bye suburbia!
So rural small town then?
I can’t think of one specifically, but it is probably British
I know folks have already said this, but any rotary-powered Mazda RX. I adore the RX-7 and like the RX-8, but short of an LS-swap, they aren’t making it to 300,000 miles (though I’m sure there is a masochist somewhere who has done it, just to prove me wrong).
I remember someone in the KC area 20+ years ago who had a 300k+ FB RX-7. He was the original owner, and the motor hadn’t been opened. Silver IIRC, probably have pictures somewhere….
RX-8 especially is the answer here.
I’ll also throw in the Dodge Hornet. They will die ignominiously.
Nissan Altima. No way the owners take care of these things.
Oh they can make it. Just not looking good for most of their lives. And with a steady infusion of cvt trannys
That can’t be cheap to do.