The 200,000 Mile Debate

[Wrench]

97 12v 350k still perfect. 2k 7.3 277k....better than new by far. 97 lx450 240k....still going. My 91 4runner had 370k miles and at least 200k were off road beating the demons out of it.

I ain't skeered.

 

[willtim]

I have a 2013 Ford F350 6.2 l V8 with 190,000 trouble free miles. My son drives my 2000 Ford F250 6.8 l V10 with 386,000 trouble free miles.

 

[Blackstorm]

I lucked into my current ride a 2012 Ram 1500 (5.7L) Laramie Limited when my 2003 (5.3L) Sierra 1500 crapped out again, an had the tranny repaired for 3rd time at 161,000 miles. Ram is running real strong at 238,000 miles as of today. Only have repaired both oil pans (live outside the salt city, Syracuse),Brake rotors and pads, a tensioning pully, the tpms module and going to replace the TIP module if they can find one before the fall trips. Truck still pulls like a beast and with the chains that I picked up last year it can go just about anywhere. But I'm a fanatic about oil and only use 100% synthetic and have done all the other fluids on a regular basis. I hunt in 4-5 states every year and prefer to drive over flying as I enjoy the open road and seeing stuff. But my regular stops are SoDak pheasant & duck, Colorado Elk & deer, Alabama quail & deer, S Georgia Quail, S Carolina fishing, NY Waterfowl, deer and fishing. My shortest hunting trip is about 900 miles one way.

 

[Dos Perros]

We took a 1978 Mercedes 240D well beyond 180k when the odometer broke.

I put 232k on a 95 Accord and it was running strong when I traded it in for my 06 Tacoma.

Tacoma now has 365k and plan to keep it another 5 years/70k miles.

We have an 08 Accord with 170k no issues and plan to ride it into the ground, hopefully around 250k or more.

We bought a 08 Sequoia with 180k betting she can get to 280k. One owner and complete maintenance records at a Toyota dealer.

All the above to say...

In my experience, people get rid of cars when they get bored of them and want something new, not when they break. A car would have to be a real POS to be more expensive to maintain than a new car payment. And honestly I can’t recall a single kick-in-the-nuts repair in any of the above vehicles in all those miles. No engines or transmissions, but definitely alternators starters wheel bearings front axles, wear parts.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

I had a 1989 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 that had 425k when the odometer stopped working, and then another 30k or so was put on after that. The only significant repair was a new clutch once.

I had a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee that I sold a few years ago with 260k and I still see the new owners driving it every day. Right now I own two 90's Cherokee XJ's with less than 200k and I maintain them religiously. I'll probably have them for the next 20 years unless I sell them.

Chrysler/Jeep discontinued the 4.0 Cherokees in 2002. My theory is that by then they were well aware of the reliability and longevity of these things and were losing money in the long run. That and the fact that they were so easy and popular to work on that people probably didn't take them to the dealerships very often.

Anyway, you can't go wrong with mid 90's or early 2000's Jeeps and Toyotas. I wouldn't hesitate to buy them with 175k or more if they are in decent condition with minimal rust.

 

[Mosby]

Hey Mosby,
How is your baby duramax treating you? I’ve thought about this truck hard.

I really like it. I haven't had any problems at all and it is has been great off road. One of the few trucks with front and rear lockers. Perfect size for a hunting truck IMO. Big enough to carry what I need and small enough to go on Jeep trails. I have had more questions and comments about this truck than any truck I have ever owned. People are always shocked its a diesel. I would buy it again.

 

[ODB]

I bought my 02 Tundra new and put every single of its 223K miles on it myself. I have always driven it like a grandpa, changed to Mobil 1 fluids on the first change and it has been a great truck. I knock on wood religiously though. It literally sounds the exact same as the day I bought it and gets the exact same gas mileage - 17 around town and 20-22 on the highway. I put a 'Limited to 65 MPH" sticker on the back because its 80 MPH here and I just wont drive it that fast - but I keep in the right lane.

My kid just started driving and that's the main car she learned to drive in so I am in the market for another Toyota. I have thought very hard about a Land Cruiser, but will probably end up with a 4-Runnner.

 

[Nykki]

I've got 489k on my 06 Dodge 2500 with a Cummins, it has 17k hours on it. Put 8k miles on it last month and have never driven it out of state. I do all the work on it so I know who to blame when it breaks. I bought the truck the last week of 2010 with 103k on the clock. I also have an 03 Dodge that I bought with 105k on it and it now has 245k.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Is anyone else as surprised as myself by all the replies? I'd say the majority of my life, I have always heard they're dead at 200,000. Refreshing to see otherwise.

Perhaps it's time to bury the 200k mile myth

And to those of you posting, Toyota's don't count. Everyone knows they have fairy dust sprinkled on them Most reliable vehicles ever built IMO.

 

[4rcgoat]

My weekend warrior is an 02 sierra with the 5.3, 227000 miles with no major issues. Been using mobil 1 since the first oil change.

 

[Titan_Bow]

I bought a Nissan Titan brand new in 2004, that was the first year they came out. I put 280k miles on it, and the day I sold it, I wouldn’t have hesitated to drive it across the country. While the interior looked a little rough, the engine/transmission was solid.


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[WRM]

Most true turds have shown themselves before 100k, IMO, but even a vehicle with long haul potential can have its life cut short by deferred or cheapskate maintenance. On the other hand, I was given a vehicle same make as mine, one year newer (99), by my mechanic who handles the couple things I can't. It has 387,000 miles. He gave it to me as a "parts vehicle" because original owner had deferred so much maintenance it was a multi thousand repair ordeal. CEL was on when I cranked it, with a rough(ish) running motor indicative of at least one issue somewhere in the fuel or exhaust system (or both). I drove it 40 miles to my house. Transmission shifted smooth as silk. Got home, put it in low range and it pulled just as hard as my vehicle with half the mileage. I'd bet I could sell it in today's market.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

I bought a Nissan Titan brand new in 2004, that was the first year they came out. I put 280k miles on it, and the day I sold it, I wouldn’t have hesitated to drive it across the country. While the interior looked a little rough, the engine/transmission was solid.


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Did you ever have issues with the D44 rearend? Been looking at them, always been a fan of those trucks.

 

[Rich M]

300-400,000 miles if you keep up with the maintenance.

It's all about the engine and part construction. The engines and such are made to exact tolerances and fit well, less slop means longer life.

 

[NateK]

I am also in the market for a commuter car and truck in the near future as I am moving farther from work and the 4x4 do-all suv doesn't make as much sense when driving 90 miles a day. Hoping to hold off until the market calms down a bit but I have been using a 300,000k mile life when figuring up the cost per mile to own various vehicles. I have only ever taken one vehicle over 300k so far and it was a 1989 F150 with the 302 that was beat to hell in my uncles cabinet business before I ever got it. I did get a 1999 explorer close to 300k before rolling it (it still drove fine, again a 302). I did have to put quite a few parts on both vehicles after 200k but they were both driven pretty hard on and off road. I will probably end up with a used corolla or similar for my commuter and a used 6.2L F250/350 for a truck and would expect a well maintained example of either to last 300k (assuming I don't get a lemon).

 

[NateK]

On another note I have friends and family who work in the production of auto parts for new cars and they all agree that they would never by a vehicle made in 2020 or 2021. Their reasoning is that due to the labor and parts/material shortages they have seen a drastic reduction in QA/QC requirements and manufacturing tolerances (even the guys making new Toyota parts). Their predicting a lot of lemons/warranty claims on these vehicles...

 

[WRM]

On another note I have friends and family who work in the production of auto parts for new cars and they all agree that they would never by a vehicle made in 2020 or 2021. Their reasoning is that due to the labor and parts/material shortages they have seen a drastic reduction in QA/QC requirements and manufacturing tolerances (even the guys making new Toyota parts). Their predicting a lot of lemons/warranty claims on these vehicles...

Exactly what I was thinking whenever the finally get the OR versions of the "new" Bronco out. I want a two door, but I'll wait--a while.

 

[wind gypsy]

Vehicles are tough these days for sure! hard to stomach 50-70k for a new pickup but paying 15 for something that might leave you stranded and nickel and dime you to death sucks too.

In my experience, i don't have the time/patience for the down time that can accompany high mileage vehicles. I had a bunch of "winter beaters" when I was younger and daily drove a 5.0 fox body mustang during the summer. They all got to the point where it was more headache to maintain them than they were worth before 200k. I had one 98 silverado that did well until about 190k when I gave it to my parents for a cabin truck. About 5 years later it was more maint than it was worth so they gave it to my aunt/uncle who still drive the shit out of it but spend a lot of time wrenching on it.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Quite a few nice trucks out there with 170k or so on them lately. Issue is not very many PO keep records on maint. Lol.

Basically a 50-50 I suppose. Crap shoot all the way around.

 

[WRM]

^^^^There is no doubt you best be prepared to wrench on one anywhere near 200k or else empty your pockets for someone else to do it.