Can your car last 1 million miles....

I ran across article on this during google search. Couldnt post as they wanted mothers maiden name, bank account number, and social security number to sign up in order to post. Maybe not quite that bad, but seriously more info than they need to prevent spammer or other antisocial types not serious about the topic. Yea, not that important to me and nobody else bothered either.

But it was an interesting article. And like lot of these articles they mention the guy with the 1966 Volvo P1800 with like 3 million miles. Costs him around $1000 average per year to keep it going.

Then they mention Consumer Reports finding Ford Ranger one of vehicles driven the longest. Said they were puzzled until they figured out it was one of the cheapest cars to maintain and repair. Too bad manufacturers arent listening. Some of us want simple, cheap, and durable. Not high tech with every electronic whizbang humans can come up with. Course simple, cheap, and durable isnt nearly as profitable.....

So yea my take on longevity is its gotta be mechanically simple and cheap parts. Dont know if anything is truly simple or cheap to keep anymore but its all relative. You could completely rebuild the engine and transmission in that old Volvo every year and still be cheaper than lot smaller repairs on a modern high tech car.

But also see people posting that they just couldnt manage without all the luxury and electronics. Apparently most would rather walk than drive a stick shift. I would suggest they actually try that and repost if they still feel the same.

I go back thinking through all the vehicles I have owned. When I gave up on them it was usually condition of body and frame. Rust truly will kill a vehicle like nothing else. Well nothing else apart from serious accident. And modern cars nearly all have expensive automatic transmissions. I truly hate automatics but if I live long time suppose I should never say never. Stupid but we live in stupid times.

Anyway I tend to keep vehicle long as the body and frame hold up. Or my needs change significantly. Can always rebuild engine or find a good used one. Same with transmission, though a manual transmission that is heavy duty enough for the engine should last life of the car unless abused. Clutches are cheap if you do them yourself and can last very long time again if you dont abuse them.

I just dont drive that many miles anymore. I can actually see that old Ranger of mine lasting nearly rest of my life assuming electronic parts remain available. Its got 190k miles, and engine mechanically in good shape, think pretty common for this engine to be able to reach 300k or more, its usually the transmissions that give out or body rusts away up north, and it now has a non original SM420 that should last as long as the engine. Its pretty rust free, just wee bit surface rust on frame. A carburetor engine lot simpler and easier to keep going long term, but unless you drive a restored antique, that is getting hard to come by. If you live in emissions inspection state, then it would have to be something old enough to be emissions exempt.