Couple things: I forgot the air filter. Inspect it every 20k or so, expecting a change between 30,000-40,000, but that depends on where you live too (dirt roads change things). Cabin air filter, change it every year. Fuel injector cleaners, throttle body cleaners, engine cleaners/flushes…hey, if it makes you feel good do it. I have seen very little results from any of them but like I said, if it makes you feel good do it. That’s half the battle when going 300,000-500,000 - you have to stay engaged and interested in the car - if not you’ll come up way short. Vacuum the interior, if you don’t you’ll end up grinding a whole through the carpet when all the abrasives are stuck in the fibers. Polish your headlights, it’s easy, it’s cheap. Spray silicone on your axle boots, it’s supposed to prevent them from tearing. Does it work? Who knows but it’s so easy and quick to do and costs almost nothing.
Hi from Europe! Great video, really good tipps! I will add to that the following: Keep your car clean, especially in the winter months. You've talked about salt and such, we have that here in Europe (Germany to be exact) too. It is really shitty to a car. Therefore: Clean, maintain and clean also the tire housings. A car wash is not enough, do it carefully with a pressure washer (on the lower levels, keep your distance to not destroy tires, paint and such). Additionally: Keep your car clean with the right tools and shampoos. Not regular dish washer or what you use in your kitchen - dont do that! Invest in some good products like Chemical Guys or what you have in your country available. Here in Germany for example KochChemie, Dodo Juice ... anything like that is better than some cheap discounter stuff and will not destroy your paint, clear coating or such. Furher: Add a PPF to that car (2k costs) to preserve your car even better (depends on where you live) or do a ceramic sealing on top of it (I love Nanolex products, easy to apply). If you dont have a clue how to apply, ask your detailer in your nearby area. Most of this should be applied in the early stages of your car ownership, but can also done with some kilometers / miles on the clock. And lastly: Don't make yourself crazy about the car or some mechanic that will tell you eventually that your car is totaled because of a generator or some laughable thing. :) Keep yourself informed!
@@MichaelE6300excellent post! I’ll add…rinse the front of the radiator and condenser off as often as you can in the winter. Get that salt out! Prolong the life of those components. I used to rinse the bottom of my cars off frequently but someone mentioned that if you do that with the fluid film you’re only going to rinse the fluid film off. I’ve tried the last two years of NOT doing undercarriage rinses and it has worked out pretty good, but it feels really weird to not rinse that undercarriage when I know it’s covered in salt. But the wheel wells I still rinse. I’ll also coat my oil pan with white lithium grease when I do an oil change…just smear it on that metal (haven’t lost a pan yet). I’ll also touch up the higher traffic areas underneath with the grease.
@@doublebase6509 Great stuff! Some more tipps that I remembered: Topic wash off the fluid film / rust protection is one of the things I remember vividly. My friend contacted me some day to help him clean his oldtimer before the winter months and thus the oldie going in hibernation. My friend asked if the undercarriage should be cleaned - after searching and contacting some of my detailer friends and detailer shops it was clear that not only fluid film wash off your car but also (eg if you have a brand new one!) the wax / protection applied from the factory (many car maker will do some sort of work in this direction). Further do not wash the engine bay or let professionals do that! Electronics and sensitive stuff could be easily damaged and destroyed. Further do not wash the engine bay and only do it if it is really necessary. E.g. you need to find a drip or such and your engine is greasy. Otherwise the grease (that could help protect your engine too!) or (if brand new) some protection from the factory could wash off (e.g. the hoses have, for example, a protection layer to keep the rubber elastic (to protect the plasticizer) The radiator / condenser is a really good tipp! I will add on top of that: Please only rinse and don't do that with a pressure washer. You could otherwise pinch your radiator / condenser easily (water is a powerful weapon, especially high pressure water!). After the wash near the engine bay apply some form of engine dressing (for example here in Germany some good protection is Koch Chemie MotorPlast). That is important also for the next tipp that I nearly forgot: Especially when you have a sunroof, to protect that from leaks clean your draining pipes from the car (mostly left and right in the engine bay in a seperate compartment near the windscreen wipers) with a good flush of water. If that gumps up, you are most probably in trouble (interior wet (mostly foot area), leakage from the sunroof etc.). You don't want any mold in your car! I have a old Audi A6 from 1997 from my deceased grandfather that I keep alive as a second car but unfortunately with mold (due to the sunroof and the drainage was not cleaned regulary) it is really damp in the interior and not a good clean air in the interior. I have planned to fight that mold with some cleaning tools and a steam cleaner. It is really nasty and unhygenic too. Keep water out of your car at any cost! Last thing for this post: If you have cleaned the mold out of your car trash your cabin filter and clean the pipes / housing of the cabin filter as good as you can.
@@MichaelE6300try an ozone generator on the interior, it will eliminate oxygen and kill that mold. These things are strong and you have to be careful using them, but they work. It’s funny you mention engine oil leaks and how it prevents rust. You’re 100% right! And it has saved many oil pans throughout the years. Speaking from experience
Great tips! I have 335k on my 2001 xterra. A coolant leak from the heater hose caused an overheat event and i have a slightly warped head. I also have a 97 supra with 195k. Both cars were bought brand new. Drove all those miles over the decades. Original powertrain. I do all my own repairs. A few things you left out. Power steering fluid, differential oil, fuel filter every 30-50k depending. Gearbox oil instead of tranny oil if stick shift. Because I do all my own repairs and get parts feom oreilly and autozone, all of my parts have lifetime warranty. About to take the heads off the xterra and replace the head gasket and take them to a machine shop
@@Nickisdreams I really don’t know who or how to go about hiring anyone for anything anymore. I just waited a month for my dentist to do a dental crown. Four days after the procedure and I’m still in pain - tried calling today for a follow-up and they’re closed. Closed on a Monday?? Saturday, Sunday Monday…closed.
Excellent Video! Summary: 1. 100k miles - change coolant fluids on spill and fill (drain reservoir and radiator not the block) then every 50k thereafter 2. Every 100k miles - change water pump 3. Every 5k miles - change oil and oil filter 4. Every 50k miles - change transmission fluid, change transmission fluid every 100k miles 5. Every 100k miles - serpentine belt and/or timing belt 6. Every 100k miles - change spark plugs 7. Every 3 years - change brake fluid 8. Every 200k - change hoses 9. Every 1 year - Fluid Film, Krown or NH Oil Undercoating. Wet treatments for under car. Wool wax or lanolin based product. to protect against salt. Then drive down dirt road to get the dust to bond to the underside. 10. Every 150k - struts, sway bar links, alignment. ($1200 parts and labor) 11. Every 30k - change air filter 12. Every 1 year - change cabin air filter 13. Every 1 year - inspect exhaust (take it to an exhaust shop) 14. Every 6 months - weather stripping - spray with silicone treatment 15. Every 3 months - wax the paint 16. Small Failures: valve cover leaks, coil failures, intake manifold leaks, throttle positioning sensor, mass airflow sensor, ECM failure, ABS pump failure, valve timing (click and tick), wheel bearing failure, ABS sensor failure, axel failure, caliper failure 17. Big Failures: transmission ($4k parts and labor)
that's if you are lucky. Which you will NOT be. most people are bored to tears with a vehicle after 300-350k miles. then there's the hidden damage, crank drillings get partially blocked with oil carbon (seen it) Transmission return / force multiplier springs fail, like in the Forward Clutch. No big deal for me, labor, plus $188. in fluid, new forward clutch seal, & new spring, $3.10. But if you buy the rebuild, it is $1,999. minimum. The only way I got past 500k was a cheap donor engine form Pikn'Pull, on a sale day where the cylinder head was $25 & block was $64. And being familiar with the transaxle so I took a short cut to get to that failed/shattered forward clutch spring. Buying a manual transmission vehicle is key. And either a sturdy 4 or reliable straight six powerrplant. Then you can pass 500k easily. But can you stand driving the same rig that long?? Most cannot.
I’ve been a Mercedes guy for years. My maintenance schedule was from a friend who is a Mercedes technician. OLF 5,000 miles Transmission fluid 35,000 Brake fluid 3 years Spark plugs 35,000 Engine and cabin filter 30,000 Timing chain 95,000 Serpentine Belt 95,000 Water pump and hoses 100,000 I know this seems excessive but every Mercedes I’ve ever had over 30 years has lasted at least 250,000 miles and two diesels that made it to 575,000 miles (I drive a LOT!)
I’ve done all that except the water pump and timing chain, and god willing I’ll never have to do the timing chain. Glad you’ve had good luck with yours, the little things are taking its toll on me unfortunately. Not sure what I’m going to do with this thing…sell it or keep it. I’ve been offered next to nothing for it on Carmax ($2,600 bucks). I’ll donate it before I do that. I may just keep it, cross my fingers and try to get some mileage out of it. It drives nice.
yeah they need a bit of maintenance and they will last forever. they are higher end vehicles that demand higher end treatment which makes perfect sense. so many people just think they can neglect it and not maintain it and expect it to keep going. not the cars fault at all, totally 100% the owners fault
402k miles on my 2004 camry 4 cylinder. Only needed to change fluids, brakes, sway bar links, 1 inner tierod, rear wheel bearings and rear shocks. A few oxygen sensors, spark plugs, burns ALOT of oil, but runs great!
That’s awesome! I want to say those four cylinders are known for oil consumption (could be wrong), but keep it going! Imagine you could get another 100k out of that thing if you keep up with adding oil. Still beats a car payment.
@@doublebase6509 Usually with Toyota's, they start burning oil as they age and that's probably just old car stuff but some early 2000s Toyota's were equipped with the 2az-Fe engines and those would start burning oil under 100k. Still runs forever though if you keep it topped off and maintain it.
@@7SUK1 yes, I remember those issues with those engines. Truthfully they’re certainly not alone, but you’re right, they still usually can go forever with the oil consumption until it gets so bad that you’re ruining cats and losing enough compression that you have a dead cylinder or check engine light that won’t allow you to get an inspection sticker. I had an oil burner once, a Lexus LS 460…plugs would get pretty soaked but no misfire. The intake would pool up with oil from all the blow by past the PCV system, but it ran fine. A lot of blue smoke when I floored it and upon startup (valve guides were shot), and my rings. Bad design on the early model LS 460’s but I bet I could have driven that thing another 100,000 miles easy.
@@jessesteller1661 🤣🤣🤣. Well, at least he told us tie rods, wheel bearings, shocks, O2 sensors and now it’s consuming oil. Most would say…wiper blades, that’s it. 😂
Very valuable video. I recently took it upon myself to maintain my car where I can competently and safely do it. As a result, I went from seeing maintenance as an expensive chore, to a fun and enjoyably hobby and taking care of it proactively. I appreciate my car so much more now. Hopefully that mindset will add to its longevity. But you’re right, at that high mileage the car will be testing your commitment.
Great tips! Since you love high mileage stories, you might like to hear about my 1997 Civic with 357K miles. Not that high, but getting up there. The body is clean and rust free and It's still on the original engine and transmission, but I bought it for $200 at 353K because the previous owner severely overheated it repeatedly and blew the head gasket. A few hundred dollars later for new hoses, gaskets, belts, spark plugs, cap, rotor, fluids, filters, etc, a bit of time to pull the engine and refresh it, and it runs as good as new. It doesn't seem like it needed many repairs at all either. The radiator and radio were replaced and I replaced the outer tie rod ends because they were loose, but that's all I can see other than the expected wear items. The starter, alternator, AC system, power steering pump, sensors, wheel bearings, etc are all original as far as I can tell with no signs of trouble. All the suspension is original and it still drives well, but I'm going to do a full rebuild soon while I can still get quality parts because it has the very occasional minor pop or squeak over certain kinds of bumps. Other than that and faded paint, a few dings, damaged headliner, and a couple other little cosmetic issues that eventually need to be fixed, it's in amazing shape and seems like it should be good to go for many more years. I'm never going to get rid of it, I'll just fix whatever issues come up, take great care of it, and keep going!
I love stories like this! Glad to hear you did all that work, and you’re going to rebuild the suspension and keep this thing a long time! Inspiration for me to keep mine going a long time.
2008 Mercedes CLS 550 AMG. 238,000 miles on original timing chain, engine, and tranny. Replaced- Water pump, AC clutch, belt, pulleys, some air struts, trans and motor mounts, drive axle flex disks- car still drives like new until this day. I love it I also have a Corolla 2007 at 285k miles and a 2013 F250 6.2 at 273,000 lol
Both my chevys went to 200k, absolutely flawless....one got totalled, sold the other because i had too many cars ..... My explorer has 200k and camry with 250k.
This video got suggested out of nowhere, but man am I glad I watched it. Many good points, biggest thing is finding an honest mechanic to send your car to, they are the tool to years of reliability and success getting to 500k. Acquired an ‘05 Camry as my 1st car in 2017 that already was badly neglected despite only 90k miles, relatives are surprised I’ve gotten it to 170k now, all about maintenance. Personally working towards 200k then we’ll see how she fares. Also for those that don’t really drive as much, I feel like you may want to look at time then compared to mileage. Picked up a 1st gen Miata a few years ago that I only put 2k miles a year on, but it seems to act happy with oil changes exactly every year and other fluid changes every other.
Good stuff! Nice work on that Camry! And good points on age vs mileage, that’s a whole other segment to think about…sometimes that’s more detrimental to a vehicle than driving them.
That’s a lot of mileage! I think you’re the highest mileage car/person that has posted in the comments so far. I’ve never been able to get a vehicle to that point but I’d like to try. Volvo’s are legends for high mileage. Nice job.
Oh what a feeling TOYOTA! Regular oil changes and coolant changes. Spill and fill is the way to go with radiators, flushing creates problems, you just want to stuff out before it turns nasty. Oh, trans,diff and power steering too, fuel filters are way cheaper than fuel pumps. Great advice mate! 👍
do radiator drain and fill if easy access to drain petcock Once Per Year... Toyota Pink is not much if on sale 15$ and might take a gallon, some Toyotas take 2 gallons on Pink
228k miles on my 06 Toyota Sienna with the 3MZ-FE engine, one of Toyotas finest engines. The only "downside" is that it has a timing belt which I personally changed on the second go at 168 k miles. Next is due next year (2025) . I do my own maintenance and that is key, not just what is required but also preventative. Join a forum folks and keep engaging with your vehicle. Sad to say though only a small percentage of the population are doing so.
💯 fluids and maintenance is the key to a high mileage vehicle. Also, if you have a car garage at home, invest in tools. Become competent and DYI. The savings add up after years of ownership and the satisfaction of acknowledging that it was all because of YOU! It’s not rocket science. Great video.
Yes. I like knowing that I did it and the job was done right. I try my best to avoid mechanics. I don't like handing over my baby. I always feel like they're going to break something else while fixing something. Amazing how much you can do yourself with a few tools and UA-cam instructional videos. And you save a ton of money.
@@MrOiram46 Yes indeed... brake lines burst from salted rott, fuel tank started leaking from the top from the salt, fuel filler neck started leaking from the salted rott. shop wanted MORE THAN 2000$ to fix the fuel lines... I bot new OEM fuel lines and aftermarket neck and tank and dismantled in the driveway to DIY these repairs
@@efil4kizum salt is the number one show stopper when trying to reach high miles. It has stopped me before. I owned a Honda Accord, tried getting it to above 300,000…it ended around 300,000. Replaced the fuel tank (rotted), the fuel lines, the brake lines (twice), and then the fuel lines again. I also had to replace the front subframe…after all this^^^it started Halle in again and I called it quits because at that point the engine was drinking oil (1 quart every 500 miles), and the car would stall at Idle speeds. I now fluid film/NH oil Undercoating/white lithium grease/or someone mentioned a WoolWax heavy duty wheel well application (going to try it). And the $2,000 dollar repair for the brake lines is high, but those are terrible jobs to do for techs. Every tech I know hates doing brake lines…the fluid is falling all over you, a fitting is leaking, a bend is wrong, something else rusted breaks under there. They are a time consuming pain, but $2,000 does sound ridiculous. Sounds like they priced it high because they didn’t want to do it.
I bought an 05 Accord at 220,000 miles from its original owner! It needed a few repairs like a transmission filter & a valve adjustment, but I took it to 260,000 before selling it. I want it back lol
@@efil4kizum I’m doing everything I can to keep mine that way! Fingers crossed. Going to fluid film it again next month before winter starts to creep in.
Just found your channel /video and it's right up my alley! I have a 2009 Ford focus SES going on 286,000 mi Use full synthetic oil since day one and every single oil change As soon as something goes bad I get it fixed right away I'm on a mission to try and get 400,000 out of it Thank you for the great video!
I had a problem with my charging system and replaced a lot of stuff (i.e. alternator and battery) I probably didn't need to replace because I didn't know how to diagnose and test stuff. Found out it was just loose connection or corrosion on the battery terminal.
Excellent video! Thank you for your excellent suggestions. I have a 2016 Honda CRV with 60k miles, and i absolutely love it. I have been telling my wife that this is the last vehicle that I want to buy. With the care I have already been taking and your suggestions, I should be able to make that plan work. Thanks again!
Love it! Great great vehicle to do that in! I own a 2008 with 195,000 miles. Not one single out of pocket repair. Just oil changes, tranny fluid changes, plugs, filters, diffs, coolant changes. Unreal. Have you done any repairs in yours? The CRV 2007-2010 are one of the most reliable vehicles on the road. And I love the look of the new ones.
Fixing any issue right away is ideal to go besides the routine maintenance to prevent further damage to the rest of the vehicle. Have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma at 214k miles. Definitely keeping up with maintenance but did change ac compressor, rack and pinion, ignition coils, brakes, rotors, but also engine and transmission mounts, lower and upper ball joints, plus front driver wheel bearing twice. You’re right about hoses. They are all doing great. May need to replace a vacuum hose by the intake from changing out the air filter occasionally but that’s it since the radiator is still flawless. Great video. I also have a 2023 BMW and expecting to keep up with everything the same.
Nice work! You’re spot on about fixing the things earlier and keeping up with everything, because what ends up happening is when you let things go they just add up and up, and then you’re buried and you end up getting rid of the vehicle too soon (thinking it’s just too much). Good luck with the BMW, nice vehicle!
190k on my 2010 RAV4 V6. Same engine as your Camry. I’ve been doing an oil analysis the past few changes and it’s running great. It’s still a powerful engine and is a great highway cruiser. I’d love to get another few years out of it. It’s saving me so much money with no car payments and it’s still a nice car.
I've got a 2004 Toyota Tacoma pre-runner and it's got 215,000 miles and still going strong. I have spent some money on it replaced a radiator and of course I did the timing belt and when you do the timing belt you do a few other things because you got to get to the timing belt so you might as well . I do regularly have the oil changed at 3000 miles and air filters and all that kind of stuff. In recently I had the front bearings replaced on the right side I don't know what happened to that that was you know $ 500 but generally it's been a very reliable truck.
I loved this honest review. Everything you said was spot in at least with my car. 180k camry just replaced suspension and tires and cars runs like new. Also alternator, belt, starter, dog bone mount( 3rd time).
@@doublebase6509 gen7 Corolla here... '96 had for 28 years in the western salt belt... it only has 137k mostly all city short miles... winter salt monster got to the fuel tank and fuel lines... + brake lines a decade ago
180,000 on my 2010 Infinite G37x Coupe ,change oil every 3,000 miles,replaced the Radiator, Fuel pump and Alternator as a percussion, doesn't burn runs great!
I had a 07’ rabbit that I got to 270k before I sold it for a family car. Loved that thing. Only major repairs was a valve body, and a water pump, and just regular maintenance.
We have the "hell caddy" 2008 cts with the evil 3.6l (ergo one of the worst to buy). I've pretty much taken care of it almost lockstep with your recommendations, and with luck on my side, I have over 300k without any surprises. The man speaks the truth about doing the simple stuff consistently. 👍 Great job on the video and good info that everyone should hear.
You better hope it was well maintained. You honestly should have just bought a 1996-2004 civic. If the engine goes out a k24 engine costs like 500 dollars. And incredibly reliable and loves boost too.
Excellent info. I am a diyer and have been doing exactly what you said. My 2007 I4 Rav4 has 227k with no issues right now. This is what I have done to this vehicle. 3 waterpumps replacement, 2 sets of spark plugs, 1 set of coils, 1 Alternator, 1 starter, 1 set of front/back suspension, ball joins, 1 set of coolant hoses, 1 valve cover gasket. Of course the routine maintenance of 5k oil change, 5 yrs coolant change, 60k transmission oil change, brakes, tires, add freon etc. I added Berry B12 to the gas tank once a year. I did the pistons soak with Berryman B12 while ago and it significantly reduced oil burning.
I love posts like this!! Excellent job doing all that yourself! Saved a ton of money and kept that thing in the road. Keep it going. Why three water pumps? Maintenance or were they leaking?
@doublebase6509 The oem waterpump leaked around 60k miles. The replacement water pump leaked around 170k. Not long after the waterpump replacement, there was a crazy engine rattle around the waterpump, I replaced the waterpump again, and the tensioner and those weren't the problem. It was the Alternator that rattled, so I replaced the Alternator. Luckily, this vehicle and most Toyota models are easy to work on.
I, too, am a mechanic who loves high mileage, well cared for cars and I have 3 of them: 2 Volvo's and a Mini Cooper. I do not drive enough to hit 500k miles on any of my cars, in fact, I'll be lucky to hit 200k in my 2003 Mini Cooper that I've owned since new. It has 174k miles on it now. The Volvo's have 158k miles and 170k miles on them. The thing I like about Volvo is their service schedule pretty much lays out mileage/time intervals for everything - filters, spark plugs, belts and fluids (including brake fluid but not transmission oil) so I simply stick to that and also apply it to my Mini. I am also a DIY detailer - it's relaxing for me to clean my cars, so I keep them clean, shiny and waxed. I live in Phoenix, AZ with the unrelenting sunshine and my Mini lives outside, so to keep the paint protected, I have been fanatical about keeping wax on the paint, so each car gets wax at least 4 times a year. A few things about your video: you probably misspoke when talking about timing belts breaking. You said engine damage results if the belt breaks in a non-interference engine but it is the interference engine that will have piston to valve contact if the belt breaks. A non-interference engine will not have have any consequences if the timing drive system fails. Regarding hoses. As an owner who had at small hose split on my Mini Cooper at about 15 years of age (about 140k miles) and then a plastic coolant tee break open 2 years ago (resulting in warped head), I prefer ALL my hoses and plastic cooling system parts replaced by 12 years old. My Mini survived the first overheat occurrence when that small water pump hose split open, but the broken tee ended up with me replacing the engine and the entire cooling system except heater core. The shop where I work often has me replace upper/lower radiator hoses when I replace a radiator and I always shake my head thinking it's sort of false comfort to unknowing customers because there are other hoses in the cooling system that can fail. On struts, I feel 100k-120k is a good interval or if they leak, whichever is sooner. I love a well sorted suspension. It really makes the drive so much more enjoyable when the car rides smooth and tight. I know in your video, you were going for keeping costs down. When it comes to my personal cars, I sort of go all in when something needs repair. Loose tie rod? Inner and outer tie rods on both sides. Strut mount worn? New struts, mounts and bearings on the axle or preferably, at all 4 corners. I like to align my cars every year and my tires have worn perfectly on that regimen. I like your style and have subcribed to your channel.
You’re right, I misspoke on the interference engine part but let me ask you, have you heard of non-interference engines having catastrophic damage when the belt goes? I have, but I haven’t seen it personally. I’ve heard valves can still bend even with clearance because of the lack of timing and unexpected speed of the belt breaking. No idea. Thanks for the comment, love hearing high mileage stories. And you’re right, age is a factor with the hoses as well…and there are plenty of other little hoses that could fail (or clamps, usually it’s the clamps). The throttle body hoses can leak, seem that many times. I experiment quite a bit with my maintenance routines, usually adhere to 5,000 mile oil changes but I’ve experimented to 10,000 on this Toyota simply because it’s non direct injected, non turbo, etc. Not sure how much longer I’ll experiment but the used oil analysis reports have been fantastic. But it goes against my maintenance beliefs a bit as well.
Cool! I am from Phoenix, AZ as well. Well now I just moved to South Carolina, few months ago.. but born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. I have an 08 S80 3.2 as well. I got it as my first car. 17 years old in 2021. Paid $7200+ tax with 89k miles. Clean title no accidents. The engine has been great, however the rest of the car is a different story. We have been fighting a vibration in the steering wheel that will not go away, we replaced the wheels, tires, front struts. Unfortunately, I got ripped off. Please be careful and use quality parts! I didn't need struts or any of this work! In a rare circumstance, I did lots of driving from work and back to my mom's house as my mom lived in Phoenix and my dad lived in Gilbert. I did lots of commuting. Majority of the servicing we did at Volvo Cars Arrowhead in Phoenix/Peoria off Loop 101. I love my S80 very much, and I named her Lola. She saved my life on the I-17 back in 2022, in a rear end collision. The car got fixed and still drives well. I have a strong emotional attachment and will never get rid of it. I have spent about $10 to $12 thousand in repairs over the 3 years of ownership. Including a brand new transmission from Volvo that costed 7 grand. I believe it went kaput do the the collision. My Volvo is still not fully sorted and needs the entire suspension. It sits in my garage until I have the funds. Right now I drive a 2020 Camry, which I bought myself and put $12,000 down. It has been nothing but a joy to drive and I do all the maintenance myself. My Volvo is the favorite car though, and I can't wait to get everything fixed in a few months. I love that car.
@@expertgaming1002 Awesome! I personally only owned one Volvo with a 3.2, it was an 08 xc90. It actually did not go too well. The car was most likely an auction car that I had bought from a used car dealer. The craziest thing was doing the serpentine belt on it, the labor was pretty nuts. It is easier to do on the 3.2 S80s though. But good for you you have had good luck with yours. I do really like the 5 cylinder Volvos and older though (2006 and older body styles) and have owned 3 2.5T S80s. Currently own a 2004 S80, a 1987 240, and a 1990 volvo 740 turbo. Yes the cars are very safe. Even the ones from the 70s are. I have been into volvos since 2012 (got my first S80 then) and all other from my collection were bought super cheap. The 240 only costs 700 bucks! Still on the road and have owned it now for 11 years. One thing I think that should have been mentioned in this video is how newer cars are a lot less reliable than older cars. The cars built now a days have plastic everywhere and will not stand the test of time like the cars from the 80s have.
@@doublebase6509 I have not heard of a non-interference engine being damaged when the timing drive breaks. I have first hand experience with a timing belt breaking on my own car though. I had a 1996 Subaru Impreza with the 1.8L engine (non-interference) where an idler seized resulting in about 20 teeth stripped off the belt while idling at a traffic light. The engine simply shut off and would not start. I bought a timing belt kit, timed the engine and it fired right up.
2005 Honda Element 2.4L 4 cyl/Auto. 357,500 miles. Orig Engine/ Water pump and Transmission. Fluid Filmed. No Rust (Michigan Rust Belt/ Road Salt City!) Oil changes every 5K synthectic (Mobil 1 or Penzoil Platnum, Trans fluid changes, coolant flushes, alternator, a new propshaft (AWD) and suspention. I live in Michigan and the roads are tough on suspension. Great car! Parts are cheap and it runs and runs! Soon to be 360,000miles!
That’s awesome! I have a 2008 Honda CRV with 191,000 miles. Daughter is driving it now. We’ve owned for 15 years or so…not one single repair outside of tires, brakes and maintenance. Honestly it’s probably been the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned. It wasn’t babied either. There has been more than a few longer oil change intervals on it than I care to admit. That’s what happens when you have four cars in the family and you lose track of things.
How much is the interval for your transmission? I want to do 50k intervals (i’m at 20k miles now) but I’m concerned that If I do 50k miles they may not actually do it, and then I’ll have it done at 100k miles and there will be an issue
@@TheAndersonOBrien depends on what vehicles you’re talking about. On my Toyota there is no service interval, they call it “lifetime fluid” in the untied states because of cafe regulations. The rest of the world has the service interval from 50,000 to 100,000 do ending in where you live (and temperatures in your country). But you can have your fluid changed whenever you want, no one can dictate that to you. If you want to change it tomorrow, change it. If you want to wait till 50,000, do it then. But I wouldn’t wait till 100,000 miles on any vehicle, but that’s just me. What you don’t want to do is change it after 150,000 miles - that sometimes adds risk that the new fluid will cause issues with an old unit and free up contaminates into the valve body, causing shifting issues. But even that is debatable. So change it when you want, if any place tells you no, take it somewhere else.
this is great - going for the gold on a 2013 z71 tahoe @ 192k now. and, I started doing preventative maintenance myself when I found out that substandard oils and filters are used at quick lube type places…. if you do stuff yourself, you can put in the best parts & fluids and you can go further if you want and you know it’s actually been done and done correctly with correct torques etc. not for everyone but it has become actually fun for me… 🤓
I would also change the oil at 3-5k if you have a turbo. If you don't, you will start to see gas wash damage in your engine. Almost all turbo cars leak gas into the oil.
Yeah a direct injected turbo engine is something I’d cut intervals down on. A port injected non turbo engine I’d feel comfortable bumping them up a bit. With the number one factor being checking your oil level and knowing if you have a fuel diluter or not (plus the type of commute you have/climate).
sounds like routine maintenance i'm starting to do on a used fj cruiser i just bought! Hoping it'll reach at least 300k, 500k i'll be happy. 1 million miles is the goal!
Very sensible video. I had a 2020 Jeep Wrangler with just under 60k miles on and still owed 18 months of $600 per month payments. My wife had been driving a Nissan Murano that we paid cash for but the mileage had gotten up there a bit and knowing the issues with the cvt trans, we decided to trade it for a 2022 Pathfinder (she also wanted the extra row for the grand babies). Once we purchased the Nissan, I couldn’t stomach the thought of two payments so I sold the Jeep and took the equity and bought a 2012 Toyota 4Runner with a little over 100k. Oil changes had been done at the dealership every 5k and trans fluid was flushed around 90k. Very clean and spent its life in Texas so undercarriage was in great shape. I loved my Jeep but I know the reliability difference between it and the 4Runner are night and day. I hesitated a bit on the 4Runner because it was a 2012, but the difference in a 2016-2017 model vs the 2012 with the same mileage was around $5-7k and since they are all the same generation and haven’t changed much at all other than a little cosmetically, I didn’t see the need to pay extra for the look. My goal is to get it to 300k and with my current driving habits would get me there in 10-12 years. The difference in my wife’s payment and my old Jeep payment is around $150 per month so I’m going to try to put $200 per month into a savings account specifically for repairs/down payment on my next car. It will be interesting to see where I am when I decide to move on from the 4Runner. Again, very sensible video and I appreciate the information from a certified mechanic.
I think that’s a great strategy and I’m sure know how reliable and legendary those 4Runners were/are. Not unusual to see those things with 300,000 trouble free miles. Best of luck!
Everything this guy is saying is 100% facts. I have a 2004 Toyota Camry 255,555 miles. I had to do both CV Axles, All 4 motor mounts, transmission service, Valve cover gaskets, new fuel cap, coils, spark plugs, new front calipers, new tire rods ends, new struts all around, New power steering rack, new power steering pump with all the lines and hoses being swapped out, new windshield, new headlights, and I had to take it to the body shop to get it repainted. Guys don’t let anyone fool you it’s takes work to get a high mileage car up there. Granted I’m the 3rd owner of this car so I only put 30,000 since ownership and some of these things could have been left out but I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to cars 😂. But yeah these things will eventually fail. My transmission also bucks in 1st gear. So eventually I might have to swap it out for used one.
Thank you for the comment. I love it when people actually list the repairs that have been made to a vehicle that has done some serious mileage. 255,555 is some mileage and because it’s a Toyota people think you won’t have to repair it. It takes some effort to get any car to high mileage. But I think it’s worth it.
@@doublebase6509The newer Toyotas are going that mileage without all those repairs. I don’t care what everyone is saying newer cars are built a lot better.
Yeah I do think newer cars usually have a lot of improvements and Toyota knows how to build a car. They usually investigate new technology very thoroughly before they implement it on their vehicles.
@@user-tb7rn1il3qI haven't driven new Toyotas so I can't be 100% sure of this. I agree that newer Toyotas are likely going further without maintenance. The question is is if Toyota allows customers to swap parts without having to do computer serial number crap for the car to accept the new part.
I have over 408,000 miles on my 2001 Toyota Avalon and a little over 458,000 miles on my 1997 Honda Accord SE. Both have original engine and transmission.
I bought a 1997 Lexus LS400 recently, came with complete history. 163k miles, and I'm taking it for a full service with Lexus soon. I'm going for a minor restoration basically. She will give me 500k or more, I'm sure of it.
Frigging love those cars!! I owned a LS460 for five years, loved that too. But the LS400 is just a legend. The LS430 is probably one of the most reliable luxury cars ever, capable of going 500,000. But it all started with that LS400…I think it’ll be a collector car soon, if it already isn’t.
@@18_rabbit I think it has more to do with direct injection and turbos/hybrid combos. Toyota took a big risk going turbo/direct injection/hybrid, all in one package. But I will say this, they are usually the last company to jump in on such things - meaning they usually wait, do their research, and refine while eliminating mistakes others make. But man they made some HUGE changes. Time will tell but I don’t like what I’m hearing the Tundra Turbo V6.
I live in Quebec, where we spray more road salts than the rest of Canada combined... I have to rustproof my car religiously every year. Currently driving a Kia forte 2020 with 40k miles; hope I can make it to 200!
I had an 1997 Intrepid and a 04 Dodge neon both made it to 250,000 if it wasn't for the salt they would have lasted a lot longer only thing I replaced was timing belts and water pumps transmission fluid oil. tires and brakes
Had a 2005 Kia Spectra that I drove for seven years. When I sold it in 2012 it had 227,000 miles and it still ran excellent with no oil consumption. All I did was regular maintenance - oil changes every 5k, timing belts at 70k intervals, coolant at 100k and 200k. Still had the original clutch and rear brakes. Nothing failed unless it was my fault.
I agree with everything you say, just when it comes to suspension parts and cv axles, buy them from the dealer OEM they are the cheapest in the long run and your driving will feel almost like when it was brent new
You know what, I think I’m going to take your advice on that. I usually will go with aftermarket because of the cost but the quality and ride feel is never the same again. And I usually end up replacing them again early because they’re wiped out. I’m talking struts mostly, but also control arms, ball joints and wheel bearings. I’ve had some aftermarket wheel bearings go in under 10,000 miles - they may warranty them but I still have to spend time replacing them. That’s a a waste. I’m pretty careful/selective with aftermarket wheel bearing now because of that. But man, cost can be so high with some OE manufacturers. I owned a Lexus once and OE wheel bearings were $700 bucks a piece, but when you’re replacing them twice?? It makes you think OE would have been the right move.
Owner of a 2007 Tacoma with 250,000 miles. (Half way there!) Very important to stick with oem parts. Cheap (crap) aftermarket parts are ultimately expensive, if you have to pay labor to do the job all over again (or waste DIY time to redo). (There are exceptions, I'm sure, but this is a good general rule, if you want to reach 500,000 mile goal.) Anytime you are considering fixing something aftermarket, do some research on oem vs. aftermarket on the part. For example, I just replaced lower ball joints on my Tacoma. A quick search tells you that most aftermarket ball joints are complete crap. I went with oem. (I could give many similar examples on my own vehicle.)
@@Robin1924 Totally agree with you. I replaced the control arms, ball joints, and axles on my Sienna minivan at around 150,000 miles and went with OEM. I had not so good experience with aftermarket suspension parts on my older Camry.
I live in Australia and own a Land Rover Discovery 2 with the Td5 motor. The vehicle is approaching 500,000 kms and runs like a Swiss watch. I believe the key has been doing all the maintenance myself, to be sure of the workmanship, constant observation of the engine and drive line and removing any unnecessary restrictions from the intake and exhaust of the motor.
Good tips but I would add replacing power steering fluid at 100k miles as well, super high PSI and small particles will cause a lot of damage over time because of the high pressures so I would argue changing the power steering fluid might save you power steering pump replacement on an older car. Also my mechanic advised changing my transmission fluid every 25-30k miles since I said I drive as a pizza delivery guy high city driving.
Good points! Someone else mentioned the PS fluid as well, and I agree…it’s easy enough to replace, it’s cheap. Makes sense. And I think your mechanic is spot on with those tranny services due to you delivering pizza. A pizza delivery driver would easily fall under extreme driving conditions. So would Uber, or driving for Amazon Flex. Those types of things. Cold weather driving, short trips, towing, using a truck for plowing, hauling, extensive idling. All this ^^^ and more will change maintenance interval length on engine oil/transmission fluid/brakes/suspension/tires. No doubt.
@@prostmahlzeit I find that when the leaks happen…rack, lines, whatever, if you’re not careful the pump gets wiped out pretty quickly. Honesty, I’m not seeing hydraulic power steering systems very often anymore on newer cars, they’re all electric. No fluid, no power steering pump, no lines to worry about. I didn’t think I’d like these systems buy so far I really can’t complain, they seem pretty reliable and they do what they’re supposed to do.
@@prostmahlzeit Yeah initially they were ridiculous in price! They’ve dropped quite a bit do to the amount of time they’ve been out there, and all the refurbished units have lowered the prices. Still higher than a hydraulic rack though, and if it’s a newer model car it’s going to be high.
I've had the oil changed every 3000 miles on a 08 Honda Accord 2.4 since we owned it from 50k miles. It now has 275k miles and feels like it can go another 100k miles.
Yeah I agree, there are theories stating different though. Have you heard people say that the garage will melt the snow and ice you accumulate on your vehicle and will activate the salt you picked up? Makes some sense but I’d still rather have the garage, it eliminates the cold starts in the mornings. Plus it keeps the rodents away from making a home in my engine bay in the fall.
@@doublebase6509 it is called 'cooking the rott' i believe with a heated garage... i do not have a heated garage, it is separate from the house so no need to worry about that!
also to keep rodents away from that tasty soy-based insulation on the wiring. Rodents LOVE it. $$$$$. Another reason to garage/secure. It even happens during work hours if you park near dumpsters.
@@timewa851 it happens even when you don’t park near dumpsters. If you live anywhere and park outside (especially in fall) you’re going to get rodents, and even worse if you leave food in your cars. I tell my kids not to leave food in their cars, and they still do. When their vehicles end up with check engine lights I’m not going to fix it for them…I’ve warned them over and over again. They can pay someone $100’s to diagnose and fix an eaten wire.
Bmw 740i 2016 inline 6 Oil change : 5k miles Transmission fluid : 40k miles Coolant : 80k miles then every 40k (so same time as trans fluid) Plugs: 80k miles Brake fluids : 3 years Air suspension: 100k miles (average, but it could fail earlier, cost $1500 all 4 suspension and air pump doing it myself) Then there could be more issues to replace over time. On this car : - i got to replace coolant tank and expansion coolant tank. - backup battery for telematique unit - coolant hose ($17 and 1.5 minutes replacement) And few more things bad that i had to fix from previous owner that messed it up or place i bought it from.
Most people cause the car to fail because they don’t maintain them. I have three vehicles. Hyundai Santa Fe 235,000 miles. Buick Park Avenue 160,000. Dodge Ram Diesel 390,000. All of them run perfectly. I change oil and filter at 3,000. I use full synthetic Pennzoil and a full flow high quality low micron filter. Change radiator fluid every two years. Fully flush transmission every 30,000 because I live in the mountains. I would change trans fluid at 50,000 if I lived on a flat area. I completely change brake fluid when I do my breaks after 100,000. I fix anything that breaks right away. Most auto repair shops are crooked so I keep a close eye on whoever works on my vehicles. It’s far cheaper to take very good care of an older vehicle than pay sales tax, finance, make car payments and be forced to carry comprehensive insurance.
I think where you say fix anything that breaks right away is a big part of keeping a car a long time. It keeps the vehicle in better overall condition, allows it to perform better, be safer and most importantly it keeps you happy with the vehicle. There’s nothing worse than driving around in something that’s old and needs multiple repairs on things.
@@doublebase6509 Fixing little things like replacing shock absorbers for example prevents the rest of the suspension components from wearing out more rapidly. That’s just one example of an often neglected component.
@@jerrypolverino6025 good point! A worn out shock is going to cause tire cupping, with the price of tires nowadays it makes sense to keep up with repairs.
The best argument against keeping ur car for 500k is the exact car u got but with only 100k miles. Sure they might have neglected it, u gotta make sure its in decent shape but theres so many decent, low mileage old cars out there. My car is 30 yo. Its worth like 1.5k if id buy it again. If i repair everything im sure it would run for mby 20 more years but if id fix every issue id pay like 10k. So 500€/year. If id buy the exact same car off a guy who kept it in decent shape i might pay like 2k. Mby 3k. It would also run for 20 more years to and it would only cost me 500-1500€.
Got a first-generation Honda Pilot at 227k, thinking about doing the timing belt as a preventative soon and it needs new rotors and struts. Not the greatest MPG even factory new but no rumbles or rough idling or transmission issues
2007 camry v6, 340xxx miles. 6,000 mile synthetic oil changes. 30,000 transmission drain and fill. 50,000 coolant drain and fill. First spark plug change at 300,000 🙈 . They never failed...just had to finally change them.
I didn’t even think about diffs and transfer cases. Agree 100%. I tend to over maintain differentials and do them every 50,000…same for transfer cases.
Very practical and accurate video. Perhaps the issue with rust - maybe get a Volvo. Rarely seen an aged Volvo with a serious rust issue, besides those seriously neglected and those you generally want to avoid anyways. Also older D5 engines are quite reliable and don't really demand a lot of maintenance. I would though concentrate on the automatic transmissions as they have some issues. Besides that - without rust and major components issues, older Volvos are quite reliable and don't crush your wallet. Disclaimer - not a brand fanatic, but current Volvo driver and my Volvo safed me quite a bit of money over the years. The community is also great and supportive. Cheers and safe travels!
Thanks for the comment. Now, that I think of it you’re right…I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rotted out Volvo, or a BMW for that matter. Volvo has a high mileage club and it’s pretty impressive how much their owners/community love the brand. They are nice cars.
I used to do rideshare full time for years, averaging 2500 miles a week and over 10,000 miles a month on average. I live in California and go all over the places from extreme cold in Truckee/Lake Tahoe to rainy weather in the Bay Area to 100F+ heat in Death Valley in Southern California. My cars/suvs are as good as new with my OCD maintenance schedule which includes: Synthetic Supertech/Kirkland Oil w/ OEM Filter + Rotate Tires every 5000 miles (NA engine) or 3000 miles (Turbo engine) Every 10k miles I change out Engine Filter + Alignment Change out all my other fluids drain/fill every 25000 miles (7 fluids in total) Every 50k miles Brakes/Tires Every 100k miles Water Pumpt/Belts/Hoses/Spark Plugs/Ignition Coil Every 150k miles, I change out my suspension Yearly Undercoat (fluid film) Yearly change out my windshield wipers with a newer silicone windshield wiper (for cold weather) One time clear bra whole car (due to using automated car washes daily) Every gas or diesel fill up is using Top Tier Brand gas stations (Shell, Chevron, Mobil, Costco, etc) All in all, this comes out to roughly 10c/mile for a NA engine and about 12c/mile maintenance on Turbo engines. Hope this helps! :)
My 2005 tacoma base model with 5 speed manual has 205,000 miles. All I've done is change the clutch and flywheel at 175,000 miles and changed the spark plugs at 150,000 miles. The engine still runs great. I can go 5000 miles and it doesn't burn any oil.
My 13’ Ford C-Max hybrid just keeps rolling with 263k. I’ve done all my own maintenance, and besides a few fuel injector, failing randomly over the years, and a squirrel chewing some wiring I’ve not had any issues. It still gets 40+ mpg all day long city or highway. It’s honestly been a real blessing! It’s 2.0 duratec still doesn’t burn any oil, couldn’t say that about my last Toyota!
It’s funny you mention the squirrels chewing through stuff/wires. I swear the most causes I’ve seen with check engine lights are from mice eating through wiring. Drives me NUTS!
Made some great points- great video. If only people will take the time to watch it. I got 240k on a 95 Bronco - my secret...know your vehicle. I have spent some wonderful hours finding and fixing problems mostly on the electrical side. I look at what components are on the circuit that keeps blowing a fuse and I start testing those components for resistance. If it immediately blows another fuse that I know it's probably a short where the insulation has rubbed off but then again I got a lot of metal in my truck even in the interior panels LOL if I was going to buy a commuter used I would be ready to spend some time changing pads possibly rotors shocks / struts air filter cabin filter oil tranny fluid and before you crank up the car you're looking at pull the dipstick and make sure it's not got thick thick 80 weight in it and then once you crank it up using an extension to the top of the motor like a valve cover to your skull and listen if you hear anything other than what sounds like a vacuum cleaner just are swirling then you know that maybe walk away also if the dipstick itself looks like a burnt cookie sheet that tells you right there there's probably a high chance that someone went 20,000 miles at least once between oil changes
210,000 miles on my 2011 Honda Fit 5 Speed. Original clutch, alternator, starter. I do my own oil changes and work if needed.. all preventative so far outside of brakes, tires etc. Ill see some Fits for sale still going at 300-400k but I want to go past that for sure
Yes! Nice work! Drive the heck out of that thing, maintain it, get your money’s worth and then some. I bet you can get to 500,000 in that thing, they’re built for it.
All our cars are high km before sale: 2006 Yaris was just sold at 376,000 km. The only thing wrong with it was the auto transmission which was showing signs of wearing out (not noticeable unless you owned the vehicle): Mechanic suggested replacing it: $850 parts plus labour. That's cheaper than a repair ~$4,000 N.B. Transmission fluid and filter were changed as per the handbook ~100,000 km. Bands were adjusted at least once. Extra ATF changes weren't helping much towards the end. The mechanic who did the roadworthy on it a year ago was the one who bought it. Very few things needed repairing during its lifespan: 1) Shock absorbers, struts and springs replaced with slightly firmer and longer springs. A lift kit is ideal as the original springs sag after >100,000 km and are a bit too soft. Didn't have to change anything a second time as the upgraded parts addressed the problems with the original items ~$1,500 2) Throttle body sensor replaced ~270,000 km: Hard to diagnose ~$300 3) Headlights replaced with aftermarket lights due to yellowing ~320,000 km (~$220 for two). This was a roadworthy requirement: Cleaning them might have been sufficient but we didn't want to risk having to pay for another inspection (costs almost as much as the lights). 4) Airconditioner compressor bearing went at ~320,000 km ~$450 for second hand compressor plus fitting and gassing. 5) Aircon fan got wet (blocked drain tube) and shorted ~$120 (5 minute job: 3 screws) ~120,000 km Normal maintenance was performed every 10,000 km i.e. Oil changes This car has a cam chain which means it never needed changing... unlike cam belts. High efficiency oil filter was used and rarely changed (~80,000 km) as it wasn't picking up much. Air filter changed every 40,000 km Serpentine belt changed at >200,000 km Radiator fluid changed ~100,000 km Long life iridium plugs used and changed ~100,000 km Still has original coils Changed windscreen wipers ~100,000 km Radio needs changing as the volume knob has almost stopped working. The interior was quite dirty but only minor repairs were needed to fix stuff. This car had 142 psi across all 4 cylinders when sold It ran very quietly: You could barely hear the engine. We decided it was not worth replacing the transmission on an 18 year old car as the cost was starting to exceed the value of the car. Upgraded to a 2015 Yaris with less km and impeccable maintenance. 🙂
Dude you have the same exact mindset I have towards cars. I’m a mechanic and I’m fascinated with high mileage cars, especially ones that aren’t expected
Glad there’s someone else out there! Honestly, what’s wrong with us? There’s nothing better when it comes to cars than high mileage vehicles, especially the ones that shouldn’t make it to high mileage. I love those stories and that journey.
Yeah those Elements go forever. I have an older CRV with 195,000 miles on it now…no lie, knock on wood, all I’ve done to it is front struts and normal maintenance. I just hope the rust doesn’t get to it.
I change my oil every 3k miles. Been doing that for decades. I don't buy into the 7k+ change intervals manufacturers suggest. I stocked up on Castrol GTX full synthetic 5w-30 oil when it was on sale for under 4 bucks per quart and I use factory Toyota oil filters. My total cost to change my own oil in my 2016 Toyota Yaris is under 21 bucks. Mt car has electric power steering, but if a car has hydraulic power steering I change that fluid when it gets dirty. For the CV boots and rubber suspension bushings I don't use silicone. I use AT 205 reseal in a spray bottle. I also use dielectric grease on any electrical connector that gets unplugged because that'll keep those contacts from getting corroded long term. If I disconnect a coil or fuel injector connector when changing a valve cover gasket the connectors get dielectric grease put on them. Even if I'm not doing anything in the rear of the car I'll still put dielectric grease on the rear wheel ABS sensor connections and EVAP connections around the charcoal canister. Just as a preventative measure because electrical connectors under the rear of the car corrode the quickest. I also totally agree on using NH oil undercoating or Fluid Film.
My frontier I got at 156k, I'm at 185k right now. I changed every fluid. Only fluid that looked off was rear differential. The service record showed fluid changes at 70-90K. So not bad. I did change every hose at 175k because I started to get seepage here and there. Now the cooling system is 👌🏽 keeping the rust at bay. It'll rot before getting to 500k due to previous owners tho.
I’ve owned both Mercedes and Toyota. I had a Mercedes 3L diesel V6, the engine was absolutely solid. Just as reliable if not more so than the Toyota. I got it to 175,000 before I sold it and it still runs to this day. It never let me down. The main issue I’ve had with the Mercedes is the ridiculous amount of sensors that would fail (NOx, adblue, temperature, DPF, etc). The absolute worst thing about owning a Mercedes, in my opinion, is sensors sensors sensors
I think the consensus is the Mercedes diesels are a more reliable vehicle than their gas engines. But no doubt the sensors/electrical can be a nightmare with them.
Couple things: I forgot the air filter. Inspect it every 20k or so, expecting a change between 30,000-40,000, but that depends on where you live too (dirt roads change things). Cabin air filter, change it every year. Fuel injector cleaners, throttle body cleaners, engine cleaners/flushes…hey, if it makes you feel good do it. I have seen very little results from any of them but like I said, if it makes you feel good do it. That’s half the battle when going 300,000-500,000 - you have to stay engaged and interested in the car - if not you’ll come up way short. Vacuum the interior, if you don’t you’ll end up grinding a whole through the carpet when all the abrasives are stuck in the fibers. Polish your headlights, it’s easy, it’s cheap. Spray silicone on your axle boots, it’s supposed to prevent them from tearing. Does it work? Who knows but it’s so easy and quick to do and costs almost nothing.
Hi from Europe! Great video, really good tipps!
I will add to that the following: Keep your car clean, especially in the winter months. You've talked about salt and such, we have that here in Europe (Germany to be exact) too. It is really shitty to a car.
Therefore: Clean, maintain and clean also the tire housings. A car wash is not enough, do it carefully with a pressure washer (on the lower levels, keep your distance to not destroy tires, paint and such).
Additionally: Keep your car clean with the right tools and shampoos. Not regular dish washer or what you use in your kitchen - dont do that! Invest in some good products like Chemical Guys or what you have in your country available. Here in Germany for example KochChemie, Dodo Juice ... anything like that is better than some cheap discounter stuff and will not destroy your paint, clear coating or such.
Furher: Add a PPF to that car (2k costs) to preserve your car even better (depends on where you live) or do a ceramic sealing on top of it (I love Nanolex products, easy to apply). If you dont have a clue how to apply, ask your detailer in your nearby area.
Most of this should be applied in the early stages of your car ownership, but can also done with some kilometers / miles on the clock.
And lastly: Don't make yourself crazy about the car or some mechanic that will tell you eventually that your car is totaled because of a generator or some laughable thing. :) Keep yourself informed!
@@MichaelE6300excellent post! I’ll add…rinse the front of the radiator and condenser off as often as you can in the winter. Get that salt out! Prolong the life of those components. I used to rinse the bottom of my cars off frequently but someone mentioned that if you do that with the fluid film you’re only going to rinse the fluid film off. I’ve tried the last two years of NOT doing undercarriage rinses and it has worked out pretty good, but it feels really weird to not rinse that undercarriage when I know it’s covered in salt. But the wheel wells I still rinse. I’ll also coat my oil pan with white lithium grease when I do an oil change…just smear it on that metal (haven’t lost a pan yet). I’ll also touch up the higher traffic areas underneath with the grease.
@@doublebase6509 Great stuff! Some more tipps that I remembered: Topic wash off the fluid film / rust protection is one of the things I remember vividly. My friend contacted me some day to help him clean his oldtimer before the winter months and thus the oldie going in hibernation. My friend asked if the undercarriage should be cleaned - after searching and contacting some of my detailer friends and detailer shops it was clear that not only fluid film wash off your car but also (eg if you have a brand new one!) the wax / protection applied from the factory (many car maker will do some sort of work in this direction). Further do not wash the engine bay or let professionals do that! Electronics and sensitive stuff could be easily damaged and destroyed. Further do not wash the engine bay and only do it if it is really necessary. E.g. you need to find a drip or such and your engine is greasy. Otherwise the grease (that could help protect your engine too!) or (if brand new) some protection from the factory could wash off (e.g. the hoses have, for example, a protection layer to keep the rubber elastic (to protect the plasticizer)
The radiator / condenser is a really good tipp! I will add on top of that: Please only rinse and don't do that with a pressure washer. You could otherwise pinch your radiator / condenser easily (water is a powerful weapon, especially high pressure water!). After the wash near the engine bay apply some form of engine dressing (for example here in Germany some good protection is Koch Chemie MotorPlast). That is important also for the next tipp that I nearly forgot: Especially when you have a sunroof, to protect that from leaks clean your draining pipes from the car (mostly left and right in the engine bay in a seperate compartment near the windscreen wipers) with a good flush of water. If that gumps up, you are most probably in trouble (interior wet (mostly foot area), leakage from the sunroof etc.). You don't want any mold in your car! I have a old Audi A6 from 1997 from my deceased grandfather that I keep alive as a second car but unfortunately with mold (due to the sunroof and the drainage was not cleaned regulary) it is really damp in the interior and not a good clean air in the interior. I have planned to fight that mold with some cleaning tools and a steam cleaner. It is really nasty and unhygenic too. Keep water out of your car at any cost! Last thing for this post: If you have cleaned the mold out of your car trash your cabin filter and clean the pipes / housing of the cabin filter as good as you can.
@@MichaelE6300try an ozone generator on the interior, it will eliminate oxygen and kill that mold. These things are strong and you have to be careful using them, but they work.
It’s funny you mention engine oil leaks and how it prevents rust. You’re 100% right! And it has saved many oil pans throughout the years. Speaking from experience
Great tips! I have 335k on my 2001 xterra. A coolant leak from the heater hose caused an overheat event and i have a slightly warped head. I also have a 97 supra with 195k. Both cars were bought brand new. Drove all those miles over the decades. Original powertrain. I do all my own repairs. A few things you left out. Power steering fluid, differential oil, fuel filter every 30-50k depending. Gearbox oil instead of tranny oil if stick shift. Because I do all my own repairs and get parts feom oreilly and autozone, all of my parts have lifetime warranty. About to take the heads off the xterra and replace the head gasket and take them to a machine shop
Honestly half the battle to keep in a vehicle that long is just keeping it away from the other idiots on the road
🤣🤣🤣 So true!
It's sad how true this is. They give a license to anyone nowadays..
@@Clooger- yeah... that's more true than a lot of people know.
... and do the maintenance yourself.
Had 400k on my corolla someone ran a stop sign totaled it fixed it up to be drivable still ugly and beat up but its at 437k now and motor still hums
A trustable mechanic is the key to high mileage car. Hands down.
Absolutely invaluable! Agree 100%
those types pretty much No Longer Exist...
@@efil4kizumthey do, they're just booked and charge for their time.
@@OtherDalfiteeveryone charges high and does subpar work. A good mechanic is super hard to come by and usually word of mouth.
@@Nickisdreams I really don’t know who or how to go about hiring anyone for anything anymore. I just waited a month for my dentist to do a dental crown. Four days after the procedure and I’m still in pain - tried calling today for a follow-up and they’re closed. Closed on a Monday?? Saturday, Sunday Monday…closed.
Excellent Video!
Summary:
1. 100k miles - change coolant fluids on spill and fill (drain reservoir and radiator not the block) then every 50k thereafter
2. Every 100k miles - change water pump
3. Every 5k miles - change oil and oil filter
4. Every 50k miles - change transmission fluid, change transmission fluid every 100k miles
5. Every 100k miles - serpentine belt and/or timing belt
6. Every 100k miles - change spark plugs
7. Every 3 years - change brake fluid
8. Every 200k - change hoses
9. Every 1 year - Fluid Film, Krown or NH Oil Undercoating. Wet treatments for under car. Wool wax or lanolin based product. to protect against salt. Then drive down dirt road to get the dust to bond to the underside.
10. Every 150k - struts, sway bar links, alignment. ($1200 parts and labor)
11. Every 30k - change air filter
12. Every 1 year - change cabin air filter
13. Every 1 year - inspect exhaust (take it to an exhaust shop)
14. Every 6 months - weather stripping - spray with silicone treatment
15. Every 3 months - wax the paint
16. Small Failures: valve cover leaks, coil failures, intake manifold leaks, throttle positioning sensor, mass airflow sensor, ECM failure, ABS pump failure, valve timing (click and tick), wheel bearing failure, ABS sensor failure, axel failure, caliper failure
17. Big Failures: transmission ($4k parts and labor)
I should have you write for me, you just summarized everything to a T. Nice job!
@@doublebase6509 🙂
You should make UA-cam car videos love this list!
Aw3some
that's if you are lucky. Which you will NOT be.
most people are bored to tears with a vehicle after 300-350k miles.
then there's the hidden damage, crank drillings get partially blocked with oil carbon (seen it) Transmission return / force multiplier springs fail, like in the Forward Clutch. No big deal for me, labor, plus $188. in fluid, new forward clutch seal, & new spring, $3.10. But if you buy the rebuild, it is $1,999. minimum.
The only way I got past 500k was a cheap donor engine form Pikn'Pull, on a sale day where the cylinder head was $25 & block was $64. And being familiar with the transaxle so I took a short cut to get to that failed/shattered forward clutch spring.
Buying a manual transmission vehicle is key. And either a sturdy 4 or reliable straight six powerrplant. Then you can pass 500k easily. But can you stand driving the same rig that long?? Most cannot.
I’ve been a Mercedes guy for years. My maintenance schedule was from a friend who is a Mercedes technician. OLF 5,000 miles
Transmission fluid 35,000
Brake fluid 3 years
Spark plugs 35,000
Engine and cabin filter 30,000
Timing chain 95,000
Serpentine Belt 95,000
Water pump and hoses 100,000
I know this seems excessive but every Mercedes I’ve ever had over 30 years has lasted at least 250,000 miles and two diesels that made it to 575,000 miles (I drive a LOT!)
I’ve done all that except the water pump and timing chain, and god willing I’ll never have to do the timing chain. Glad you’ve had good luck with yours, the little things are taking its toll on me unfortunately. Not sure what I’m going to do with this thing…sell it or keep it. I’ve been offered next to nothing for it on Carmax ($2,600 bucks). I’ll donate it before I do that. I may just keep it, cross my fingers and try to get some mileage out of it. It drives nice.
MB W202 1997, my timing chain at 300,000 miles by checking was OK, but for safety reason, I decide to replace it.
@@mtcru ok got it. Probably a good idea.
All that except hoses, they really seem perfect (Honda).
yeah they need a bit of maintenance and they will last forever. they are higher end vehicles that demand higher end treatment which makes perfect sense. so many people just think they can neglect it and not maintain it and expect it to keep going. not the cars fault at all, totally 100% the owners fault
402k miles on my 2004 camry 4 cylinder. Only needed to change fluids, brakes, sway bar links, 1 inner tierod, rear wheel bearings and rear shocks. A few oxygen sensors, spark plugs, burns ALOT of oil, but runs great!
That’s awesome! I want to say those four cylinders are known for oil consumption (could be wrong), but keep it going! Imagine you could get another 100k out of that thing if you keep up with adding oil. Still beats a car payment.
@@doublebase6509 Usually with Toyota's, they start burning oil as they age and that's probably just old car stuff but some early 2000s Toyota's were equipped with the 2az-Fe engines and those would start burning oil under 100k. Still runs forever though if you keep it topped off and maintain it.
@@7SUK1 yes, I remember those issues with those engines. Truthfully they’re certainly not alone, but you’re right, they still usually can go forever with the oil consumption until it gets so bad that you’re ruining cats and losing enough compression that you have a dead cylinder or check engine light that won’t allow you to get an inspection sticker. I had an oil burner once, a Lexus LS 460…plugs would get pretty soaked but no misfire. The intake would pool up with oil from all the blow by past the PCV system, but it ran fine. A lot of blue smoke when I floored it and upon startup (valve guides were shot), and my rings. Bad design on the early model LS 460’s but I bet I could have driven that thing another 100,000 miles easy.
Lies theres more to it that he aint tellin us 😂😅
@@jessesteller1661 🤣🤣🤣. Well, at least he told us tie rods, wheel bearings, shocks, O2 sensors and now it’s consuming oil. Most would say…wiper blades, that’s it. 😂
One of the best videos on UA-cam on this topic
Very valuable video. I recently took it upon myself to maintain my car where I can competently and safely do it. As a result, I went from seeing maintenance as an expensive chore, to a fun and enjoyably hobby and taking care of it proactively. I appreciate my car so much more now. Hopefully that mindset will add to its longevity.
But you’re right, at that high mileage the car will be testing your commitment.
Excellent post! Keep up the good work, I think it’ll pay off for you!
Great tips! Since you love high mileage stories, you might like to hear about my 1997 Civic with 357K miles. Not that high, but getting up there. The body is clean and rust free and It's still on the original engine and transmission, but I bought it for $200 at 353K because the previous owner severely overheated it repeatedly and blew the head gasket. A few hundred dollars later for new hoses, gaskets, belts, spark plugs, cap, rotor, fluids, filters, etc, a bit of time to pull the engine and refresh it, and it runs as good as new.
It doesn't seem like it needed many repairs at all either. The radiator and radio were replaced and I replaced the outer tie rod ends because they were loose, but that's all I can see other than the expected wear items. The starter, alternator, AC system, power steering pump, sensors, wheel bearings, etc are all original as far as I can tell with no signs of trouble. All the suspension is original and it still drives well, but I'm going to do a full rebuild soon while I can still get quality parts because it has the very occasional minor pop or squeak over certain kinds of bumps.
Other than that and faded paint, a few dings, damaged headliner, and a couple other little cosmetic issues that eventually need to be fixed, it's in amazing shape and seems like it should be good to go for many more years. I'm never going to get rid of it, I'll just fix whatever issues come up, take great care of it, and keep going!
I love stories like this! Glad to hear you did all that work, and you’re going to rebuild the suspension and keep this thing a long time! Inspiration for me to keep mine going a long time.
2008 Mercedes CLS 550 AMG. 238,000 miles on original timing chain, engine, and tranny. Replaced- Water pump, AC clutch, belt, pulleys, some air struts, trans and motor mounts, drive axle flex disks- car still drives like new until this day. I love it
I also have a Corolla 2007 at 285k miles and a 2013 F250 6.2 at 273,000 lol
Both my chevys went to 200k, absolutely flawless....one got totalled, sold the other because i had too many cars ..... My explorer has 200k and camry with 250k.
This video got suggested out of nowhere, but man am I glad I watched it. Many good points, biggest thing is finding an honest mechanic to send your car to, they are the tool to years of reliability and success getting to 500k. Acquired an ‘05 Camry as my 1st car in 2017 that already was badly neglected despite only 90k miles, relatives are surprised I’ve gotten it to 170k now, all about maintenance. Personally working towards 200k then we’ll see how she fares.
Also for those that don’t really drive as much, I feel like you may want to look at time then compared to mileage. Picked up a 1st gen Miata a few years ago that I only put 2k miles a year on, but it seems to act happy with oil changes exactly every year and other fluid changes every other.
Good stuff! Nice work on that Camry! And good points on age vs mileage, that’s a whole other segment to think about…sometimes that’s more detrimental to a vehicle than driving them.
I'm like you. I had 575,000 on a Volvo 940....very little maintenance. I did replace a transmission.
That’s a lot of mileage! I think you’re the highest mileage car/person that has posted in the comments so far. I’ve never been able to get a vehicle to that point but I’d like to try. Volvo’s are legends for high mileage. Nice job.
Oh what a feeling TOYOTA! Regular oil changes and coolant changes. Spill and fill is the way to go with radiators, flushing creates problems, you just want to stuff out before it turns nasty. Oh, trans,diff and power steering too, fuel filters are way cheaper than fuel pumps. Great advice mate! 👍
do radiator drain and fill if easy access to drain petcock Once Per Year... Toyota Pink is not much if on sale 15$ and might take a gallon, some Toyotas take 2 gallons on Pink
Fuel pump goes out if you floor it at less than a quarter of a tank.
@@18_rabbit I see! Well certainly if you go to pay the monkey shop 300$ or however much it is, it is ok to wait LOL.
You can’t change Toyota fuel filters any longer.
Spill and fill?
228k miles on my 06 Toyota Sienna with the 3MZ-FE engine, one of Toyotas finest engines. The only "downside" is that it has a timing belt which I personally changed on the second go at 168 k miles. Next is due next year (2025) . I do my own maintenance and that is key, not just what is required but also preventative. Join a forum folks and keep engaging with your vehicle. Sad to say though only a small percentage of the population are doing so.
Nice work! I’ve done a few of those timing belts myself! That engine is a legend for reliability.
Love that engine. Toyota makes the best engines. They are just so reliable.. like the 1NZ-FE A in my 06 Scion.
💯 fluids and maintenance is the key to a high mileage vehicle. Also, if you have a car garage at home, invest in tools. Become competent and DYI. The savings add up after years of ownership and the satisfaction of acknowledging that it was all because of YOU! It’s not rocket science. Great video.
Well said! Thank you!
Yes. I like knowing that I did it and the job was done right. I try my best to avoid mechanics. I don't like handing over my baby. I always feel like they're going to break something else while fixing something. Amazing how much you can do yourself with a few tools and UA-cam instructional videos. And you save a ton of money.
Great video. I admire your bravery to get that Mercedes to 100K!
My grandma's 97 toyota corolla is about to hit 400k original head gasket and original trans going strong!
NiCE! got a 96 Corolla here with 137k most all city short miles over the past 28 years... it has done battle with the winter salt monster 8^{
@@efil4kizumThat’s a lot of wear and tear, short city miles are brutal for cars on top of winter and road salt
@@MrOiram46 Yes indeed... brake lines burst from salted rott, fuel tank started leaking from the top from the salt, fuel filler neck started leaking from the salted rott. shop wanted MORE THAN 2000$ to fix the fuel lines... I bot new OEM fuel lines and aftermarket neck and tank and dismantled in the driveway to DIY these repairs
@@efil4kizum salt is the number one show stopper when trying to reach high miles. It has stopped me before. I owned a Honda Accord, tried getting it to above 300,000…it ended around 300,000. Replaced the fuel tank (rotted), the fuel lines, the brake lines (twice), and then the fuel lines again. I also had to replace the front subframe…after all this^^^it started Halle in again and I called it quits because at that point the engine was drinking oil (1 quart every 500 miles), and the car would stall at Idle speeds. I now fluid film/NH oil Undercoating/white lithium grease/or someone mentioned a WoolWax heavy duty wheel well application (going to try it).
And the $2,000 dollar repair for the brake lines is high, but those are terrible jobs to do for techs. Every tech I know hates doing brake lines…the fluid is falling all over you, a fitting is leaking, a bend is wrong, something else rusted breaks under there. They are a time consuming pain, but $2,000 does sound ridiculous. Sounds like they priced it high because they didn’t want to do it.
This video is a half hour of to the point facts and im here for it 👍🏻
I bought an 05 Accord at 220,000 miles from its original owner! It needed a few repairs like a transmission filter & a valve adjustment, but I took it to 260,000 before selling it. I want it back lol
Love your passion and enthusiasm! I could listen to you all day. Thank you for sharing your golden wisdom
Thanks for that!
My daily is a ‘99 Camry (5S-FE) almost 347,000, original engine/transmission, cold AC. Southern car all its life, no rust.
Got to love those rust free southern Toyotas!
@@doublebase6509 got to love those mostly-rust-free northern Toyotas!
@@efil4kizum I’m doing everything I can to keep mine that way! Fingers crossed. Going to fluid film it again next month before winter starts to creep in.
Great vid thanks! And you’re right about replacing hoses at 200k miles. I got a hose leak at around 200,000 miles on my 2008 Honda CRV.
I love the flash cards. Beautiful ❤
Just found your channel /video and it's right up my alley!
I have a 2009 Ford focus SES going on 286,000 mi
Use full synthetic oil since day one and every single oil change
As soon as something goes bad I get it fixed right away
I'm on a mission to try and get 400,000 out of it
Thank you for the great video!
Good luck! You’re on your way! 286,000 is quite an accomplishment. Keep going. Thanks.
F.O.R.D. = fix or repair daily.
I'm mechanic my self and I agree with every single thing you said in this video....Hello from Maine
Thanks!
I had a problem with my charging system and replaced a lot of stuff (i.e. alternator and battery) I probably didn't need to replace because I didn't know how to diagnose and test stuff. Found out it was just loose connection or corrosion on the battery terminal.
Excellent video! Thank you for your excellent suggestions. I have a 2016 Honda CRV with 60k miles, and i absolutely love it. I have been telling my wife that this is the last vehicle that I want to buy. With the care I have already been taking and your suggestions, I should be able to make that plan work.
Thanks again!
I’m at 327k with my crv and no signs of slowing down😂
Love it! Great great vehicle to do that in! I own a 2008 with 195,000 miles. Not one single out of pocket repair. Just oil changes, tranny fluid changes, plugs, filters, diffs, coolant changes. Unreal. Have you done any repairs in yours? The CRV 2007-2010 are one of the most reliable vehicles on the road. And I love the look of the new ones.
Have you had any pulley or belt tentioner issues? My 06 civic EX has auto tentioner and pulley issues@@doublebase6509
I haven’t any issue with my tensioner. Knock on wood.
What year is it?
@@doublebase6509 Any advice on how often to change auto transmission fluid on a 6th Gen Honda Accord?
Fixing any issue right away is ideal to go besides the routine maintenance to prevent further damage to the rest of the vehicle. Have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma at 214k miles. Definitely keeping up with maintenance but did change ac compressor, rack and pinion, ignition coils, brakes, rotors, but also engine and transmission mounts, lower and upper ball joints, plus front driver wheel bearing twice. You’re right about hoses. They are all doing great. May need to replace a vacuum hose by the intake from changing out the air filter occasionally but that’s it since the radiator is still flawless. Great video. I also have a 2023 BMW and expecting to keep up with everything the same.
Nice work! You’re spot on about fixing the things earlier and keeping up with everything, because what ends up happening is when you let things go they just add up and up, and then you’re buried and you end up getting rid of the vehicle too soon (thinking it’s just too much). Good luck with the BMW, nice vehicle!
190k on my 2010 RAV4 V6. Same engine as your Camry. I’ve been doing an oil analysis the past few changes and it’s running great. It’s still a powerful engine and is a great highway cruiser. I’d love to get another few years out of it. It’s saving me so much money with no car payments and it’s still a nice car.
I love the engines in these things! I’m hoping to see if I can get it to 500k, but tha a long way away. At 150k now. I usually drive 25,000 a year
@@doublebase6509 they are great engines. I’m hanging onto my V6 for as long as I can since they seem to be going away.
09 highlander same engine got the vvti rattle at 160,000 now at 240,000 still runs smooth
I've got a 2004 Toyota Tacoma pre-runner and it's got 215,000 miles and still going strong. I have spent some money on it replaced a radiator and of course I did the timing belt and when you do the timing belt you do a few other things because you got to get to the timing belt so you might as well .
I do regularly have the oil changed at 3000 miles and air filters and all that kind of stuff. In recently I had the front bearings replaced on the right side I don't know what happened to that that was you know $ 500 but generally it's been a very reliable truck.
Very reliable trucks! That thing isn’t even broken in yet! Keep up the good work.
I loved this honest review. Everything you said was spot in at least with my car. 180k camry just replaced suspension and tires and cars runs like new. Also alternator, belt, starter, dog bone mount( 3rd time).
Got 220,000 on my Toyota Corolla le ! I been doing everything you have said! Awesome video thanks for sharing! Houston Texas
Thank you! Those Corolla’s are made for driving. Keep it up! What year Corolla?
@@doublebase6509 gen7 Corolla here... '96 had for 28 years in the western salt belt... it only has 137k mostly all city short miles... winter salt monster got to the fuel tank and fuel lines... + brake lines a decade ago
180,000 on my 2010 Infinite G37x Coupe ,change oil every 3,000 miles,replaced the Radiator, Fuel pump and Alternator as a percussion, doesn't burn runs great!
Great candid conversation, I don’t add brake fluid, I use it as a easy visual wear indicator without having to remove wheels.
That’s interesting, and you’re not the first person that has mentioned that. I may consider doing that.
@@doublebase6509 An older mechanic told me this, your list of items was great, thanks for taking time to put together and share.
just hit 16k miles on my 5MT impreza base. this is actually very helpful for future reference!
Change the oil often..
30 yrs 210,000 miles
I don't see many high mileage Imprezas
Engine in my ‘13 Impreza died at 115k miles, with a 4k oil change interval. Good luck!
I had a 07’ rabbit that I got to 270k before I sold it for a family car. Loved that thing. Only major repairs was a valve body, and a water pump, and just regular maintenance.
Good advise for a novice about car like me
We have the "hell caddy" 2008 cts with the evil 3.6l (ergo one of the worst to buy). I've pretty much taken care of it almost lockstep with your recommendations, and with luck on my side, I have over 300k without any surprises. The man speaks the truth about doing the simple stuff consistently. 👍 Great job on the video and good info that everyone should hear.
I have definitely heard about those caddy’s. You’ve done a great job with that thing!
thanks for this video just recently brought my first car a 2006 toyota avalon with 232k miles wanna make sure take care of this forever
You better hope it was well maintained. You honestly should have just bought a 1996-2004 civic. If the engine goes out a k24 engine costs like 500 dollars. And incredibly reliable and loves boost too.
Excellent info. I am a diyer and have been doing exactly what you said. My 2007 I4 Rav4 has 227k with no issues right now. This is what I have done to this vehicle. 3 waterpumps replacement, 2 sets of spark plugs, 1 set of coils, 1 Alternator, 1 starter, 1 set of front/back suspension, ball joins, 1 set of coolant hoses, 1 valve cover gasket. Of course the routine maintenance of 5k oil change, 5 yrs coolant change, 60k transmission oil change, brakes, tires, add freon etc. I added Berry B12 to the gas tank once a year. I did the pistons soak with Berryman B12 while ago and it significantly reduced oil burning.
I love posts like this!! Excellent job doing all that yourself! Saved a ton of money and kept that thing in the road. Keep it going. Why three water pumps? Maintenance or were they leaking?
@doublebase6509 The oem waterpump leaked around 60k miles. The replacement water pump leaked around 170k. Not long after the waterpump replacement, there was a crazy engine rattle around the waterpump, I replaced the waterpump again, and the tensioner and those weren't the problem. It was the Alternator that rattled, so I replaced the Alternator. Luckily, this vehicle and most Toyota models are easy to work on.
A good thing I got from this video is be careful on speed bumps. They will wear out your tie rods, struts and shocks.
I, too, am a mechanic who loves high mileage, well cared for cars and I have 3 of them: 2 Volvo's and a Mini Cooper. I do not drive enough to hit 500k miles on any of my cars, in fact, I'll be lucky to hit 200k in my 2003 Mini Cooper that I've owned since new. It has 174k miles on it now. The Volvo's have 158k miles and 170k miles on them. The thing I like about Volvo is their service schedule pretty much lays out mileage/time intervals for everything - filters, spark plugs, belts and fluids (including brake fluid but not transmission oil) so I simply stick to that and also apply it to my Mini.
I am also a DIY detailer - it's relaxing for me to clean my cars, so I keep them clean, shiny and waxed. I live in Phoenix, AZ with the unrelenting sunshine and my Mini lives outside, so to keep the paint protected, I have been fanatical about keeping wax on the paint, so each car gets wax at least 4 times a year.
A few things about your video: you probably misspoke when talking about timing belts breaking. You said engine damage results if the belt breaks in a non-interference engine but it is the interference engine that will have piston to valve contact if the belt breaks. A non-interference engine will not have have any consequences if the timing drive system fails.
Regarding hoses. As an owner who had at small hose split on my Mini Cooper at about 15 years of age (about 140k miles) and then a plastic coolant tee break open 2 years ago (resulting in warped head), I prefer ALL my hoses and plastic cooling system parts replaced by 12 years old. My Mini survived the first overheat occurrence when that small water pump hose split open, but the broken tee ended up with me replacing the engine and the entire cooling system except heater core. The shop where I work often has me replace upper/lower radiator hoses when I replace a radiator and I always shake my head thinking it's sort of false comfort to unknowing customers because there are other hoses in the cooling system that can fail.
On struts, I feel 100k-120k is a good interval or if they leak, whichever is sooner. I love a well sorted suspension. It really makes the drive so much more enjoyable when the car rides smooth and tight.
I know in your video, you were going for keeping costs down. When it comes to my personal cars, I sort of go all in when something needs repair. Loose tie rod? Inner and outer tie rods on both sides. Strut mount worn? New struts, mounts and bearings on the axle or preferably, at all 4 corners. I like to align my cars every year and my tires have worn perfectly on that regimen.
I like your style and have subcribed to your channel.
You’re right, I misspoke on the interference engine part but let me ask you, have you heard of non-interference engines having catastrophic damage when the belt goes? I have, but I haven’t seen it personally. I’ve heard valves can still bend even with clearance because of the lack of timing and unexpected speed of the belt breaking. No idea.
Thanks for the comment, love hearing high mileage stories. And you’re right, age is a factor with the hoses as well…and there are plenty of other little hoses that could fail (or clamps, usually it’s the clamps). The throttle body hoses can leak, seem that many times.
I experiment quite a bit with my maintenance routines, usually adhere to 5,000 mile oil changes but I’ve experimented to 10,000 on this Toyota simply because it’s non direct injected, non turbo, etc. Not sure how much longer I’ll experiment but the used oil analysis reports have been fantastic. But it goes against my maintenance beliefs a bit as well.
Volvos are the way to go! I have 3 of them. The older ones are some of the most reliable cars ever built for sure.
Cool! I am from Phoenix, AZ as well. Well now I just moved to South Carolina, few months ago.. but born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. I have an 08 S80 3.2 as well. I got it as my first car. 17 years old in 2021. Paid $7200+ tax with 89k miles. Clean title no accidents. The engine has been great, however the rest of the car is a different story. We have been fighting a vibration in the steering wheel that will not go away, we replaced the wheels, tires, front struts. Unfortunately, I got ripped off. Please be careful and use quality parts! I didn't need struts or any of this work! In a rare circumstance, I did lots of driving from work and back to my mom's house as my mom lived in Phoenix and my dad lived in Gilbert. I did lots of commuting. Majority of the servicing we did at Volvo Cars Arrowhead in Phoenix/Peoria off Loop 101. I love my S80 very much, and I named her Lola. She saved my life on the I-17 back in 2022, in a rear end collision. The car got fixed and still drives well. I have a strong emotional attachment and will never get rid of it. I have spent about $10 to $12 thousand in repairs over the 3 years of ownership. Including a brand new transmission from Volvo that costed 7 grand. I believe it went kaput do the the collision. My Volvo is still not fully sorted and needs the entire suspension. It sits in my garage until I have the funds. Right now I drive a 2020 Camry, which I bought myself and put $12,000 down. It has been nothing but a joy to drive and I do all the maintenance myself. My Volvo is the favorite car though, and I can't wait to get everything fixed in a few months. I love that car.
@@expertgaming1002 Awesome! I personally only owned one Volvo with a 3.2, it was an 08 xc90. It actually did not go too well. The car was most likely an auction car that I had bought from a used car dealer. The craziest thing was doing the serpentine belt on it, the labor was pretty nuts. It is easier to do on the 3.2 S80s though. But good for you you have had good luck with yours. I do really like the 5 cylinder Volvos and older though (2006 and older body styles) and have owned 3 2.5T S80s. Currently own a 2004 S80, a 1987 240, and a 1990 volvo 740 turbo. Yes the cars are very safe. Even the ones from the 70s are. I have been into volvos since 2012 (got my first S80 then) and all other from my collection were bought super cheap. The 240 only costs 700 bucks! Still on the road and have owned it now for 11 years. One thing I think that should have been mentioned in this video is how newer cars are a lot less reliable than older cars. The cars built now a days have plastic everywhere and will not stand the test of time like the cars from the 80s have.
@@doublebase6509 I have not heard of a non-interference engine being damaged when the timing drive breaks. I have first hand experience with a timing belt breaking on my own car though. I had a 1996 Subaru Impreza with the 1.8L engine (non-interference) where an idler seized resulting in about 20 teeth stripped off the belt while idling at a traffic light. The engine simply shut off and would not start. I bought a timing belt kit, timed the engine and it fired right up.
2005 Honda Element 2.4L 4 cyl/Auto. 357,500 miles. Orig Engine/ Water pump and Transmission. Fluid Filmed. No Rust (Michigan Rust Belt/ Road Salt City!) Oil changes every 5K synthectic (Mobil 1 or Penzoil Platnum, Trans fluid changes, coolant flushes, alternator, a new propshaft (AWD) and suspention. I live in Michigan and the roads are tough on suspension. Great car! Parts are cheap and it runs and runs! Soon to be 360,000miles!
That’s awesome! I have a 2008 Honda CRV with 191,000 miles. Daughter is driving it now. We’ve owned for 15 years or so…not one single repair outside of tires, brakes and maintenance. Honestly it’s probably been the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned. It wasn’t babied either. There has been more than a few longer oil change intervals on it than I care to admit. That’s what happens when you have four cars in the family and you lose track of things.
How much is the interval for your transmission? I want to do 50k intervals (i’m at 20k miles now) but I’m concerned that If I do 50k miles they may not actually do it, and then I’ll have it done at 100k miles and there will be an issue
@@TheAndersonOBrien depends on what vehicles you’re talking about. On my Toyota there is no service interval, they call it “lifetime fluid” in the untied states because of cafe regulations. The rest of the world has the service interval from 50,000 to 100,000 do ending in where you live (and temperatures in your country). But you can have your fluid changed whenever you want, no one can dictate that to you. If you want to change it tomorrow, change it. If you want to wait till 50,000, do it then. But I wouldn’t wait till 100,000 miles on any vehicle, but that’s just me. What you don’t want to do is change it after 150,000 miles - that sometimes adds risk that the new fluid will cause issues with an old unit and free up contaminates into the valve body, causing shifting issues. But even that is debatable. So change it when you want, if any place tells you no, take it somewhere else.
How do you get no rust and 350k here in michigan? Do you do an undercoat?
this is great - going for the gold on a 2013 z71 tahoe @ 192k now. and, I started doing preventative maintenance myself when I found out that substandard oils and filters are used at quick lube type places…. if you do stuff yourself, you can put in the best parts & fluids and you can go further if you want and you know it’s actually been done and done correctly with correct torques etc. not for everyone but it has become actually fun for me… 🤓
Love it! Keep up the good work!
I would also change the oil at 3-5k if you have a turbo. If you don't, you will start to see gas wash damage in your engine. Almost all turbo cars leak gas into the oil.
Yeah a direct injected turbo engine is something I’d cut intervals down on. A port injected non turbo engine I’d feel comfortable bumping them up a bit. With the number one factor being checking your oil level and knowing if you have a fuel diluter or not (plus the type of commute you have/climate).
sounds like routine maintenance i'm starting to do on a used fj cruiser i just bought! Hoping it'll reach at least 300k, 500k i'll be happy. 1 million miles is the goal!
Good luck! Love to hear it!
Very sensible video. I had a 2020 Jeep Wrangler with just under 60k miles on and still owed 18 months of $600 per month payments. My wife had been driving a Nissan Murano that we paid cash for but the mileage had gotten up there a bit and knowing the issues with the cvt trans, we decided to trade it for a 2022 Pathfinder (she also wanted the extra row for the grand babies). Once we purchased the Nissan, I couldn’t stomach the thought of two payments so I sold the Jeep and took the equity and bought a 2012 Toyota 4Runner with a little over 100k. Oil changes had been done at the dealership every 5k and trans fluid was flushed around 90k. Very clean and spent its life in Texas so undercarriage was in great shape.
I loved my Jeep but I know the reliability difference between it and the 4Runner are night and day. I hesitated a bit on the 4Runner because it was a 2012, but the difference in a 2016-2017 model vs the 2012 with the same mileage was around $5-7k and since they are all the same generation and haven’t changed much at all other than a little cosmetically, I didn’t see the need to pay extra for the look. My goal is to get it to 300k and with my current driving habits would get me there in 10-12 years. The difference in my wife’s payment and my old Jeep payment is around $150 per month so I’m going to try to put $200 per month into a savings account specifically for repairs/down payment on my next car. It will be interesting to see where I am when I decide to move on from the 4Runner. Again, very sensible video and I appreciate the information from a certified mechanic.
I think that’s a great strategy and I’m sure know how reliable and legendary those 4Runners were/are. Not unusual to see those things with 300,000 trouble free miles. Best of luck!
Great video, thank you for your insight and expertise.
Everything this guy is saying is 100% facts. I have a 2004 Toyota Camry 255,555 miles. I had to do both CV Axles, All 4 motor mounts, transmission service, Valve cover gaskets, new fuel cap, coils, spark plugs, new front calipers, new tire rods ends, new struts all around, New power steering rack, new power steering pump with all the lines and hoses being swapped out, new windshield, new headlights, and I had to take it to the body shop to get it repainted. Guys don’t let anyone fool you it’s takes work to get a high mileage car up there. Granted I’m the 3rd owner of this car so I only put 30,000 since ownership and some of these things could have been left out but I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to cars 😂. But yeah these things will eventually fail. My transmission also bucks in 1st gear. So eventually I might have to swap it out for used one.
Thank you for the comment. I love it when people actually list the repairs that have been made to a vehicle that has done some serious mileage. 255,555 is some mileage and because it’s a Toyota people think you won’t have to repair it. It takes some effort to get any car to high mileage. But I think it’s worth it.
@@doublebase6509The newer Toyotas are going that mileage without all those repairs. I don’t care what everyone is saying newer cars are built a lot better.
Yeah I do think newer cars usually have a lot of improvements and Toyota knows how to build a car. They usually investigate new technology very thoroughly before they implement it on their vehicles.
@@user-tb7rn1il3qI haven't driven new Toyotas so I can't be 100% sure of this. I agree that newer Toyotas are likely going further without maintenance. The question is is if Toyota allows customers to swap parts without having to do computer serial number crap for the car to accept the new part.
@@OtherDalfite Maybe for a main computer, but nothing else
I have over 408,000 miles on my 2001 Toyota Avalon and a little over 458,000 miles on my 1997 Honda Accord SE. Both have original engine and transmission.
Wow, that’s some mileage! Love that!
I bought a 1997 Lexus LS400 recently, came with complete history. 163k miles, and I'm taking it for a full service with Lexus soon. I'm going for a minor restoration basically. She will give me 500k or more, I'm sure of it.
Frigging love those cars!! I owned a LS460 for five years, loved that too. But the LS400 is just a legend. The LS430 is probably one of the most reliable luxury cars ever, capable of going 500,000. But it all started with that LS400…I think it’ll be a collector car soon, if it already isn’t.
@@doublebase6509I have an 05 ls 430. Been babied it’s whole life and fully maintained. Best car ever
@@joer1678absolutely love those cars!
My pathfinder hit 196k and I’ve had it 8 plus years but it had about 120k and it’s been good so far fuel pump and rad coolant over haul so far
You have one of the last years of Toyotas 2GR-FE. That’s basically a forever engine when cared for.
I agree, it’s a special engine and I feel like these newer engines have a lot to prove when compared to some of these older power plants.
@@18_rabbit I think it has more to do with direct injection and turbos/hybrid combos. Toyota took a big risk going turbo/direct injection/hybrid, all in one package. But I will say this, they are usually the last company to jump in on such things - meaning they usually wait, do their research, and refine while eliminating mistakes others make. But man they made some HUGE changes. Time will tell but I don’t like what I’m hearing the Tundra Turbo V6.
I live in Quebec, where we spray more road salts than the rest of Canada combined... I have to rustproof my car religiously every year. Currently driving a Kia forte 2020 with 40k miles; hope I can make it to 200!
Yeah I’ve been up to Quebec, you’re not wrong! Salt city.
I had an 1997 Intrepid and a 04 Dodge neon both made it to 250,000 if it wasn't for the salt they would have lasted a lot longer only thing I replaced was timing belts and water pumps transmission fluid oil. tires and brakes
Had a 2005 Kia Spectra that I drove for seven years. When I sold it in 2012 it had 227,000 miles and it still ran excellent with no oil consumption. All I did was regular maintenance - oil changes every 5k, timing belts at 70k intervals, coolant at 100k and 200k. Still had the original clutch and rear brakes. Nothing failed unless it was my fault.
Love stories like this! Nice job!
I agree with everything you say, just when it comes to suspension parts and cv axles, buy them from the dealer OEM they are the cheapest in the long run and your driving will feel almost like when it was brent new
You know what, I think I’m going to take your advice on that. I usually will go with aftermarket because of the cost but the quality and ride feel is never the same again. And I usually end up replacing them again early because they’re wiped out. I’m talking struts mostly, but also control arms, ball joints and wheel bearings. I’ve had some aftermarket wheel bearings go in under 10,000 miles - they may warranty them but I still have to spend time replacing them. That’s a a waste. I’m pretty careful/selective with aftermarket wheel bearing now because of that. But man, cost can be so high with some OE manufacturers. I owned a Lexus once and OE wheel bearings were $700 bucks a piece, but when you’re replacing them twice?? It makes you think OE would have been the right move.
Owner of a 2007 Tacoma with 250,000 miles. (Half way there!) Very important to stick with oem parts. Cheap (crap) aftermarket parts are ultimately expensive, if you have to pay labor to do the job all over again (or waste DIY time to redo). (There are exceptions, I'm sure, but this is a good general rule, if you want to reach 500,000 mile goal.) Anytime you are considering fixing something aftermarket, do some research on oem vs. aftermarket on the part. For example, I just replaced lower ball joints on my Tacoma. A quick search tells you that most aftermarket ball joints are complete crap. I went with oem. (I could give many similar examples on my own vehicle.)
I've had other suspension work done at 250,000 miles, and it's all OEM at this point. Very few aftermarket parts on my truck.
@@Robin1924 Totally agree with you. I replaced the control arms, ball joints, and axles on my Sienna minivan at around 150,000 miles and went with OEM. I had not so good experience with aftermarket suspension parts on my older Camry.
I live in Australia and own a Land Rover Discovery 2 with the Td5 motor. The vehicle is approaching 500,000 kms and runs like a Swiss watch. I believe the key has been doing all the maintenance myself, to be sure of the workmanship, constant observation of the engine and drive line and removing any unnecessary restrictions from the intake and exhaust of the motor.
A lot of mileage stories out of these engines, but I don’t think I’ve seen one as high as yours. Very impressive!!
Good tips but I would add replacing power steering fluid at 100k miles as well, super high PSI and small particles will cause a lot of damage over time because of the high pressures so I would argue changing the power steering fluid might save you power steering pump replacement on an older car. Also my mechanic advised changing my transmission fluid every 25-30k miles since I said I drive as a pizza delivery guy high city driving.
Good points! Someone else mentioned the PS fluid as well, and I agree…it’s easy enough to replace, it’s cheap. Makes sense. And I think your mechanic is spot on with those tranny services due to you delivering pizza. A pizza delivery driver would easily fall under extreme driving conditions. So would Uber, or driving for Amazon Flex. Those types of things. Cold weather driving, short trips, towing, using a truck for plowing, hauling, extensive idling. All this ^^^ and more will change maintenance interval length on engine oil/transmission fluid/brakes/suspension/tires. No doubt.
Power steering also goes out because of leaking seals and broken hoses
@@prostmahlzeit I find that when the leaks happen…rack, lines, whatever, if you’re not careful the pump gets wiped out pretty quickly. Honesty, I’m not seeing hydraulic power steering systems very often anymore on newer cars, they’re all electric. No fluid, no power steering pump, no lines to worry about. I didn’t think I’d like these systems buy so far I really can’t complain, they seem pretty reliable and they do what they’re supposed to do.
@@doublebase6509 electric power steering is much better than hydraulic in terms of reliability. But when the electric rack goes bad it costs a lot.
@@prostmahlzeit Yeah initially they were ridiculous in price! They’ve dropped quite a bit do to the amount of time they’ve been out there, and all the refurbished units have lowered the prices. Still higher than a hydraulic rack though, and if it’s a newer model car it’s going to be high.
Great video. Thank you so much for this excellent video.
I've had the oil changed every 3000 miles on a 08 Honda Accord 2.4 since we owned it from 50k miles. It now has 275k miles and feels like it can go another 100k miles.
Great advice I approve I do all the same maintenance. 2005 Camry xle v6, 315k miles going strong.
Great engine! Bet that thing will keep purring along for another 200,000
You need a garage in much of the country.
In cold areas, the snow/cold will pummel your vehicle outdoors.
Yeah I agree, there are theories stating different though. Have you heard people say that the garage will melt the snow and ice you accumulate on your vehicle and will activate the salt you picked up? Makes some sense but I’d still rather have the garage, it eliminates the cold starts in the mornings. Plus it keeps the rodents away from making a home in my engine bay in the fall.
@@doublebase6509 it is called 'cooking the rott' i believe with a heated garage... i do not have a heated garage, it is separate from the house so no need to worry about that!
also to keep rodents away from that tasty soy-based insulation on the wiring.
Rodents LOVE it. $$$$$. Another reason to garage/secure. It even happens during work hours if you park near dumpsters.
@@timewa851 it happens even when you don’t park near dumpsters. If you live anywhere and park outside (especially in fall) you’re going to get rodents, and even worse if you leave food in your cars. I tell my kids not to leave food in their cars, and they still do. When their vehicles end up with check engine lights I’m not going to fix it for them…I’ve warned them over and over again. They can pay someone $100’s to diagnose and fix an eaten wire.
They are making most cars too big to fit in a garage these days. They do that to make them more expensive to buy.
Bmw 740i 2016 inline 6
Oil change : 5k miles
Transmission fluid : 40k miles
Coolant : 80k miles then every 40k (so same time as trans fluid)
Plugs: 80k miles
Brake fluids : 3 years
Air suspension: 100k miles (average, but it could fail earlier, cost $1500 all 4 suspension and air pump doing it myself)
Then there could be more issues to replace over time.
On this car :
- i got to replace coolant tank and expansion coolant tank.
- backup battery for telematique unit
- coolant hose ($17 and 1.5 minutes replacement)
And few more things bad that i had to fix from previous owner that messed it up or place i bought it from.
Very similar routine as mine. I go a little longer on engine oil but that’s only in some of my cars (depending on commute/fuel system/analysis).
Most people cause the car to fail because they don’t maintain them. I have three vehicles. Hyundai Santa Fe 235,000 miles. Buick Park Avenue 160,000. Dodge Ram Diesel 390,000. All of them run perfectly. I change oil and filter at 3,000. I use full synthetic Pennzoil and a full flow high quality low micron filter. Change radiator fluid every two years. Fully flush transmission every 30,000 because I live in the mountains. I would change trans fluid at 50,000 if I lived on a flat area. I completely change brake fluid when I do my breaks after 100,000. I fix anything that breaks right away. Most auto repair shops are crooked so I keep a close eye on whoever works on my vehicles. It’s far cheaper to take very good care of an older vehicle than pay sales tax, finance, make car payments and be forced to carry comprehensive insurance.
I think where you say fix anything that breaks right away is a big part of keeping a car a long time. It keeps the vehicle in better overall condition, allows it to perform better, be safer and most importantly it keeps you happy with the vehicle. There’s nothing worse than driving around in something that’s old and needs multiple repairs on things.
@@doublebase6509 Fixing little things like replacing shock absorbers for example prevents the rest of the suspension components from wearing out more rapidly. That’s just one example of an often neglected component.
@@jerrypolverino6025 good point! A worn out shock is going to cause tire cupping, with the price of tires nowadays it makes sense to keep up with repairs.
The best argument against keeping ur car for 500k is the exact car u got but with only 100k miles.
Sure they might have neglected it, u gotta make sure its in decent shape but theres so many decent, low mileage old cars out there.
My car is 30 yo. Its worth like 1.5k if id buy it again. If i repair everything im sure it would run for mby 20 more years but if id fix every issue id pay like 10k. So 500€/year. If id buy the exact same car off a guy who kept it in decent shape i might pay like 2k. Mby 3k. It would also run for 20 more years to and it would only cost me 500-1500€.
1996 toyota corolla 401K miles same engine and tranmission.
NiCE! 96 Corolla here also with only 137k most all short city miles + winter salt monster battle
@@efil4kizum when you replace any engine or transmission mounts replace all 3 it will save you trouble in the long run.
@@bryceharvey4456 i bot all new mounts 4 of them for the Corolla OEM mounts... one of them was extremely Pricey!
Got a first-generation Honda Pilot at 227k, thinking about doing the timing belt as a preventative soon and it needs new rotors and struts. Not the greatest MPG even factory new but no rumbles or rough idling or transmission issues
2007 camry v6, 340xxx miles. 6,000 mile synthetic oil changes. 30,000 transmission drain and fill. 50,000 coolant drain and fill. First spark plug change at 300,000 🙈 . They never failed...just had to finally change them.
That’s awesome! 300,000 miles on a set of spark plugs!!?? Winner winner chicken dinner! Never heard of anyone going that far. Amazing. Nice work!
@@doublebase6509 ua-cam.com/video/LCWLtBkgBT0/v-deo.htmlsi=e7zoysUAkW9I9V0d
@doublebase6509 ua-cam.com/video/LCWLtBkgBT0/v-deo.htmlsi=e7zoysUAkW9I9V0d
Yea I gambled...lol
Thank you for commenting on undercoating ! Us salt belt guys need an extra step to keep things rolling long term!
I feel your pain! Half the country is unaware of what we go through.
@@doublebase6509Krown on all my vehicles and trailers once a year probably probably til the day I die haha
I would add a change of the differential fluid at 100/150K
I didn’t even think about diffs and transfer cases. Agree 100%. I tend to over maintain differentials and do them every 50,000…same for transfer cases.
Very practical and accurate video. Perhaps the issue with rust - maybe get a Volvo. Rarely seen an aged Volvo with a serious rust issue, besides those seriously neglected and those you generally want to avoid anyways. Also older D5 engines are quite reliable and don't really demand a lot of maintenance. I would though concentrate on the automatic transmissions as they have some issues. Besides that - without rust and major components issues, older Volvos are quite reliable and don't crush your wallet. Disclaimer - not a brand fanatic, but current Volvo driver and my Volvo safed me quite a bit of money over the years. The community is also great and supportive. Cheers and safe travels!
Thanks for the comment. Now, that I think of it you’re right…I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rotted out Volvo, or a BMW for that matter. Volvo has a high mileage club and it’s pretty impressive how much their owners/community love the brand. They are nice cars.
9:00 "my God, the more you know, the more you never will know " hydroscpic WTF!
I used to do rideshare full time for years, averaging 2500 miles a week and over 10,000 miles a month on average. I live in California and go all over the places from extreme cold in Truckee/Lake Tahoe to rainy weather in the Bay Area to 100F+ heat in Death Valley in Southern California. My cars/suvs are as good as new with my OCD maintenance schedule which includes:
Synthetic Supertech/Kirkland Oil w/ OEM Filter + Rotate Tires every 5000 miles (NA engine) or 3000 miles (Turbo engine)
Every 10k miles I change out Engine Filter + Alignment
Change out all my other fluids drain/fill every 25000 miles (7 fluids in total)
Every 50k miles Brakes/Tires
Every 100k miles Water Pumpt/Belts/Hoses/Spark Plugs/Ignition Coil
Every 150k miles, I change out my suspension
Yearly Undercoat (fluid film)
Yearly change out my windshield wipers with a newer silicone windshield wiper (for cold weather)
One time clear bra whole car (due to using automated car washes daily)
Every gas or diesel fill up is using Top Tier Brand gas stations (Shell, Chevron, Mobil, Costco, etc)
All in all, this comes out to roughly 10c/mile for a NA engine and about 12c/mile maintenance on Turbo engines.
Hope this helps! :)
That’s cool, what the most mikes you’ve put on a vehicle doing what you do?
Very thorough ,thank you
My 2005 tacoma base model with 5 speed manual has 205,000 miles. All I've done is change the clutch and flywheel at 175,000 miles and changed the spark plugs at 150,000 miles. The engine still runs great. I can go 5000 miles and it doesn't burn any oil.
You picked probably the ultimate vehicle to go 500,000 miles in, those things are legends.
Any Toyota with reg fluid, filters, plugs, belts, tires, pads, rotors, and struts will make it to 500k
Not the case anymore
Maybe the Japanese built ones. The ones honey boo boo makes in Kentucky… NOPE!
Not new v6 twin turbo.
@@aygwmThe new ones are actually even better.
@@nordicpride9708They are both exactly the same. They are made by robots.
My 13’ Ford C-Max hybrid just keeps rolling with 263k. I’ve done all my own maintenance, and besides a few fuel injector, failing randomly over the years, and a squirrel chewing some wiring I’ve not had any issues. It still gets 40+ mpg all day long city or highway. It’s honestly been a real blessing! It’s 2.0 duratec still doesn’t burn any oil, couldn’t say that about my last Toyota!
It’s funny you mention the squirrels chewing through stuff/wires. I swear the most causes I’ve seen with check engine lights are from mice eating through wiring. Drives me NUTS!
I appreciate your video!
Awesome video! I use a brake fluid tester so far im less than 1% after 4 years so I’m waiting
Sounds good!
Definitely not easy on a Mercedes but a walk in the park for a Toyota (with the exception of the new products).
Late last year about an 09 Prius with 246k miles on it. It's currently at a little over 251k. Runs like a champ.
Yeah I hear those can go a long time without issue. Well built/designed hybrid.
A 20 year old Corolla will outlast any new German plastic by 200,000 miles.
Made some great points- great video. If only people will take the time to watch it. I got 240k on a 95 Bronco - my secret...know your vehicle. I have spent some wonderful hours finding and fixing problems mostly on the electrical side. I look at what components are on the circuit that keeps blowing a fuse and I start testing those components for resistance. If it immediately blows another fuse that I know it's probably a short where the insulation has rubbed off but then again I got a lot of metal in my truck even in the interior panels LOL if I was going to buy a commuter used I would be ready to spend some time changing pads possibly rotors shocks / struts air filter cabin filter oil tranny fluid and before you crank up the car you're looking at pull the dipstick and make sure it's not got thick thick 80 weight in it and then once you crank it up using an extension to the top of the motor like a valve cover to your skull and listen if you hear anything other than what sounds like a vacuum cleaner just are swirling then you know that maybe walk away also if the dipstick itself looks like a burnt cookie sheet that tells you right there there's probably a high chance that someone went 20,000 miles at least once between oil changes
That’s a great post! Know your vehicle. I agree 100%!
Good stuff
210,000 miles on my 2011 Honda Fit 5 Speed. Original clutch, alternator, starter. I do my own oil changes and work if needed.. all preventative so far outside of brakes, tires etc. Ill see some Fits for sale still going at 300-400k but I want to go past that for sure
Yes! Nice work! Drive the heck out of that thing, maintain it, get your money’s worth and then some. I bet you can get to 500,000 in that thing, they’re built for it.
On my 1990 toyota corolla I got less then 30,000kms
All our cars are high km before sale:
2006 Yaris was just sold at 376,000 km.
The only thing wrong with it was the auto transmission which was showing signs of wearing out (not noticeable unless you owned the vehicle):
Mechanic suggested replacing it: $850 parts plus labour.
That's cheaper than a repair ~$4,000
N.B. Transmission fluid and filter were changed as per the handbook ~100,000 km. Bands were adjusted at least once. Extra ATF changes weren't helping much towards the end.
The mechanic who did the roadworthy on it a year ago was the one who bought it.
Very few things needed repairing during its lifespan:
1) Shock absorbers, struts and springs replaced with
slightly firmer and longer springs. A lift kit is ideal as the original springs sag after >100,000 km and are a bit too soft.
Didn't have to change anything a second time as the upgraded parts addressed the problems with the original items ~$1,500
2) Throttle body sensor replaced ~270,000 km: Hard to diagnose ~$300
3) Headlights replaced with aftermarket lights due to yellowing ~320,000 km (~$220 for two). This was a roadworthy requirement: Cleaning them might have been sufficient but we didn't want to risk having to pay for another inspection (costs almost as much as the lights).
4) Airconditioner compressor bearing went at ~320,000 km ~$450 for second hand compressor plus fitting and gassing.
5) Aircon fan got wet (blocked drain tube) and shorted ~$120 (5 minute job: 3 screws) ~120,000 km
Normal maintenance was performed every 10,000 km i.e. Oil changes
This car has a cam chain which means it never needed changing... unlike cam belts.
High efficiency oil filter was used and rarely changed (~80,000 km) as it wasn't picking up much.
Air filter changed every 40,000 km
Serpentine belt changed at >200,000 km
Radiator fluid changed ~100,000 km
Long life iridium plugs used and changed ~100,000 km
Still has original coils
Changed windscreen wipers ~100,000 km
Radio needs changing as the volume knob has almost stopped working.
The interior was quite dirty but only minor repairs were needed to fix stuff.
This car had 142 psi across all 4 cylinders when sold
It ran very quietly: You could barely hear the engine.
We decided it was not worth replacing the transmission on an 18 year old car as the cost was starting to exceed the value of the car. Upgraded to a 2015 Yaris with less km and impeccable maintenance.
🙂
Those Yaris’s just seems to last forever. Nice
Job!
"half a million miles, only replaced wipers and tires" haha
Dude you have the same exact mindset I have towards cars. I’m a mechanic and I’m fascinated with high mileage cars, especially ones that aren’t expected
Glad there’s someone else out there! Honestly, what’s wrong with us? There’s nothing better when it comes to cars than high mileage vehicles, especially the ones that shouldn’t make it to high mileage. I love those stories and that journey.
@@doublebase6509 same the story makes, just got a Honda element from a family friend with 230k miles. So many parts are original it blows my mind
Yeah those Elements go forever. I have an older CRV with 195,000 miles on it now…no lie, knock on wood, all I’ve done to it is front struts and normal maintenance. I just hope the rust doesn’t get to it.
@@doublebase6509 nice, I think all my oil leaks stopped a lot of the rust lol. Oil is probably the best way to prevent rust imo
Definitely. If that oil is getting all over that cradle up front it’ll keep it from rusting forever.
Interference engine is the problem one
Hoses mostly time out. Mileage doesn’t really matter
Yeah you probably have a point.
I have one of the original hoses on my VW from 25 years ago. If you keep up with the coolant they’ll last a real long time.
Best maintenance video ever 😊
I went half a million miles on my Camry without replacing a thing. Still has the original set of tires and all.
🤣🤣🤣
You smokin crack.
Damn! Original tank of gas and air fresheners too?
Great video, thanks 👍
Mine is 09 accord euro 2.4. It’s on 220,000 km. Drives very smooth.
I change my oil every 3k miles. Been doing that for decades. I don't buy into the 7k+ change intervals manufacturers suggest. I stocked up on Castrol GTX full synthetic 5w-30 oil when it was on sale for under 4 bucks per quart and I use factory Toyota oil filters. My total cost to change my own oil in my 2016 Toyota Yaris is under 21 bucks. Mt car has electric power steering, but if a car has hydraulic power steering I change that fluid when it gets dirty. For the CV boots and rubber suspension bushings I don't use silicone. I use AT 205 reseal in a spray bottle. I also use dielectric grease on any electrical connector that gets unplugged because that'll keep those contacts from getting corroded long term. If I disconnect a coil or fuel injector connector when changing a valve cover gasket the connectors get dielectric grease put on them. Even if I'm not doing anything in the rear of the car I'll still put dielectric grease on the rear wheel ABS sensor connections and EVAP connections around the charcoal canister. Just as a preventative measure because electrical connectors under the rear of the car corrode the quickest. I also totally agree on using NH oil undercoating or Fluid Film.
Hmm, I like that idea about the dielectric grease. Might have to give that a try.
This whole video can be summarized in one sentence "follow the necessary maintainance"...
My frontier I got at 156k, I'm at 185k right now. I changed every fluid. Only fluid that looked off was rear differential. The service record showed fluid changes at 70-90K. So not bad. I did change every hose at 175k because I started to get seepage here and there. Now the cooling system is 👌🏽 keeping the rust at bay. It'll rot before getting to 500k due to previous owners tho.
I’ve owned both Mercedes and Toyota. I had a Mercedes 3L diesel V6, the engine was absolutely solid. Just as reliable if not more so than the Toyota. I got it to 175,000 before I sold it and it still runs to this day. It never let me down. The main issue I’ve had with the Mercedes is the ridiculous amount of sensors that would fail (NOx, adblue, temperature, DPF, etc). The absolute worst thing about owning a Mercedes, in my opinion, is sensors sensors sensors
I think the consensus is the Mercedes diesels are a more reliable vehicle than their gas engines. But no doubt the sensors/electrical can be a nightmare with them.