How many is too many??

[Kelso]

No, I'm not talking about LED light bars, radio antennas, deep cycle batteries, project rigs or girlfriends... I'm talking about kilometers (miles, for those of you south of us Canadians).

I've been spoiled to have had a few new vehicles over the last several years but I returned to life with a used vehicle earlier this year and I must say, it feels good! Not only do I no longer have payments, but I could buy and scrap a similar priced vehicle every year or two and be no worse than what I was paying in depreciation!
Don't get me wrong, if you can afford it and you prefer a new vehicle that's cool. But for someone with "car ADD" like me, used is they way to go!
I won't get into vehicle particulars, I don't think, to avoid it turning into that sort of competition, but it might come in handy for comparison and knowledge sake later... Please play nice if it does.
Let's get down to it, how much is too much when it comes to mileage for an "overland" type rig. I'm talking one that may or may not be a DD but sees regular run about town use in addition to camping and trips. Not just an off-roader.

I currently have 240,000km on my rig and it's great, no worries at all. I am considering downsizing though and found a rig I quite like with just over 300,000km (just under 200k miles).

My thoughts are if the engine runs good and lots of big services have been done recently it should be ok, but I've never owned a vehicle with that much. Is that just begging for a breakdown in the bush or a barrage of constant little failures?

How many have you racked up? Do you stay below a certain number? When does it all go wrong? (Besides when you buy a Jeep) hahaha I'm sorry I had to!

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[Kelso]

Oops, this should be in general discussion probably. Can it be moved?

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[Boort]

@Kelso

My 1997 Tacoma is over 310k miles. This is the 2nd Toyota truck I've driven over 250k miles. It all depends on the initial quality and how truck is maintained.

Boort

 

[old_man]

A lot depends on the make, model, and year of the vehicle.

 

[Kelso]

A lot depends on the make, model, and year of the vehicle.

Ya, it kind of does. I currently have an '04 2500 Suburban with the 6.0 and the vehicle I'm eyeing up is a second gen Nissan Xterra with a manual trans.

But still, I'm trying to start a bigger conversation than just my particular situation.

I know I've sold one of my trucks from paranoia that it was going to fall apart, but it hadn't yet. 2011 F350 diesel with 250,000km which was rode hard and put away wet. I sold it a couple years ago and that was the most I've racked up on a vehicle.

Who's kept a vehicle until the wheels fell off and looked back and thought "that's when I should have sold it"?

Who has determined, from their own experiences, when it's time to get rid of their vehicle? And when is it, and why?

Some people think when a timing belt is due the vehicle has to go. How about you?

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[Longshot270]

A friend of mine has consistently had expensive stuff fail just after replacing the air conditioner compressor. That's his flag to trade it in.

Another friend of mine will trade a Ford off at the first minor oil leak but replace every steering and suspension component, ac compressor, etc. on a 400k mile Chevy after the front wheel fell off on the highway.

I can haggle a new vehicle to 10k over the used vehicle price so there's very little gain in risking an unplanned major component failure. If I could afford shops and vehicle down time, I'd run them into the ground, but it just isn't in the cards right now.

Moral of the story, a machine only wears out from the first crank. You are betting against the odometer on a cheap vehicle not getting expensive.

 

[trfkcop]

Depends on use. I just got rid of a 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe with 200,000 miles. Ran great, no "real" issues, but it was a daily driver and family road trip vehicle. Reliability was my main concern. If my Wife had the vehicle for road trips, and I just relied on Tahoe for running around going to work. I would still have it.

 

[Boort]

Who's kept a vehicle until the wheels fell off and looked back and thought "that's when I should have sold it"?

Who has determined, from their own experiences, when it's time to get rid of their vehicle? And when is it, and why?

My family have had a series of Fords, based on those vehicles, I'd drop any Ford like a hot rock at 90k miles.

• 86 e150 van - Electrical gremlins starting at 80k, Rust, Brakes and Trans. failure @120k miles.
  
• 91 Bauer Explorer - engine @ 95k miles, first transmission @ 105k miles, 2nd at 125k, life long gremlins
• 04 e150 van - Electrical gremlins starting at 50k, ate Brakes and lots of engine component failures 100k-115k miles (water pumps, AC, belts, ECM,...).
• 2x 200? Focus both dead before 60k miles
• 08 e150 van Just ate it's first trans at 60k miles over the summer, locks no longer work reliably, rattles whistles since day one.

Other family and friends were into Mercedes, BMW, Audi's those were all reliable till the warranty ran out then became an adopt a mecanic's child program around 50-60k miles.

1997 Tacoma 310k on the clock original engine, tranny, clutch etc... Time to replace front struts (thus my questions around here for recommendations for suspension upgrades)

Boort

 

[Kelso]

Thats funny Boort,

My dad had a 97 E250 van that ran to 400,000km of only city driving with minimal maintanence. Finally decided it wasn't professional looking enough to fix whatever it was that went out.

I'm not brand loyal. I love Toyota's and had a few but I have a hard time paying the cost of admission since I don't keep them long enough.

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[kickkem]

In my humble opinion the primary problem with high mileage vehicles is the Automatic Transmission. I can pretty much fix anything else, either in advance as preventative maintenance, or in a parking lot of a parts store. My current rig has a pair of oil coolers and an extra filter on the transmission. By the way, this is a very easy and not very expensive effort. It has 160,000 and shifts and drives fine, for the moment.

I had a Tranny go on a rig once, due to clogged cooler, while vacationing in CO. Thankfully it made it to a shop. Long delay, rental vehicle, and lots of cash later I made it home. Not much fun.