When Do You Worry? What is your magic number?
By Kimberley
@mom210 (9036)
United States
September 12, 2016 9:07am CST
My Van just went over 200,000. Our last vehicle was a 1996 Plymouth Voyager that only lasted to 150,000. When the transmission went out that third time, we parked it. Our son drove a Plymouth Bonneville to 225,000. Another son drove a Plymouth Grand Prix to 215,000. Seems like most vehicles last to about 200,000 these days. When I saw it roll over to 200,000 my heart sank. Seems like that is the magic "your car is gonna die soon number".
I know some people do not even want to risk making to that magic number. For some people, I have found the magic number is 100,000. They want to get rid of it at that point. My mother is a "100,000 miles vehicle person" as soon as it hits 100,000 we wants it gone. She says when they hit that number is becomes one problem after another and she does not want to deal with it. We have found many vehicles these days go way past that so 100,000 does not scare me. I have even heard some people say they have driven to 300,000, usually that story is associated with a Toyota. Seems like they really last.
So what is your magic number, when do you worry? I would love to hear some stories about vehicles that have gone past 200,000. We will be driving this until it dies, but I am walking on egg shells until then. Keeping my eyes and ears open to anything possible problems. We are limited to what we can drive with our family size, so it is not an easy task to even find a vehicle that fits us. I am not at all excited about having to buy another vehicle.
Everyday I praise Vanzilla, my 15 passenger van. I tell her she is looking great and running fantastic. We have not had any issues with her and her engine is a former dump truck engine from the factory. Hopefully they really make those to go go go! Keep it up Vanzilla.
So Tell me your 200,000+ stories. Give me lots of hope.
Have a wonderful day!
32 people like this
34 responses
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
12 Sep 16
My last car, a Toyota Corolla, came very close to 200,000 and I would probably still be driving it except that the second engine blew and I decided that was a sign of bad things to come. Mileage never bothered me. I always judge the car by how well (or not) it kept going and what my mechanic would tell me when I'd bring it in for regular checkups.
4 people like this
@Blondie2222 (28611)
• United States
12 Sep 16
Well I hope you don't have problems with your vehicle but sometimes we do and gotta deal with it. I would just drive it until it gives you problems. I have a 2008 Suzuki sx4 crossover and i only have 65,325 miles on it.
3 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
14 Dec 16
Hubby has an older Ford F-100 that has tripped a few times. Knock on wood its still going strong.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
18 Dec 16
@mom210 Those oldies but goodies are great for kids. I am hoping that the truck will still be running when our 7 year old is old enough to drive.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9036)
• United States
20 Dec 16
@Shellyann36 The other great thing is they are very sturdy in an accident. No worries about kids getting hurt at least not as much as the tiny little cars.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48442)
• Canada
13 Sep 16
I agree with the number-200,000 but here it is in kilometres, and that is less then miles.
So we usually start shopping when we hit the 190,000 mark, because we usually are in need of a new vehicle within 10,000 km's and we drive our vehicles until the wheels fall off.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (48442)
• Canada
14 Sep 16
@mom210 Our worst was a small truck, with a stick shift in the middle, for 3 passengers. AND it had no heat in it for the last couple of years, it was really cold during the winter time. It was a 4 cylinder engine and the last time that my husband drove it, he thought that it was only running on 2 cylinders, the engine was gone. So he had to find a replacement immediately.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458144)
• Switzerland
24 Sep 16
We do not drive so many miles here in small Europe. We have sold our Ford two months ago. It was a Ford Fiesta 1999, we made a little more than 100,000. It was still a good car, but we are so much penalized using old cars here. The annual license costs the double than a new car, same for the insurance and you have to bring your car every year to pass a test and this costs about 250$. I loved our Ford, but it has become too expensive to keep.
2 people like this
@mom210 (9036)
• United States
27 Sep 16
@LadyDuck We can get very attached to our cars. I got upset when I had to get rid of my little ford Tempo, it was the sports model with a cute spoiler and 2 doors. My very first new car. But we had wall to wall car seats in the back and I was pregnant with a forth, time to move on to a minivan at that point.
2 people like this
@HazySue (39264)
• Gouverneur, New York
15 Apr 17
I don't have a magic number. We just drive them till they quit. Right now my husband has a truck that he calls a "beater". He keeps it around to do the work he doesn't want to use his newer truck for. It has now reached over 300,000 miles.
1 person likes this
But he always sells our car after 3 years to buy a new one. He wants the old sold while its selling price is still high so he could add more money for the new car.
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
16 Sep 16
I never kept a car after 5 years, no matter the mileage. Now I don't have one anymore. I use public transportation and walk.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
15 Oct 16
@mom210 Yes, our circumstances and needs are different! 
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
12 Sep 16
We only have 23,000 miles on our suv and it's over two years old. We usually trade in around 2-3 years, once we kept a car for 5 years. So we will never see high mileage.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
14 Sep 16
@mom210 The only vehicle my husband ever kept long was his '69 elCamino - he bought it new in '69 and we sold it about 6 years ago. It had more miles than I can count LOL
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9036)
• United States
14 Sep 16
@AbbyGreenhill Oh I love those, they are so nice looking! We had one when I was a little girl and I thought it was just the coolest vehicle ever.
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54189)
• Louisville, Kentucky
17 Sep 16
I currently don't have a car, we use my brother's. I once had a Pontiac Sunbird that I had for 13 years. I don't remember the mileage but I know it was way up there. I remember when it hit 100,000 miles and I was scared for a while but it ended up being a really good car.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325798)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Oct 16
Our Holden Calais (in Australia) is just coming up to 210,000 kms which would be less in miles so hopefully we won't need to replace it for a while yet. I have a little Hyundai Excel but it doesn't get used a lot nowadays. It is a hatchback so is useful from time to time as a little workhorse.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9036)
• United States
9 Oct 16
@JudyEv I have had that kind of car, it makes me not want to leave home. I broke down on railroad tracks one time. A nice homeless man helped me push it off the tracks and I gave him some food (I had just bought groceries) and all my money. Poor him, I do not carry much cash though. I think all my money was less than $1
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
17 Sep 16
hmm, i don't even look at these gauges in front of the car's steering wheel. i drive but i have no idea about all these numbers up front.
1 person likes this
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
28 Sep 16
My magic number would be the year of the car, not the mileage. My van is a 1998 and when we bought it it had 86,000 now it's about 115,000 I think.
But I so wish I could drive a NEWER vehicle....even though I know how much I need to be thankful to have a vehicle at all.
1 person likes this
@mom210 (9036)
• United States
29 Sep 16
I understand that. I agree it would be nice to have a newer one. This is a 2005, but I call it a bottom hauler, meaning it has NO bells and whistles. Not even a light if the door is ajar. The mirrors have to be moved by hand, so on a cold winter day (yes we have them in GA) I have to reach out and adjust the mirror if hubby has driven it. Not the end of the world, but a little knob inside would be so nice.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
15 Oct 16
never had a van my own, and don't know. but you are right about Toyota. my Camry lasted way over 200, 000 and then I had to leave it to my daughter when I moved to AZ again back in '07. didn't last long with her though cause she never had the money to keep it in shape. I miss it
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Oct 16
We had a toyota that lasted to 300,000 miles! Little things went wrong when it got that high, some things not worth putting more money into it.
We had a suburban that lasted to 220,000 miles. We were grateful it lasted that long!
My parents have a Honda and its at 198,000 miles and has no issues at all.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14752)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
24 Sep 16
We have a car with more than 200K on it now. It is well-taken car of b/c we are hoping to see 300,000 miles.
We will let you know if we get there!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
14 Sep 16
My van is over 10 years old, I'm pretty sure it's mileage is over 200,,000. Bought it used and it owes me nothing, we have a great mechanic who keeps us safe. We also have a brand new van, the same make and model we lease. The good car goes on long trips, the rust bucket stays in our area where we live...
1 person likes this
@HebrewGreekStudies (1646)
• Canada
20 Oct 16
Actually, I tend to pay very little attention to that on my cars...I'm very lucky in that I tend to have a great deal of anxiety and just worry anyway;). Mmmm, it seems like something always goes wrong, no matter the mileage:/.
1 person likes this
