I find it interesting that some of you have mentioned that some American cars in the '70s and '80s only had 6-digit mileage meters! It's like the manufacturer thought his product would fall apart at 999,999 miles! 

Quote from: Byteme on July 17, 2008, 09:13:43 AM
I would be willing to bet she has the service records to back up the million plus total miles.

It appears she has done a lot of rather benign highway miles.  A million miles in urban traffic; no way.  A million with the majority on the highway; possible.

I'd bet the same thing.

Anyone remember the craigslist listing of the 900k mile 1990's Civic? (I think it was a 94/95 Civic with 938k to be more precise)
That guy put on those miles making interstate road trips on a regular basis, just like this lady. Makes sense if you think about it: covering distance quickly in a low-stress state would enable you to reach such high odometer readings; and it's the exact same reason cars get better mpg on the highway.

Quote from: cawimmer430 on July 17, 2008, 10:57:59 AM
I find it interesting that some of you have mentioned that some American cars in the '70s and '80s only had 6-digit mileage meters! It's like the manufacturer thought his product would fall apart at 999,999 miles! 

There weren't many cars back then that made it past the 99,999 mark.  It had to do with planned obsolescence.  In the '50s, a car would last about 3 years of average driving before the maintenance costs would start escalating.  I remember seeing quite a few Mercedes in the '50s and '60s with huge rust holes in the door/fender panels.  Same with Citroens.  The NA models weren't much better.

Quote from: cawimmer430 on July 17, 2008, 10:57:59 AM
I find it interesting that some of you have mentioned that some American cars in the '70s and '80s only had 6-digit mileage meters! It's like the manufacturer thought his product would fall apart at 999,999 miles! 

Ummm, 5 digits, not 6.

And the same was true about the Mercedes 240D we owned for a while.

Quote from: thecarnut on July 16, 2008, 02:02:15 PM
Ugly car though.

Take it back.

Now.

Quote from: hotrodalex on July 17, 2008, 08:02:13 PM
Take it back.

Now.

Just because you have one.

Quote from: thecarnut on July 17, 2008, 08:05:08 PM
Just because you have one.

And it's amazing. 

Quote from: hotrodalex on July 17, 2008, 08:09:02 PM
And it's amazing. 

Autotragic?

What a briliant thread. The world would indeed be a happier place if we all drove around in Camaros and Mustangs that lasted for a billion years.

Quote from: omicron on July 17, 2008, 10:18:39 PM
What a briliant thread. The world would indeed be a happier place if we all drove around in Camaros and Mustangs that lasted for a billion years.

lol now you have me wondering if I'd still be driving my piece of crap 1986 V6 Mustang if it would keep running for that long.

come to think of it, I'd probably have died in that car when the Excursion came barreling into me on the freeway

Quote from: omicron on July 17, 2008, 10:18:39 PM
What a briliant thread. The world would indeed be a happier place if we all drove around in Camaros and Mustangs that lasted for a billion years.

Would we have to run whitewall tires too?

Quote from: 280Z Turbo on July 18, 2008, 12:35:02 AM
Would we have to run whitewall tires too?

On some models, yes. Vinyl roofs, too.

Quote from: omicron on July 18, 2008, 12:38:41 AM
On some models, yes. Vinyl roofs, too.

What you're describing sounds like a grim dystopian society.

Quote from: 280Z Turbo on July 18, 2008, 12:42:02 AM
What you're describing sounds like a grim dystopian society.

3-speed automatics and strip speedometers!

Quote from: thecarnut on July 17, 2008, 08:14:42 PM
Autotragic?

No.

Quote from: omicron on July 18, 2008, 12:45:09 AM
3-speed automatics and strip speedometers!

Strip speedos are a great retro idea, but I would rather run my engine through a set of bicycle gears with a huge chain linking it to the differential than to put up with the worthless 3-speed auto my old Mustang had

Quote from: thecarnut on July 17, 2008, 08:14:42 PM
Autotragic?

I would prefer an automatic for this type of car.

Quote from: Vinsanity on July 18, 2008, 10:03:16 AM
Strip speedos are a great retro idea, but I would rather run my engine through a set of bicycle gears with a huge chain linking it to the differential than to put up with the worthless 3-speed auto my old Mustang had

You evidently don't remenber the Powerglide; Chevrolet's two speed automatic which was available until the early 70s. 

Quote from: Byteme on July 18, 2008, 12:28:17 PM
You evidently don't remenber the Powerglide; Chevrolet's two speed automatic which was available until the early 70s. 

And is still a dragstrip icon...

call me a spoiled n00b, but I really can't imagine what it's like driving a car with only two gears.

IIRC, my aforementioned 3-speed auto Mustang turned just under 4000 rpm at 85 mph (the highest speedometer reading), and the old pushrod six sounded like it wanted to asplode.

Quote from: Vinsanity on July 18, 2008, 03:25:43 PM
call me a spoiled n00b, but I really can't imagine what it's like driving a car with only two gears.

IIRC, my aforementioned 3-speed auto Mustang turned just under 4000 rpm at 85 mph (the highest speedometer reading), and the old pushrod six sounded like it wanted to asplode.

That's because it was a clumsy old six, not a space-age-smooth Special Super Turbo-Thrust V8.

Quote from: omicron on July 19, 2008, 01:39:45 AM
That's because it was a clumsy old six, not a space-age-smooth Special Super Turbo-Thrust V8.

lol, hopefully it would at least turn fewer rpm's on the freeway