Making Your Car Last 200,000 Miles

August 6, 2010

Interview with Jim Travers Associate Editor of Consumer Reports

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Mike Carruthers:
Cars and trucks that last over 200,000 miles - not long ago it was unheard of, today it's quite common.

Jim Travers:
There have been advancements in everything from engine technology to rust-proofing to even the quality of motor oils that all contribute to make cars last longer than they used to.

Jim Travers, Associate Editor of Autos for Consumer Reports Magazine, says people who have cars for over 200,000 miles work at it.

They take care of the car according to the maintenance schedule in the owner's manual - it's pretty simple if you just follow that. Another key thing to do is to take care of little problems as they come up before they become big ones. A small leak can turn into a big leak; can turn into a blown engine.

Keeping your car clean is also important.

Because a little scratch can lead to a little bit of rust, which can then lead to a rust hole. Sand in the carpets, that kind of thing can lead to wear and rips on the inside as well.

In the Consumer Reports survey, the cars that racked up the most miles (some over 400, 000) drove mostly highway miles rather than stop-and-go.

There's nothing that's going to put more wear on an engine than a lot of short trips - and that's something anybody can do even if you're not driving on the highway all of the time. If you just combine several short errands into one trip, that'll be much better for the overall wear of the engine.