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At last count I saw it had 2.7 million miles on it.
You need to be concerned with cosmetic and mechanical items if you want your car to last a really long time.
That means washing it at least once a month if not more, and waxing with a high quality hard wax every 3-4 months. Store it indoors and when it's outside try to park under shade or AT LEAST use sun visors to protect the interior. If your seats are leather apply leather conditioner every few months and remember to clean your interior reguarlaly. Don't eat or drink in the car.
As far as mechanicals go I would replace your entire cooling system (hoses, t-stat, radiator) on cycle. Maybe hoses/t-stat every 3-4 years and radiator every 8 or so. If you lose a hose your car will overheat and potentially blow a head gasket. That is an expensive repair and it might damage the engine beyond repair.
Any car can last "forever" it depends on how much money you want to put into it. I have a 15 year old Volvo w/ 160k on it, I plan to keep it a long time, and in doing so I am going to swap in a manual transmission so I don't have to worry about getting a rebuilt auto tranny put in. Manuals will last the life of the car if properly treated. Clutches are a wear item but that's about it.
Synthetic oil, synthetic oil, synthetic oil. With high quality oil filters.
At last count I saw it had 2.7 million miles on it.
You need to be concerned with cosmetic and mechanical items if you want your car to last a really long time.
That means washing it at least once a month if not more, and waxing with a high quality hard wax every 3-4 months. Store it indoors and when it's outside try to park under shade or AT LEAST use sun visors to protect the interior. If your seats are leather apply leather conditioner every few months and remember to clean your interior reguarlaly. Don't eat or drink in the car.
As far as mechanicals go I would replace your entire cooling system (hoses, t-stat, radiator) on cycle. Maybe hoses/t-stat every 3-4 years and radiator every 8 or so. If you lose a hose your car will overheat and potentially blow a head gasket. That is an expensive repair and it might damage the engine beyond repair.
Any car can last "forever" it depends on how much money you want to put into it. I have a 15 year old Volvo w/ 160k on it, I plan to keep it a long time, and in doing so I am going to swap in a manual transmission so I don't have to worry about getting a rebuilt auto tranny put in. Manuals will last the life of the car if properly treated. Clutches are a wear item but that's about it.
Synthetic oil, synthetic oil, synthetic oil. With high quality oil filters.
There is one common thread that knits all these cars and drivers together......MAINTENANCE, MAINTENANCE, MAINTENANCE,MAINTENANCE!
These owners follow what I call "Pre-flight checklist" ,just like pilots use on their planes, on their cars all the time.....""Gordon monitors his Volvo's oil, transmission fluid, and coolant levels, as well as the tire pressure, at almost every fuel stop," the article reports. "He also checks all belts and hoses, replacing them when they show signs of wear. Start paying close attention at 50,000 miles and every 50,000 thereafter, he says."
If you put that many miles on it in 5 years, then you must be putting alot of highway miles on it. Those are gentle miles. Pontiac engine's aren't known for longivity but you might get lucky. You can make the car last for 250k miles but, things will start breaking, if not in the engine then in the suspension, brakces, transmission, etc., and you will get to a certain point where it will be more cost effective to buy a new car.
But you might get lucky with the gentle highway miles.
Pontiac engines? What the hell are you talking about?
How to make your car last forever? Don't drive in New England. Salt kills.
That is good advice. Our cars here in Nevada might have some heat damage to the interior, but it is nothing compared to the havoc caused to the underbody of car exposed to road salt.
No, I know. I was agreeing with Linson that Dd714's comment about Pontiac's engines not being 'known for lengevity' was crazy talk. First, there's no such thing as a 'Pontiac' engine, and hasn't been for decades. It's a GM engine, simple as that. Second, as has been mentioned, the 3.8L is a great motor. So is the 4-cylinder used in the smaller Pontiacs. And the LS motors put in the bigger boys? Fuggedaboudit! Can't kill 'em.
Don't know which motor Dd714 was thinking of when he made that comment. Maybe the less-than-stellar 3.1?
Auto makers actually make less and less money off the actual sale of the vehicle, in some cases, they've sold vehicles at cost. They make more and more of their money on servicing said vehicles.
very true. In fact they would love to make a 'forever car' They would have a line at the dealerships to buy them.. There is not such thing. Parts wear out., Tell me one mechanical that operate under a cars conditions that last forever. No such animal
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Our cars here in Nevada might have some heat damage to the interior, but it is nothing compared to the havoc caused to the underbody of car exposed to road salt.
