When is "high-mileage"?

DirtySCREW

DirtySCREW

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According to oil bottles.....cars with 75k miles are "high-mileage". I remember back in the day a car with 100k miles was done for...wore out. Now 100k aint nothing. Heck, I have 129K on mine now.
So is it just a marketing ploy by oil companies to try and get sales?
DS
 
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I have 205K on my 99 Sable and 289K on my 99 Taurus wagon, purchased used 10 months old
from Hertz car sales, I got two cars for what some people pay for only 3/4 of a new car.

Engine manufacturing is so much better thanks to competition and if we do our part and
take care of problems when they pop up the car can last a long time.
 
I have a 2012 Honda Accord that has 120k on the clock. Every oil change has been at the dealership at 5k miles.

I checked the oil about 3k miles into this last oil change and found the oil was as clean as a new oil change. This is on a motor over 100k miles. It gets a full synthetic oil.

75k is just getting broke in.

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If your car is a chevy drive it off the lot and shes high mileage. If you drive a ford pull that new chevy back to the lot for the poor bastard and drive them to the local fomoco dealer and right the wrongs of the world.
 
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DirtySCREW said:
But....
With the price being the same....Why not get the high mileage version that supposedly helps seals and such?

DS

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Seals and such fail from heat cycles and dirt. No oil is going to prevent that. Oil its self fails from the exact same thing plus sheer. Thats why changing oil on a regular basis, based on proven time frames is the best thing to do.

Its all in the marketing.
 
DirtySCREW said:
So is it just a marketing ploy by oil companies to try and get sales?
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DING! DING! DING!

Give the man a kewpie doll!

Yes, it's a marketing ploy, same as the "change your oil every 3,000 miles" nowadays is a marketing ploy.

If you've been taking care of your engine in accordance with the manufacturer's directions (proper oil at recommended intervals), then you shouldn't have to use any "special" oils through the life of your engine.

Sludge build up should never be a problem in the first place, if you're doing this.

Seal conditioner additives have to do with rubber seals and gaskets. They are supposed to make them more pliable and swell up, stopping leaks. News flash here...if your engine has taken to marking your parking spot like a dog peeing on a tree, then the correct answer is to replace that leaking gasket. We're not talking an engine rebuild, here.

Extra anti-wear additives? Seems to me that if this were a REAL concern, the time for these additives was when the engine was newer and tolerances tighter, BEFORE the wear set in.

Burning oil? You've got problems that a different oil may only cover up, at best.


THAT SAID...if it gives you piece of mind, and you don't have serious problems that really require a mechanical solution, then by all means use a high milage oil. I doubt they'll do any harm, and frankly, the cost difference (if any) won't break your bank.
 
Agree that "mechanic in a bottle" only masks the problem(s).

Engine runs cleaner thanks to onboard computer, fuel injection, better oil and fuel.
 
A few months ago my 05 Toyota corolla hit 299,999 but hasn't rolled over yet and still running strong. May break down tomorrow but I put at least 400 miles a week and change the oil every 5,000 miles with regular oil. Thought about synthetic but hate to change what's worked so far. Got a 93 f150 with 130,000 miles that I can't afford to feed but it runs the same brand of regular castrol. Ones just a little thicker than the other.
 
My daily commute vehicle has ~230k miles on it. I'm hoping to make 300k and it doesn't owe me anything at this point. I've put two bigger ticket repairs into it: one when the water pump seized a week after it was in for service and the dealership said there was no visible indication that it was failing. Two when a plastic piece on the AC clutch broke and I could only get a compressor, not the clutch.
 
I guess my wife and I are the odd ducks here. every 5 years we alternate on getting new cars. so once we put 100kish or have a car ten years we get a new one. hate putting money into repairs when they could go to paying for a new car.
 
Agree that 100k is getting your monies worth and getting a new vehicle.

I do all the repairs except for alignments and NC inspections.
 
If I buy a new car and maintain it, drive it within reason (IE, don't drive it like a race car and exceed it's towing capacity on a regular basis), I expect to get 200k+ miles.

IMO.... 150k+ is high mileage.
 
BowWow said:
If I buy a new car and maintain it, drive it within reason (IE, don't drive it like a race car and exceed it's towing capacity on a regular basis), I expect to get 200k+ miles.

IMO.... 150k+ is high mileage.
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Kinda my thinking too. But.... Remember even if the engine can go 150k...Other items are surely worn and not replaced until they break...Tie rods...Ball joints...Was the trans serviced?.....Etc etc

DS

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I replaced transmission on '99 Sable at 190K, got reman unit from Ford dealer three year unlimited miles warranty,
the '99 Taurus went at 160K and is ready for the reman unit at 289K, I swap them out myself. They sell them at wholesale to anybody.
Both cars were 1o months old from Hertz car sales, about 24K on each at the time.

I pan on taking the Taurus to 500K, wife thinks I am nuts. It is my therapy to work on our cars.
 
I think 150k and up is getting into the high milage territory. With proper care most new cars can go to 200k without a major component needing replacement on average. It is really up to the driver how long they want to make it last. You can do a lot of repairs for what a new car payment will cost you.
 
I ran a 1989 Chevy 2500 HD pickup with a 5.7L for 7 years and over 600,000 miles. It was worked daily carrying heavy loads in cities and on the highway. One day, I heard a knocking noise and could have sworn it was a rod knock. Started to replace the engine. Removed the converter access cover and discovered a broken flexplate. Replaced the flexplate and ran it another 100,000 miles or so before selling it.

You can't beat the OHV pushrod engine design.
 
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'99 Honda Accord. I bought it new. It has 200k on it now. Other than battery, brakes, oil and 2 timing belt, the starter is the only thing that has been replaced so far. Although I am taking it in next week to have the clutch master and slave cylinders changed.
 
No one knows when high mileage is anymore :) I heard some dude tell a younger guy that they didn't make cars like they used to. I thought to myself 'damn good thing too'. 100,000 miles used to be a long life for a car and the rest of the car was used up by then too, not just the engine. Now even the interiors and paint will last 20 years easily on most cars.
 
Short Fuse said:
I think 150k and up is getting into the high milage territory. With proper care most new cars can go to 200k without a major component needing replacement on average. It is really up to the driver how long they want to make it last. You can do a lot of repairs for what a new car payment will cost you.
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I'm at coming up on 175k on the Honda and that's been my experience. The point where I needed to really start paying attention was around 140-150k. Had to have some serious brake work done over the last two years (as well as an air conditioning flush)... as you pointed out, it's nowhere close to "new car" cost, but it's getting to the point of doing the math each time something needs to be done. On the plus side, I shouldn't (fingers crossed) need any major work done for a while.

I figure if I get to 250k before the cost of repair overtakes the cost of replacement, I've done well. 225k might be a more realistic number, but I wouldn't be unhappy with that.
 
My 01 Dodge Dakota had over 325k on it and I never changed the oil. It was such a great truck that it changed it's own oil, all I had to do was change the filter :D
 
The math is easy. Paid for car costs $0/month + maintenance. New car costs $300+/- /month + maintenance

Once a car is paid off, one could put an amount equal to the previous payment per month into a savings account to cover future maintenance costs and any future down payment on a new car when time comes. Many cars today will last long enough that one can likely save enough to pay for the next one straight up, should they desire to do so.
 
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Run Amsoil no matter how many miles or the type of vehicle.

Only need to change the oil every 20,000 miles or once a year.

You're welcome.
 
Chdamn said:
Run Amsoil no matter how many miles or the type of vehicle.

Only need to change the oil every 20,000 miles or once a year.

You're welcome.
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What is this Amsoil you speak of good sir? (Read with British accent)

I know what it is...But is it really any better than Mobil 1 or Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic??
@Mikeoverlay

You have people debating whether synthetic is any better than dino oil cause they run their Chevy for xxx,xxx miles and never had any trouble. Uncle Ned had one..Blah blah blah...

So...Why is Amsoil better than other full synthetic oils?

DS

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DirtySCREW said:
What is this Amsoil you speak of good sir? (Read with British accent)

I know what it is...But is it really any better than Mobil 1 or Pennzoil Platinum full synthetic??
@Mikeoverlay

You have people debating whether synthetic is any better than dino oil cause they run their Chevy for xxx,xxx miles and never had any trouble. Uncle Ned had one..Blah blah blah...

So...Why is Amsoil better than other full synthetic oils?

DS

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Yes it definitely is. Amsoil is actually synthetic unlike the other brands you named.

"Synthetic" for most companies and brands is just a marketing gimmick. The only regulation on it is that each company must identify and set their own perameters for what they label synthetic. None of the major brands have synthetic as a carrier and most have no synthetic in them at all.

They are slightly "more refined" and have additives in them. Some have synthetic oils in them.

Amsoil is truly synthetic. Synthetic doesn't break down and blacken like fossil oil.

I put it in my 04 diesel about 4 months ago for the first time at 217,000 miles. Stiction was pretty much eliminated. Oil pressure is higher and now at 8500 miles the oil looks like I just poured it in yesterday.
 
Amsoil is more expensive (in my diesel it was $150 for the oil compared to about $100 for traditional oil) but changing every 20,000 miles will save money.
 
Chdamn said:
Yes it definitely is. Amsoil is actually synthetic unlike the other brands you named.

"Synthetic" for most companies and brands is just a marketing gimmick. The only regulation on it is that each company must identify and set their own perameters for what they label synthetic. None of the major brands have synthetic as a carrier and most have no synthetic in them at all.

They are slightly "more refined" and have additives in them. Some have synthetic oils in them.

Amsoil is truly synthetic. Synthetic doesn't break down and blacken like fossil oil.

I put it in my 04 diesel about 4 months ago for the first time at 217,000 miles. Stiction was pretty much eliminated. Oil pressure is higher and now at 8500 miles the oil looks like I just poured it in yesterday.
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Wow. Where do u buy it at? Ain't it thru independent dealers??

DS

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173k on mine, and plan to replace before 200k, or within 12 months because of my commute.
Still running fine, but I want to get out of it before I hit any major problems.
 
DirtySCREW said:
Wow. Where do u buy it at? Ain't it thru independent dealers??

DS

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For the most part yeah. @muskrat turned me on to a guy in Asheboro. A guy out of Denver is beating on my door since we're talking about running it in the big trucks.

You can actually buy it on Amazon too I believe.
 
toddje said:
Actually, @Chdamn, I personally know one of the chemists who worked/developed Mobil1. It's not the same as conventional, even remotely.
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That's fine but I've run it too and it works only slightly better than other fossil oils.
 
toddje said:
Do they have special filters or something? How do they keep the dirt out after so many miles?
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Not a special filter.

What i have found is that fossil oils break down. The oil itself blackens and it has nothing to do with the soot and carbon (or dirt) cleaned and picked up in the engine.

That overloads the filter and the oil turns black.

A true synthetic oil does not break down. It cleans just as well if not better than fossil oils.

The filter doesn't get overloaded with the breakdown of the oil so it lasts and performs longer.
 
Zedhound said:
I guess my wife and I are the odd ducks here. every 5 years we alternate on getting new cars. so once we put 100kish or have a car ten years we get a new one. hate putting money into repairs when they could go to paying for a new car.
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If it works for you, great.

But, especially as new car owners from the get-go, if you do your basic maintenance when you should, your cars should last well past 100,000 miles before ever needing any serious repairs. I'd consider hanging onto the vehicles until that point comes and THEN buying another new vehicle. Just put a car payment a month away until that point comes, if you want.
 
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