Remember that post about the
Mustang with 900,000 miles on it? Well, as the linked article and readers’ comments pointed out, high mile vehicles are
not unusual.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Association’s (NHTSA) latest report confirms this
observation. It shows that the average passenger car easily exceeds 150,000 miles, while pickups, SUVs and vans
routinely yield 180,000 miles. This is in comparison to a 1995 study where the average car reached 125,000 miles and
the latter grouping managed 150,000 miles. Interestingly, the NHTSA report also reveals that while passenger vehicles
are lasting longer (in terms of years), pickups (specifically, light trucks) and SUVs are lasting less when
compared to the 1995 study. Analysts attribute this change due to the increase usage of such vehicles as daily
transportation instead of hauling cargo.
While technologies such as corrosion protection and synthetic oils
are partly credited for the increased longevity of today’s vehicles, maintenance–such as regular oil
changes–remains a key factor.