2.8 Million Miles on his `Car ~> WoW
#1
08-25-2010, 04:13 PM
2.8 Million Miles on his `Car ~> WoW
* Filling in the empty`spaces to give you something to read : )
Irv Gordon’s Three-Million-Mile Quest
Member's, it's a good read.
Do you think you could get to 3 million on your Monte ? ?
He’s Driven His 44-Year-Old Volvo Since New
Posted: Aug 25, 2010
IIrv Gordon and his Volvo P1800. Josh Max©
by: Josh Max | AOL Autos
You’d think a guy with almost 2.8 million miles on his car would want to stay put for a minute. But Guinness Book of World Records holder Irv Gordon, a 70-year-old retired science teacher who bought his 1966 Volvo P1800 new, is aiming to roll his speedometer over to 3 million miles in the next three years. “I got a full tank,” he says, as I climb into the passenger seat of the small red coupe outside a diner in Medford, NY, “And we can go anywhere you want.”
Not Ready For A Museum
I settle into a well-worn seat groove and acclimate myself to the rolling museum surrounding me, including the dash-mounted pushbutton radio, a Smith magnetic gas gauge that waggles wildly back and forth, and an assortment of toggle switches and *****. I reach behind my right shoulder for a seatbelt and grab a ... what is this hunk of gnarly canvas with a buckle at one end?
“That’s the seatbelt,” Irv says. “It’s not retractable. You just squeeze the buckle and clamp it.” Irv fastens the belt for me, and we’re off. The ride’s smooth, the engine sounds healthy, and it’s a beautiful day except for the extreme summer heat.
“Does this thing have air conditioning?” I ask.
“Yea, the 465,” says Irv. “Four windows at 65 miles per hour.”
Irv’s says he’s driven “just about every Interstate in the U.S. many times over,” as well as taking victory laps through Sweden, Holland, Germany and the U.K.
Mishaps Along The Way
It hasn’t been a dent-free 44 years, either.
“I’ve had my car backed into by a tractor-trailer and the nose crushed,” Irv says. “A lady in an Oldsmobile ran into the back of the car. I’ve had people who were trying to park take out my quarter panels. I even had school buses back into it on two different occasions. Nothing is forever. But that’s why they put paint in a can.”
And why did Irv buy a Volvo, when, in the ’60s, Ford and Chevy were still the kings of the American motor market? Was it a process of careful search and selection to find a car he’d still be driving 44 years later? Was it luck? Or a bit of both?
“I’ll tell you why,” he says. “I had two Chevys and both of them gave me nothing but trouble. The first one had electrical problems, they were never able to fix them, and GM wouldn’t stand behind the guarantee. The second one had serious engine problems. It broke rocker arms and push rods every few hundred miles. I couldn’t even drive the car. I was a brand new schoolteacher in 1962, I was driving 125 miles each way into Manhattan and back and I needed a car that wouldn’t break down.
A foreign-car enthusiast friend listened to Irv’s tale of woe, and pointed him toward a local dealership.
“I went to the Volvo dealer, took one of their models for a test drive and kept it out for three hours,” says Irv. “I just loved it, but I thought I couldn’t afford it. Then I saw the little red P1800, which, at $4,150, was just about a year’s salary for me. I traded in my Chevrolet, borrowed some money from my folks, bought the P1800 and disappeared. This was Friday. I didn’t come back until Monday, and I put 1,500 miles on the car that weekend.”
Gas was 18 cents a gallon in 1966, says Irv, adding, “I remember being taken aback when it went up to a quarter.”
Irv logged 500,000 miles over the next 10 years. Then in 1998, with 1.69 million miles, he made the Guinness Book of World Records for most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle. At the two million mark in 2002, he drove the P1800 through Times Square. In all the years Gordon’s been driving the P1800, the engine has been rebuilt just twice. Gordon leaves the big repairs to a mechanic but does the routine maintenance himself.
“My tune-ups take less than five minutes,” he says. “I change the oil in my driveway, and do the brakes, too.” His P1800 has the original body, engine block, transmission and differential.
Leader Of The Pack
Irv’s long-haul story, though singularly impressive, is part of an increasing “keep your car” movement happening across the U.S. A recent survey conducted by Jiffy Lube reveals that more than half of U.S. drivers hope to have more than 150,000 miles on their vehicle before replacing it, and more than a quarter aspire to clock 250,000 miles or more. A Facebook page called “Keeping My Ride Alive” has racked up more than 1,200 members since its inception 2 months ago, with members sharing tips, photos, inspiration and exasperation.
Mechanical engineer Roy Lindahl has been driving his white Jeep Cherokee since the day they drove off the lot together seventeen years ago. He and his vehicle, "Jeepy," recently reached a major milestone when the odometer hit 400,000 miles. Lindahl, of Lafayette, CA, credits regular preventive maintenance for ensuring his ride stays roadworthy.
“I treat it like a family pet,” Lindahl says. “I make sure it’s clean, I wipe and wash it, open the hood and visually inspect it on a regular basis, make sure everything looks right. One thing I really believe is having clean oil and filters clean. I was an auto mechanic and I will never forget the sludge of some engines people brought in for repair. Rocker arms were squeaking because they were so dry. I saw the damage and it became my mission to keep my car properly lubricated.”
Irv Gordon concurs on the value of proper oil and lube. “Maintaining a car over decades and millions of miles doesn’t just happen accidentally,” he says. “You’ve got to follow the factory service manual, replace worn or broken parts immediately and don’t let little issues become big issues. I have been extremely good to this car. I don’t even let anyone else drive it.”
Today’s road test is but 20 miles at the most, but Irv’s enthusiasm is undaunted. After he reaches his ultimate goal of three million odometer miles, he says, “Who knows? I’d like to sell the car for a dollar per mile. One can only hope. I’m waiting for offers to be tendered. I’d like to retire in the fashion to which I will become accustomed.”
Irv Gordon’s Three-Million-Mile Quest
Member's, it's a good read.Do you think you could get to 3 million on your Monte ? ?
He’s Driven His 44-Year-Old Volvo Since New
Posted: Aug 25, 2010 IIrv Gordon and his Volvo P1800. Josh Max©by: Josh Max | AOL Autos
You’d think a guy with almost 2.8 million miles on his car would want to stay put for a minute. But Guinness Book of World Records holder Irv Gordon, a 70-year-old retired science teacher who bought his 1966 Volvo P1800 new, is aiming to roll his speedometer over to 3 million miles in the next three years. “I got a full tank,” he says, as I climb into the passenger seat of the small red coupe outside a diner in Medford, NY, “And we can go anywhere you want.”
Not Ready For A Museum
I settle into a well-worn seat groove and acclimate myself to the rolling museum surrounding me, including the dash-mounted pushbutton radio, a Smith magnetic gas gauge that waggles wildly back and forth, and an assortment of toggle switches and *****. I reach behind my right shoulder for a seatbelt and grab a ... what is this hunk of gnarly canvas with a buckle at one end?
“That’s the seatbelt,” Irv says. “It’s not retractable. You just squeeze the buckle and clamp it.” Irv fastens the belt for me, and we’re off. The ride’s smooth, the engine sounds healthy, and it’s a beautiful day except for the extreme summer heat.
“Does this thing have air conditioning?” I ask.
“Yea, the 465,” says Irv. “Four windows at 65 miles per hour.”
Irv’s says he’s driven “just about every Interstate in the U.S. many times over,” as well as taking victory laps through Sweden, Holland, Germany and the U.K.
Mishaps Along The Way
It hasn’t been a dent-free 44 years, either.
“I’ve had my car backed into by a tractor-trailer and the nose crushed,” Irv says. “A lady in an Oldsmobile ran into the back of the car. I’ve had people who were trying to park take out my quarter panels. I even had school buses back into it on two different occasions. Nothing is forever. But that’s why they put paint in a can.”
And why did Irv buy a Volvo, when, in the ’60s, Ford and Chevy were still the kings of the American motor market? Was it a process of careful search and selection to find a car he’d still be driving 44 years later? Was it luck? Or a bit of both?
“I’ll tell you why,” he says. “I had two Chevys and both of them gave me nothing but trouble. The first one had electrical problems, they were never able to fix them, and GM wouldn’t stand behind the guarantee. The second one had serious engine problems. It broke rocker arms and push rods every few hundred miles. I couldn’t even drive the car. I was a brand new schoolteacher in 1962, I was driving 125 miles each way into Manhattan and back and I needed a car that wouldn’t break down.
A foreign-car enthusiast friend listened to Irv’s tale of woe, and pointed him toward a local dealership.
“I went to the Volvo dealer, took one of their models for a test drive and kept it out for three hours,” says Irv. “I just loved it, but I thought I couldn’t afford it. Then I saw the little red P1800, which, at $4,150, was just about a year’s salary for me. I traded in my Chevrolet, borrowed some money from my folks, bought the P1800 and disappeared. This was Friday. I didn’t come back until Monday, and I put 1,500 miles on the car that weekend.”
Gas was 18 cents a gallon in 1966, says Irv, adding, “I remember being taken aback when it went up to a quarter.”
Irv logged 500,000 miles over the next 10 years. Then in 1998, with 1.69 million miles, he made the Guinness Book of World Records for most miles driven by a single owner in a non-commercial vehicle. At the two million mark in 2002, he drove the P1800 through Times Square. In all the years Gordon’s been driving the P1800, the engine has been rebuilt just twice. Gordon leaves the big repairs to a mechanic but does the routine maintenance himself.
“My tune-ups take less than five minutes,” he says. “I change the oil in my driveway, and do the brakes, too.” His P1800 has the original body, engine block, transmission and differential.
Leader Of The Pack
Irv’s long-haul story, though singularly impressive, is part of an increasing “keep your car” movement happening across the U.S. A recent survey conducted by Jiffy Lube reveals that more than half of U.S. drivers hope to have more than 150,000 miles on their vehicle before replacing it, and more than a quarter aspire to clock 250,000 miles or more. A Facebook page called “Keeping My Ride Alive” has racked up more than 1,200 members since its inception 2 months ago, with members sharing tips, photos, inspiration and exasperation.
Mechanical engineer Roy Lindahl has been driving his white Jeep Cherokee since the day they drove off the lot together seventeen years ago. He and his vehicle, "Jeepy," recently reached a major milestone when the odometer hit 400,000 miles. Lindahl, of Lafayette, CA, credits regular preventive maintenance for ensuring his ride stays roadworthy.
“I treat it like a family pet,” Lindahl says. “I make sure it’s clean, I wipe and wash it, open the hood and visually inspect it on a regular basis, make sure everything looks right. One thing I really believe is having clean oil and filters clean. I was an auto mechanic and I will never forget the sludge of some engines people brought in for repair. Rocker arms were squeaking because they were so dry. I saw the damage and it became my mission to keep my car properly lubricated.”
Irv Gordon concurs on the value of proper oil and lube. “Maintaining a car over decades and millions of miles doesn’t just happen accidentally,” he says. “You’ve got to follow the factory service manual, replace worn or broken parts immediately and don’t let little issues become big issues. I have been extremely good to this car. I don’t even let anyone else drive it.”
Today’s road test is but 20 miles at the most, but Irv’s enthusiasm is undaunted. After he reaches his ultimate goal of three million odometer miles, he says, “Who knows? I’d like to sell the car for a dollar per mile. One can only hope. I’m waiting for offers to be tendered. I’d like to retire in the fashion to which I will become accustomed.”
#4
08-25-2010, 09:10 PM
The man here in the U.S. several years ago who made it to 1,000,000 on his Silverado got a new one from Chevrolet and GM took apart the engine to analyze wear. Maybe Volvo should do the same for him?
#6
08-26-2010, 05:49 AM
Can't spell PIMP without an MP
Monte Of The Month -- November 2010
2010 Monte Of The Year
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Grove City, Ohio
Posts: 2,626
#7
08-26-2010, 05:58 AM
...`Gregory, your Monte is still a `Infant 
LOL...you have a lot of driving 2 do to catch `up 
___________________________________________
Cars that last a million miles
Yes, it's still rare to see a million miles on an odometer, but it happens. And while in decades past automobiles were often junkyard-bound at 100,000 miles, today's cars can easily run 200,000 miles or more with minimal maintenance.
By Christopher SolomonMSN Money
Automaker Saab announced recently that it would give a free car to any original U.S. Saab owner who drives the car 1 million miles or more. Spurring the challenge were Wisconsin insurance salesman Peter Gilbert and his 1989 Edwardian Gray Saab 900 SPG, whose odometer not long ago clicked over to six zeros.
His car, now in a museum, still has its original engine and turbocharger.
That's impressive, but he can't touch retired New York schoolteacher Irv Gordon, who's in Guinness World Records for having driven more than 2.5 million miles in his cherry-red 1966 Volvo P1800. Though stories such as Gilbert's and Gordon's happen once in a blue moon, people who drive their cars for several hundred thousand miles today aren't so unusual. And they're not all devotees of Swedish iron.
Virtually every marque -- Chrysler, Honda, Chevrolet, even Miata -- has a not-so-underground community that's just as proud of the car at 500,000 miles as when it was new, maybe even more. (Mercedes and Volvo hand out grille badges and window stickers.) And their secrets range from the mundane to the downright mystic.
"Days past, 100,000 miles was usually the average life of a car," says John Ibbotson, a workshop supervisor who's in charge of vehicles that are tested for Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center in Connecticut, referring to vehicles from the 1950s to 1970s.
"At 100,000 miles, we were into major engine and transmission rebuilding," Ibbotson says. "Cars in the '90s, it was 140,000, 150,000 miles."
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports the average life span of a vehicle is 12 years, or about 128,500 miles. But that could be low simply because people don't maintain them, Ibbotson says. "If you bought a car today, there shouldn't be any problem with that car going 200,000 miles," he says.
Ibbotson's tips:
- Read the book. "The biggest key is doing the maintenance that's in the owner's manual," he says. Simply stick to that schedule. But amazingly, he says, "very few people read the owner's manual."
- Clean me. Don't let road salt build up on a car if you're in a state where you have to worry about that. It'll rust the car's body.
- Money isn't the answer. Not every service will prolong your car's life. "Some dealers offer fuel-injection cleaning (for example). It's not necessary," Ibbotson says.
- Pray for luck. "There is some level of luck" whether you get a car that lasts forever, Ibbotson says. He recalls his father recently sold a 1995 truck with 200,000 miles, and it was in good shape even though he had done almost "absolutely nothing" to it. Meanwhile, a friend has a newer truck of the same model, same body style, with only 65,000 miles, "and that vehicle has had much more maintenance done."
#8
08-26-2010, 06:05 AM
Could it be Volvo doesn't do that because they expect their cars to reach 3 million miles? :p
#10
08-26-2010, 08:11 AM
...If my Math is correct, he would have to average about 4400 miles a month in his 66 volvo or about 150 miles a day everyday since he has owned it....WoW....I could be wrong cause I did the math on paper, the old fashion way : ) LOL