In Autotrader, I find most Lexuses, Mercedes E classes, some Vauxhall Omegas and Ford Mondeos have often over or near 150,000 miles mark.
There are exceptions, but mostly some specific cars are advertised with very high mileage.
Why other cars can't do that mileage? Especially smaller cars?
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Would you like to do 50,000 miles a year in something the size of a 1.0 Fiat Panda?
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No one buys Lexuses, E Classes, 5 Series, etc. with their own money. They are pretty much all leased by companies and used for company business which normally means lots of miles.
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Most likely because people who drive many miles want a very comfortable car, so buy something big and comfy.
Its not to say that small cars cant do high miles - there are many around with decently high miles on them, it sjust not the kind of car that people buy for that role.
As such its not really a case of not being capable, its just they arent often called upon to do so.
An example for you - a mate of mine ten years ago was running a 1981 Fiesta 1.1L in obligatory beige. Never serviced in the 6 years he owned it yet somehow it managed to get up to 187k before a gearbox part failed big time on an ill advised downchange on the M4. The car was about 17 years old at the time, so it hadnt been a high miles car per annum.
Since finances force, I am keeping my Charade which in the last year has completed 16,000 miles. It is approaching 41k and still feels as tight as new, so with routine maintainance, who knows how far it will run to - I shall let ya know!
Found a Micra with 151k, Punto with 141k, Kia Pride 145k, Corsa 1.2 160k, another Micra with 168k and another with 175k. So yes they can clearly.
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A bodyshop owner I knew once told me he suspected all Volvos left the factory with 100,000 miles on the clock...
In agreement with the poster above I go with the idea that people get themselves a decent car if they know they're going to do lots of miles in it. (Says he of the 300k mile Octavia Classic SDi.)
Dave TD.
Edited by Dave_TD {P} on 14/05/2009 at 21:04
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If the miles are covered in a few years there should be no problem, but who does do 30,000 a year in a small car apart from driving instructors?
My dad's driving school Fiestas have all done in excess of 100,000 miles, but in three years. Even the one I bought at 35,000 and sold at 70,000 did at least 130,000. The last one he sold is used by his mechanics wife as a run around, that's done nearly 150,000.
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Also bear in mind that the bigger cars you mention often form the backbone of executive hire fleets. they and Ford Galaxies/Toyota Previas are basically posh minicabs for alot of their lives eg 3 or 4 airport runs a day or are driven by a driver for a company CEO - some of them cover alot of business miles as the car is effectively a mobile office in the back.
I do wonder where all the black E classes or Ford Galaxies/VW sharans that belong to some of the big private hire firms in London end up...one of them I believe has over 600 black VW sharans on the road...must be alot of second hand ones somewhere.
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who does do 30 000 a year in a small car apart from driving instructors?
Me - 1.4 Polo - 24- 30k miles per year. A small car but nippy enough and sits on the motorway munching up the miles with ease. Sure I would love a bigger more comfortable car but funds sadly do not extend to such luxuries.
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Just about any modern car can do the miles -- I've been in a local taxi a couple of times which is a 52-plate Proton Persona with 270,000 miles, on the original engine and box according to the owner.
The only reason most cars of this type don't reach these figures is the type of people who tend to buy them.
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