Accurate Automotive is a repair shop in Northglenn, Colorado. In addition to the services any family mechanic shop offers, it also shares advice and insights with its 397,000 followers on TikTok. When shop owner Alex Kacsh tried to define the shifting phrase “high mileage,” he touched on some major changes in the automotive industry.
How has the definition of “high mileage” changed over time?
When working on cars built through the 1960s and even 1970s, mechanics assumed an engine would need a full rebuild around 100,000 miles. But many cars built in the first couple of decades of the 21st century often run for 250,000 miles without so much as a transmission fluid change. Some mechanics warn that even more recent cars won’t last nearly as long.
Why didn’t old cars last as long? Materials weren’t as good and manufacturing wasn’t as reliably precise. Take, for example, the gap between an old engine’s piston rings and cylinder wall. It might vary between cylinders, and at least one piston ring often needed replacement by 100,000 miles. Today, consistent materials and manufacturing mean many engines with 100,000 or even 200,000 miles are running strong with good compression in every cylinder while burning minimal oil.
The result is that legendary vehicles such as the Toyota Highlander or Honda Accord are often still on the road with 200,000 or more miles. Kacsh explains, “If you asked the industry in 2014, high mileage was always considered above 200,000 miles. Always, always considered above 200,000 miles.”…