Expected Life/Mileage

damertata

I am looking into the following cars and would love to hear what a good life expectancy is for them. If you have one, had one, or know of any, please let me know how many total miles they can get (some situations) and most likely get (average). THANKS!!! :)



Toyota RAV4

Honda CRV

Suzuki Grand Vitara

Subaru Forester

Subaru Outback

MikeInNH

It ALL depends on how well you maintain them and how you drive them. ANY car can reach 500k miles if you put enough money into them.

A better question would be how far you can get with the least amount of money. I don't have too much experience with any of those vehicles..but have had some experience with some of the companies (Toyota and Honda). From my experience either of these should easily be able to reach 200k miles with little maintenance beyond normal maintenance.

Caddyman

There is only one number to consider. Cost per mile. The Suzuki will probably provide the lowest cost all things considered.

SteveF

Does it really matter? There are not many people who care to keep a car for its entire life, either 300K miles or 20 years, whichever comes later. All you really need to know is that each of the cars on your list will outlast your emotional attachment to it.

Joseph_E_Meehan

Frankly with proper care and no accidents most any car can do 300,000 to 500,000 miles. The reason few make it that far is lack of proper care or accidents. Not many cars will go 500,000 miles without a serious accident. When that accident happens the true value of the car is often less than the cost of repair so it get junked.

VDCdriver

As others have already said, the longevity of a vehicle is largely dependent on you--namely how diligently you maintain the vehicle, and how you drive it. If you maintain it properly, monitor fluid levels regularly, follow up promptly on any unusual noises or vibrations, avoid potholes, etc. etc, the life of virtually any modern vehicle is far longer than cars of yesteryear.

So, I suggest that you choose a vehicle with a better-than-average record for frequency of repair (this probably eliminates the Suzuki), and then care for the vehicle as if you want it to last forever.

pleasedodgevan

Some of the longevity is based on the type of vehicle. The Honda and Toyota seem to be based on small trucks. It may not be the absolute truth but the Subaru's seem like overweight cars to me and when they have expensive repairs when they are older, the owners may choose to junk them and start over. It seems that there are fewer truck-like vehicles in the junkyard than cars. It could be because the utility vehicles are recycled to the maximum where cars are just crushed. My reasoning may be off if a lot more caes are sold than sport-utes. In any case I think the Suzukis and the Subarus will be more problematic than the two others you listed.

Unknown

I believe 10years/150k miles of driving without major repair is pretty universal.

Unknown

The Toyota RAV4/Honda CRV are based on cars.

Unknown

Keep your car out of the winter salt and hot southern summer sun and you have the beginning of keeping a car that you can drive far from home indefinitely.

The next question is which car will have readily available parts after 10 years. A popular model that changes little or was produced in the same form for several years is your best bet. In addition, I prefer a car that has plenty of dealers wherever you will go such as Chevrolet or Ford.

Toyota, Honda, Suzuki and Subaru dealers are rare in small town USA.

mcparadise

In my opinion, vehicles built by Honda or Toyota will last longer than anything else.

The Subaru Forester and Outback get great ratings from Consumer Reports, but my personal experience with Subaru is that they are expensive to operate and maintain. GREAT in snow, however, and I still have my '96 Legacy wagon.

I much prefer my '97 Accord, however. It gets better mileage, is more comfortable, and costs less to maintain. There have been several Toyotas in my past, and all were extremely reliable and inexpensive to maintain.

If you're car-savvy, and can do some of your own maintenance, a Suzuki might be a good buy. I'm not afraid to try different brands now and then, and have had good results with cars most people consider not worth looking at.

If you're talking about used cars, it all comes down to the individual car. Each is different. You can get a good one or a bad one. Roll the dice!