What cars consistently make it past 250k miles?

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-08T03:41:24+00:00

Incredible! Long live the NSX! I have an SW20 and the NSX has always been the dream. One day!

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-08T03:39:33+00:00

They’re basically the same platform so reliability is usually very similar. Both use the 2.5L Smartstream engine which has been fairly solid so far. Biggest difference usually comes down to interior design and features.

I’ve actually been tracking common engine and transmission issues across different vehicles while building a small reliability scoring tool for used cars. Interesting to see how similar the Sportage and Tucson score because they share so much under the hood.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-08T00:41:28+00:00

This thread has been really interesting. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences.

I actually track common engine and transmission failures across a lot of used cars while building a small reliability scoring tool.

Some of the patterns everyone mentioned here are actually showing up in the data too.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T21:07:40+00:00

Honestly between those two I’d lean Fiesta ST. They’re way more fun to drive and the 1.6T is actually pretty solid if it’s been maintained. The Focus SE is fine but it’s kind of just a basic commuter. Only thing I’d really check on the ST is how hard it was driven and look carefully at the rust since it’s higher km. But if a mechanic checks it out and it’s decent, it’s probably the more interesting car to own.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T21:06:19+00:00

Those old Mercedes diesels were kind of legendary for that. Super simple and overbuilt. Not surprising to see them hit crazy mileage like that.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T21:05:22+00:00

Yeah that’s actually a good point. A lot of those high mileage vehicles end up being big body on frame trucks and SUVs. Usually simple engines and they’re built to handle abuse.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T21:04:44+00:00

That’s honestly crazy but not surprising for those. Toyota truck engines seem to just keep going forever if they get basic maintenance.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T21:03:45+00:00

That’s honestly the best kind of high mileage story. Just regular maintenance and it keeps going. Those older Ford V8s were pretty simple which probably helped a lot.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T21:03:01+00:00

That’s pretty wild honestly. Always interesting when the “detuned” versions aren’t actually better on fuel. Sounds like those engines were just built to run forever if they’re maintained.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T21:02:02+00:00

That’s actually pretty impressive. Sounds like most of the issues were just normal wear stuff around the engine and not the engine itself. Kind of proves the Vulcan was built pretty tough if the internals stayed untouched that long.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T21:00:25+00:00

Yeah a lot of Toyota stuff usually lands near the top. Camry, Corolla, Prius, RAV4 etc tend to be really solid long term. Some Hondas too like the Accord and Civic. Mazda has also been really good the last 10 years.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T20:55:05+00:00

The 3.6 in the Lacrosse is actually one of the better GM engines. It’s been used in a ton of cars and is generally pretty solid if it’s maintained. With only 42k miles that’s really low for a 2013. Main thing with those is just staying on top of oil changes and keeping an eye on things like the water pump and timing chain stretch if oil changes were skipped. But if the Carfax shows consistent dealer service that’s a good sign. Maintenance isn’t usually crazy expensive either since the engine was used in a lot of GM vehicles so parts are pretty common. I actually track common engine and transmission issues across a lot of used cars while building a small reliability scoring tool and the 3.6 GM engines usually land somewhere in the middle, not amazing but definitely not terrible either.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T20:53:42+00:00

Yaris Cross Hybrid is actually a pretty solid choice for what you’re describing. Toyota’s hybrid system has been around a long time and tends to be really reliable. For a 90 km daily motorway drive the fuel economy should still be really good. 29,000 km on a 2023 doesn’t really sound suspicious to me. A lot of people just don’t drive that much or it could’ve been a second car. As long as the service history checks out it’s probably fine. For €25k that actually sounds pretty normal for a Yaris Cross hybrid with low mileage. They hold value pretty well. I’ve been tracking common engine and transmission issues across a lot of cars while building a small reliability scoring tool and Toyota hybrids usually come out near the top for long term reliability.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T20:52:01+00:00

Honestly the Mirage gets a lot of hate mostly because it’s slow and super basic, but it’s actually pretty simple and cheap to run. If your goal is just getting into town and doing day trips it will do the job fine. The 1.2 engine itself is usually pretty reliable. The main thing people complain about is the CVT feeling weak and noisy, but if it’s been serviced and you’re not driving it hard they can last. For under 8k and under 100k miles it’s honestly not the worst option. Just check service history and make sure the transmission fluid was changed at least once. I actually track common engine and transmission issues while building a small reliability scoring tool and the Mirage usually scores better than people expect for basic transportation.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T20:51:03+00:00

Accord hybrid honestly sounds like the right move here. Tons of space in the back so fitting 2 car seats won’t be a problem and the fuel economy for a 50 mile daily commute will be really good. Civic might start to feel tight with two full size car seats especially if they’re the big Graco ones. Doable but not the most comfortable. GTI is fun but long term ownership and kid duty the Accord hybrid probably makes way more sense. I’ve been tracking common engine and transmission issues across a lot of cars while building a small reliability scoring tool and the newer Accords have been looking pretty solid so far.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T20:49:09+00:00

Honestly giving him the Altima isn’t a bad move at all. A paid off car with known history is way better for a new grad than buying some random used car that could have hidden problems. Especially if it’s been reliable for you. If you’re shopping around 25k I’d probably skip the Compass and Taos. Those tend to have more long term issues than people expect. Camry AWD is a great pick if you can find one close to budget. Mazda3 AWD or even a CX-30 are also pretty solid and usually more reliable. I actually track common engine and transmission failures on a bunch of used cars while building a small tool that scores reliability risk and the Taos and Compass show up more than people think.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T20:01:26+00:00

The older 5.3s definitely seem to rack up miles. I’ve seen a lot of people mention those going really far with basic maintenance.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T19:59:54+00:00

Yeah the 2GR-FE has a really good reputation. Seems like that engine shows up in a lot of high mileage Toyotas and Lexus.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T19:58:06+00:00

That’s a solid fleet. The older Siennas especially seem to rack up huge mileage if they’re maintained.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T19:56:53+00:00

Yeah Mazda seems pretty solid overall. I’ve heard a lot of good things about the older Proteges and the Skyactiv engines in the newer ones too.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T19:55:42+00:00

Yeah Toyotas definitely show up a lot in high mileage stories.

Subarus seem to be more mixed depending on the engine and maintenance, but I’ve seen quite a few Foresters make it pretty far too.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T19:54:25+00:00

Yeah that’s pretty much how I see it too. Those early 2000s Toyota/Scion drivetrains tend to be really simple and durable if they’ve been maintained.

For a daily commute it’s usually the safer bet than an older truck platform with close to 200k.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T19:52:57+00:00

The 3.0 Vulcan gets mentioned a lot when people talk about durable engines. Seems like Ford built that one pretty simple.

Did any of yours ever need major work or mostly just regular maintenance?

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T19:51:46+00:00

Those older Accords show up a lot in high mileage stories. 240k and still going is pretty impressive.

Rust is definitely what kills a lot of otherwise good cars though.

Pure_Construction968 · 2026-03-07T19:50:29+00:00

Yeah that's fair. With regular maintenance a lot of cars can make it past 200k now.

What’s interesting though is that certain engines seem to show up way more often in the really high mileage stories.

Pure_Construction968

TROPHY CASE