FAQ: High Mile Club - Wear/Repair Reports

Just passed 280,000 miles. On average, the fastest Riviera here! Assuming it was born on 9/1/1998 (only ~1800 are younger) this is 5436 days or 130,464 hours. 280,000 miles / 130.464 hrs is 2.14619 average miles per hour for every hour it has been around.

My abs light would come on and my brake light would flash a lot, I flushed the brake system and it fixed those problems. My car threw a check engine light, running lean, vacuum leak from the egr tube. Fixed that and fuel pump went out, fixed that and now my car is running amazing, I found out by this website on everyone helping me out telling me what to do. Thanks you guys!

First year report:

Tuneup
Fuel lines
Belts
Steering rack
Transmission gasket, filter and oil
Brakes
Tires
SC oil
Various light bulbs
Detail in and out

I'm still hoping to replace the lights in the heater/AC control panel.

Paid under $2,000 for a car with 200,000 miles. Have under $1,000 into it. For $3,000 I have a lot more car than I could get with half the miles.

A little love and these cars go forever!

.....forever.....

I had to update my vote on this. I'm now at 128k. Put 28k on the car since I bought it back in June 2010.

I'm at 220k
I've always felt like I don't put on too many miles these days for being a sole daily driver especially if I look at what AA's putting on but I guess I put a fair amount on. Curious, I looked at my mod/repair notepad and I put on about 7000-8000mi a year.
Anyway I think my drive-train is mostly invalid for the sake of this thread as it has all been changed, and not really due to any normal wear/failure circumstances. Most of the common stuff like AA posted about I replaced for the sake of piece of mind/upgrade/etc not really from failure.
So what's actually gone bad? I can tell you the brushes in my alternator don't have a whole lot of life left lol otherwise still original at least as far as I know. There's not a ton of things that I've replaced due to a failure. There's the front wheel bearings I replaced twice because the first aftermarkets I got sucked I guess (time will tell on the 2nd set), belts/pulleys seem random but again aftermarkets don't seem to hold up as well, cradle mounts! 3/6 failed completely.

Stuff I kinda expect could fail any day..
*alternator (brushes are gonna be done kinda soon)
*break line (they don't look terrible but they don't look nice)
*ignition coil/icm (not really expecting but it's the original set on the car I've had the motor out of a few times)
*radiator/heater core (the rest of the cooling system is fresh but I haven't touched these)
*rear monroe max air shocks (I replaced them once but they've looked pretty rough for a while now - paint sucks or just a flawed design - waiting for an air leak)
*door handles/locking mechanisms (passenger side just never had any action to it - people always think the door is locked when it's not because it doesn't feel like it's working - i dunno, I keep telling myself I need to get like a plastic prying bar or somethin for when stuff freezes up on me 'cause one day I'm gonna break somethin)

I'm sure there's more stuff I'm forgetting.

Codith, im at 208k (just updated my vote to the next bracket) and still on the original alternator too. That and the fuel pump i expect could leave me stranded any day now  

Ok - it has been 19 years, but here goes: one water pump at 140,000 mi, transmission (reverse reactor drum fail) at 125,000, one fuel pump at 207,000, rebuilt transmission had rear roller bearing fail at 179,000, remanufactured transmission failed at 225,000, rebuilt transmission (worn-out shaft and seal) failure at 279,000, rebuilt transmission failure at 344,000, blower motor at 200,000 mi, Pass-Key reader at 325,000, blower motor at 374,000, fuel pump at 374,000.

I am pretty sure I've never changed the alternator - and the A/C compressor is original. A couple of years ago I found a guy who was parting out a Riviera with the same interior as mine that had 125,000 miles on it. I switched out the drivers seat, drivers seatbelt, steering wheel, stereo main unit, supercharger, cooling fans and radiator when it had about 325,000 mi.

There are a number of things that I have not fixed...c/d player, heated seat, auto-leveling, anti-lock/traction control, remote unlock, automatic functions (stops) of sun-roof.

It has had two windshield replacements, who knows how many rotors, pads, tires. It was only towed one time - when the original fuel pump failed. The transmission failures happened either in the driveway or very near home such that it could make it home under its own power.

What about pulleys? Or do you not want to go there?   

Yes, probably a couple of idler pulleys - and the harmonic balancer went bad somewhere around 200,000 mi or so.

Checking in with 281k miles (vote entered). I bought the car with 24.5k in mid 2003. Here's my repair list and mileages, not including tires, brakes, fluids, filters, spark plugs, and other routine maintenance:

-alternator bad at 35k (replaced under warranty)
-SC/acces belts 45k
-HVAC blower control module at 85k
-idler/tensioner pulleys at 85k
-cat converter died at 95k
-head unit at 100k
-passenger front hub/bearing at 105k
-struts and shocks at 110k
-ignition wires at 120k
-transmission rebuild 151k
-driver front hub/bearing 170k
-instrument lamp out 194k
-new battery 200k
-alternator 2nd replacement 200k
-replaced SC belt tensioner + pulley 205k
-new fuel pump 222k
-motor & cradle mounts mounts 224k
-struts 2nd replacement 224k
-steering column slop repair 230k
-replace dash cluster lamps 230k
-radiator & water pump 236k
-rear shocks 2nd replacement 242k
-ignition wires 2nd replacement 246k
-engine rebuild 247k
-fuel door hinge repair 248k
-EGR gasket repair 260k
-exterior door handle repair 275k
-new battery (2nd) 278k
-starter solenoid replacement 278k
-cracked wheel replacement 280k

-purchased a new starter 2 years ago anticipating the original would go, but haven't replace it yet. The car has keeps on starting every time (usually after a few clicks).

-in queue for install: ignition wires 3rd set, rear shocks 3rd set

Car has almost 35k miles on rebuilt engine, still running strong except for a miss under load (coils were tested, new wires ready for install).

345,000+ miles.  Original engine.  Rebuilt transmission at 98,000. Currently in bodyshop for body pan rebuild, replacing rear cradle, Rust-Mort and undercoat. Other info - see profile.  Just installed new MA-822s on the rear (Casings on the KYBs finally started leaking).

I was thinking about getting the Lucerne springs (same size, variable rate).

albertj wins the lifetime achievement award. Wow, way to go!

AA wrote:

albertj wins the lifetime achievement award. Wow, way to go!

Thanks. It is a nice driver... I will probably keep it while my dad is alive, he is 87 and has his physical and cognitive infirmities, but still gets a s*it-eating grin every time he gets in. My guess is 1-3 years.

We'll see.

356K on my '97 SC. It has the original engine and had its first transmission rebuild at 345K. Other than that I've replace a few auxiliaries. Things like water pump, AC compressor, SC, and most recently it got its first new PS pump. I love the car. I got it as my first car in high school and is still my daily driver and will be till I die.

albertj wrote:

AA wrote:

albertj wins the lifetime achievement award. Wow, way to go!

Thanks.  It is a nice driver...  I will probably keep it while my dad is alive, he is 87 and has his physical and cognitive infirmities, but still gets a s*it-eating grin every time he gets in.  My guess is 1-3 years.

We'll see.

Update - 409,000 miles