Contrary to popular belief, a car’s engine won’t explode after 200,000 miles (~321,900 km), especially if it’s well maintained and looked after, as this Corvette with 700,000 miles on the clock proves it.
That’s 1,126,541 kilometers, if you live in a country where the metric system applies; but whichever way you look at it, it’s a lot.
An automobile is a highly engineered collection of complex components, each with its own lifespan and longevity. The entire rig can very well be part of an industrial plan of limiting its useful life so it will become obsolete, but given the proper care and attention, a product can (and will) last for ages – metaphorically speaking.
In order to ensure maximum longevity, top auto expert Bob Sikorsky – a man claiming that a family car can last 1,500,000 miles (2,414,016 km) or a lifetime – has identify a number of maintenance rules that can greatly increase a vehicle’s lifespan, including regular oil changes, monitoring key fluids, transmission maintenance, no sudden starts and stops, timing belt replacement (if applicable), and so on.
Which brings us to this particular C5 Corvette – a car that has traveled three times the distance to the moon. Don’t believe us? The car has a Carfax vehicle history report here. According to that document (and its owner) the Chevy still has the original 5.7-litre V8 that came from the factory, but its transmission had to be replaced.
Needless to say, the car already made it on the wall of fame, but we’re curious to see whether or not it will make it into the National Corvette Museum, as the owner already contacted the organization.
H/T to Jalopnik