What do high miles on your bird really mean???

**1998 T/A** · 01-15-2011, 08:06 PM

if my car has 210xxx miles you can bet i put at least 150,000 of them myself. I don't think I'd ever consider buying a car with 210k on the clock. if your showing 210k on the clock but you rebuilt the engine 50k miles ago that's a different story. When I go to buy a car i look for mileage and previous owners.

**1972_Z-28** · 01-15-2011, 09:01 PM

My 02 Z28 has 110k on the clock and runs great, few bolt-ons and runs 12.7 all day.
A lot depends on routine maintance and fixing problems before they cause other problems.
I drove my Ford Ranger for 269k miles and beat on it alot (4.0l 5sp) and it was running fine when I sold it.
Wife's dd is a 2004 Tahoe brought new with 120k on the clock and it drives the same as when new.
If you got a good running car that is not costing you much monthly (no car payment) it's a good thing!!!

**4thGenTA** · 01-15-2011, 10:28 PM

parts wear out...battery, alternators, o2 sensors, fuel pump, oil pump, shocks etc.....

**02transamce** · 01-15-2011, 10:29 PM

Wife got the ceta new,all miles put on by us.
Posted via Mobile Device

**Manicmechanic** · 01-16-2011, 10:36 AM

A lot has to do with the age group, if your in the upper 40's you can remember the time that cars only lasted 100k and then started going downhill fast. Not only mechanical but chassis as well with rust out a big issue in the rust belt states. Older cars required more than Oil and Filters, with plugs, points and rotor every 15K, carb rebuilds at about 20K and depending on the mechanic, it could need it again in about 5k or so. Valve cover gaskets and valve jobs were also routine maintenance it the day.Things started to improve with electronic ignition and then the dreaded computer controls, while at first just for emissions now they control a lot of things. It's with the CC on newer vehicles that engines now run better and longer because of the fuel injection and the closely regulated air/fuel ratio that they achieve. There were no Check Engine lights in the day and the first thing that usually alerted you to more trouble was an overheat, mostly from a stuck thermostat but also from cylinders not firing or being to loaded with crap to fire completely. You hardly ever see a stuck thermostat anymore or a fouled cylinder from bad valve seals. Muscle cars of the 60' and 70's were great power cars and had their place in history just as new cars today are not only faster but now you have all the toys as well. Imagine only getting 8 mpg on your LS1/6 engine new from the factory? So today high mileage might not mean the same as it did years ago, it still is something most consider when looking at a used car. Also changing oil and filters is still not the only thing to do for maintenance, a good log book from beginning of ownership of your mileage for every mile driven and when other items are issues such as new Alt. Sensors etc. the first clue something is a miss is when you mileage changes. Another factor is the actual feel of the cars performance, while my mileage hadn't degraded much a note of loss of power during acceleration lead me to replace the Fuel Injectors on my daily driver @ 80K and this helped restore the lost power and also bring mileage up a few, but the biggest difference was under the hood, a clacking noise that one used to attribute to valves out of adjustment was from worn injectors. I could go on and on but most of you will get the idea of big differences in 30 years of cars.

**02transamce** · 01-16-2011, 11:04 AM

^---this

**Cutlass** · 01-16-2011, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by Manicmechanic

A lot has to do with the age group, if your in the upper 40's you can remember the time that cars only lasted 100k and then started going downhill fast. Not only mechanical but chassis as well with rust out a big issue in the rust belt states. Older cars required more than Oil and Filters, with plugs, points and rotor every 15K, carb rebuilds at about 20K and depending on the mechanic, it could need it again in about 5k or so. Valve cover gaskets and valve jobs were also routine maintenance it the day.Things started to improve with electronic ignition and then the dreaded computer controls, while at first just for emissions now they control a lot of things. It's with the CC on newer vehicles that engines now run better and longer because of the fuel injection and the closely regulated air/fuel ratio that they achieve. There were no Check Engine lights in the day and the first thing that usually alerted you to more trouble was an overheat, mostly from a stuck thermostat but also from cylinders not firing or being to loaded with crap to fire completely. You hardly ever see a stuck thermostat anymore or a fouled cylinder from bad valve seals. Muscle cars of the 60' and 70's were great power cars and had their place in history just as new cars today are not only faster but now you have all the toys as well. Imagine only getting 8 mpg on your LS1/6 engine new from the factory? So today high mileage might not mean the same as it did years ago, it still is something most consider when looking at a used car. Also changing oil and filters is still not the only thing to do for maintenance, a good log book from beginning of ownership of your mileage for every mile driven and when other items are issues such as new Alt. Sensors etc. the first clue something is a miss is when you mileage changes. Another factor is the actual feel of the cars performance, while my mileage hadn't degraded much a note of loss of power during acceleration lead me to replace the Fuel Injectors on my daily driver @ 80K and this helped restore the lost power and also bring mileage up a few, but the biggest difference was under the hood, a clacking noise that one used to attribute to valves out of adjustment was from worn injectors. I could go on and on but most of you will get the idea of big differences in 30 years of cars.

Well put.
And we complain about a little piston slap...pssst. We have it good.

**timowen1** · 01-16-2011, 04:15 PM

I drive a company truck to work 5 days a week. I work 10 hours a day, not driving but working in a machine shop. I am self employed. I am tired at the end of the day so I don't joy ride too much. My 2001 Trans Am was bought new and I love driving it every chance I get mostly on weekends and vacation days. It has 16,000 miles on it and still looks new.
This is just a little back ground on me and my car. That being said..A high mileage car only means that the next owner will spend more money on repairs and up keep. No way around it. For you guys with high mile cars and don't understand the difference think about this. If a guy has a $7,000 budget and he finds two identical cars one with 125,000 miles and one with 65,000 miles which one will he buy? Which one would you buy?
Just my .02

**1998 T/A** · 01-16-2011, 04:28 PM

the one with 65k miles given that everything checks out even if some one did beat the shit out of it...65k miles of hauling ass or 125k miles of hauling ass?

**Smittro** · 01-16-2011, 06:15 PM

I've said this a thousand times in a million threads like this..

No matter how you cut it or what you want to believe 100k IS high mileage for a gasoline engine period..

Book and resale values reflects that every time.

"She's a good runnin' 200k!" Does'nt mean anything..

It's STILL a worn out ride.. Sorry..

**1998 T/A** · 01-16-2011, 06:39 PM

word ^

**35th-ANV-SS** · 01-16-2011, 06:43 PM

It wasn't a bird, but I had a 3800-II 96 Camaro. I bought it in 1999 with 22,000 miles on it. I sold it about 3 months ago with 209,000 on the odometer.

I sold it to a mechanic. He gave it a tune-up, fixed the intake leak and some minor other issues and it is back on the road again still running like a champ.

The only thing I ever changed on it were: oil, oil filter, air filter, fluids, fuel filter, a fuel pump, plugs/wires, brakes/rotors, and a water pump.

**MrMasterCraft** · 01-16-2011, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by Smittro

I've said this a thousand times in a million threads like this..

No matter how you cut it or what you want to believe 100k IS high mileage for a gasoline engine period..

Book and resale values reflects that every time.

"She's a good runnin' 200k!" Does'nt mean anything..

It's STILL a worn out ride.. Sorry..

My white Z is at 167k

My pewter Z is at 130k

They are BOTH high mileage cars! Anything over 130k on these cars to me, and I wouldn't pay over $5k for it, unless it was in FLAWLESS condition (eat out of the engine bay, etc.)

Agreed with Smittro

**godless-phoenix** · 01-17-2011, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

So Hi-Tek came through for ya, huh?

hell yeah dude! im breaking it in for the 1st 1,000 miles, so im taking it easy...but i can already tell its way better now

**RyanJM** · 01-21-2011, 05:42 PM

My TA has like 87 K now I have put 15k on it in the past 4 yrs just weekend cruises and little fun on a nice night. That being said cam, stall, and all the bolt ons it runs good and I will drive it anywhere and when the motor blows or I get bored it will get replaced like all the old suspension parts. I will put miles on my car cause I have no reason to ever sell it. I am looking for a LS1 SS M6 for a second toy to replace my 93 5.0 and I really want a low mileage car prefferbly owned by one or two adults not kids. Kids beat cars and sell them all trashed. I beat my car but fix and upgrade everything as soon as it breaks.

**fbodyNATION** · 01-21-2011, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by ls1ws6ben

yeah i hate seeing a F-body that some douche just trashes and dogs the crap out of it.. there should be a law that if you see someone doing that, then you as a f-body owner yourself should be able to deny their f-body owner rights and take possesion of that car immediately!

i agree totally with you i hate to see any GM product ragged & dogged out especially fbodys,if you dont like an fbody sell it,give it away let someone else have their fun in it

**fbodyNATION** · 01-21-2011, 08:41 PM

i think mileage isnt a factor if the car was maintained properly of course you are going to get your normal wear & tear,but if you treat that car right you will get more life out,no lies or bullshit i had a 02 Monte Carlo SS with 238,000 miles on the original motor & transmission & that car ran like a champ,i also seen many chevy,gmc trucks with 300k on the dash & they're still truckin' my T/A isnt goin anywhere no time soon so it might see 300k miles because as long i can drive it it will be driven

**Too Fast** · 01-25-2011, 03:29 AM

Enjoyment meter FTW! If you don't have plans to sell the car, why oh why do people buy them in the first place and never drive them? A well preserved, driven car to me shows how much the car has been enjoyed and always rates higher in my book over some ultra low mileage car that is well preserved, especially at car shows.

**TransAmFanatic** · 01-25-2011, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by ls1ws6ben

yeah i hate seeing a F-body that some douche just trashes and dogs the crap out of it.. there should be a law that if you see someone doing that, then you as a f-body owner yourself should be able to deny their f-body owner rights and take possesion of that car immediately!

i agree,
and my 99 has 140k on it, and still runs like a champ...i love my car. been having it since i was 17 and im 26 now.