The world’s toughest cars (part 2)

Hyundai Elantra (2013)

Farrah Haines, an auto parts delivery driver from Olathe, Kansas, USA, has achieved an astounding record by driving her reliable 2013 Hyundai Elantra for 1 million miles in just 5 years. She covers an average of 548 miles (882 km) per day and 200,000 miles (321,869 km) annually. This achievement has left Hyundai itself amazed.

With her enduring Hyundai Elantra as her faithful companion, she hoped to reach 1.5 million miles. However, during a delivery to a local car dealership, her dream came true. They surprised her by giving her a 2019 Elantra as a reward for her extraordinary accomplishment.

When asked about her secret, she simply stated, “The key is to prioritize regular maintenance and invest in a quality car.”

Chevrolet Silverado (1991)

Frank Oresnik, a food distribution employee, purchased a used Chevrolet Silverado that had already covered 41,000 miles (65,983 km) over 5 years. The truck, equipped with the legendary Chevrolet Small Block engine, went on to surpass the million-mile mark after twelve years of service. In 2008, the American automaker officially recognized this Silverado pickup truck for traveling approximately 80,000 miles (128,747 km) per year.

Avoiding the burden of additional debt, Oresnik decided to take good care of the Silverado and use it carefully, despite frequently carrying heavy cargo.

Porsche 356C (1964)

Guy Newmark inherited a brand new Porsche 356 from his father as a graduation gift. This San Pedro, California resident drove the car daily and reached 1 million miles by 2016. The air-cooled 4-cylinder engine in his 356 Porsche, similar to that of a Volkswagen Beetle, has been rebuilt three times.

Volvo 1800S (1966)

Irv Gordon’s Volvo 1800S rightfully holds the title of the “king” of all privately-owned long-distance cars. He purchased the car from Volvoville dealership in New York in June 1966. By Monday, the car had already traveled 1,500 miles (2,414 km).

Gordon’s achievement was acknowledged by the Guinness World Records in 1998 when he reached 1.69 million miles (2.72 million km). He went on to surpass the milestone of 3 million miles in 2013. Unfortunately, Gordon passed away in 2018 at the age of 77, but his car had accumulated an impressive total of 3.2 million miles (5.14 million km).

Mercedes-Benz 280SE (1970)

George and Luzstella Koschel, residents of Cam County, California, purchased a new Mercedes-Benz 280SE in 1970. The couple drove the car for 1,019,000 miles (1.64 million km) before selling it back to Mercedes-Benz, which displayed the car at the 2005 Detroit Motor Show.

However, the current record holder for the highest mileage on a Mercedes-Benz car is taxi driver Gregorios Sachinidis from Athens, Greece. His 1976 240D has reached the remarkable milestone of 2.8 million miles (4.51 million km), albeit with four engine replacements.