Ontario man's van has travelled nearly 1M kilometres. Here's his secret
An Ontario man who has nearly 1 million-kilometres on his car is sharing his secret of how he did it.
Mark Intihar said the 2000 Toyota Sienna van belonged to his dad, who took great pride in maintaining the vehicle properly, especially in changing the oil and transmission fluid.
“It sounds good. It starts up every time even in the dead of winter. It's all about maintenance. Don't go past the oil changes, if you need an oil change get one,” Intihar said. “She has been given the nickname Betsy and the kids just love her."
The family purchased the van when it was brand new and Intihar said his parents drove it extensively to Florida and throughout the United States.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“At 930,000 kilometres, I think it’s just getting broken in. The transmission level looks good and we just had it flushed after its last 100,000 kilometres,"Intihar said.
Not only does the van have 930,000 kilometres, it still has the original engine and transmission.
Consumer Reports says that making a car last this long is not only a point of pride, it’s a cost saver as you don’t need to buy or lease another vehicle.
“To make a vehicle last stay on top of problems and follow the maintenance schedule for your car and don’t delay routine oil and filter changes, belt replacements or tire rotations,” said Mike Quincy, auto editor with Consumer Reports.
How often you should service your car varies depending on climate and other factors, because if you live where weather is extreme or drive in a lot of stop-and-go traffic, shorter service intervals may be necessary.
Follow your owner's manual schedule and don't cheap out when buying replacement parts.
“Make sure to always buy original equipment or equivalent parts, like belts and hoses from name-brand suppliers. You don’t have to buy from the dealer, but make sure you're buying quality parts,” said Quincy. “Using the wrong oil or transmission fluid could wreak havoc on your car, or even void your warranty.”
To get a vehicle to last at 300,000 kilometres or more researchers at Consumer Reports said it’s best to start with a vehicle that has a proven track record of reliability.
“Our data shows you can't go wrong with a Toyota Camry or Prius or a Honda accord,” said Quincy, adding that other good used car options include, “the Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Nissan Altima, and Subaru Legacy.”
As for Intihar, he said he plans to keep driving Betsy until the van reaches 1 million kilometres.
"If it gets to 1 million I’m going to keep going and see how far she will go," said Intihar.
Another way to make your vehicle last longer is to not ignore indicator lights on your dashboard. If the engine light is on, or the service light, find out why because your vehicle is trying to tell you something.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.