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
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.