A driver from Bedford has achieved a record milage after covering more than 430,000 miles in a 2017 Suzuki Vitara.
The distance is thought to be the highest recorded mileage for a UK-registered Vitara in the UK, with the owner covering over 48,000 miles a year.
The small SUV, powered by a 1.6 litre petrol engine, is still using its original engine, gearbox and exhaust system.
It was purchased new in 2017 in Bedfordshire and the owner has had the car regularly serviced.
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The Vitara has performed near faultlessly despite its high mileage, with no oil leaks reported at any point.
Although routine maintenance is said to have been minimal, limited mainly to typical wear-and-tear items such as brake pads, it has needed 15 sets of tyres over the last nine years.
The only major work carried out was the replacement of a single driveshaft rubber boot.
British drivers are keeping their cars for longer, with new research showing 4.3 million cars have more than 100,000 miles on the clock.
The data from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from eBay found 4,363,123 cars have covered between 100,000 and 149,000 miles.
A further 1.2 million have 150,000-199,000 on the clock, while 286,630 have covered 200,000-249,000 miles. Some 2,699 vehicles have more than 500,000 miles on the odometer.
A good service is one of the most cost-effective ways to keep your car reliable. The price depends on your vehicle and the level of service, but what really matters is the checks included — things like oil and filter changes, brake inspections and fluid top-ups. Catching wear early can prevent far more expensive failures later on.
Nick Mullender
Lead RAC Mobile Mechanic
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