Volvos and High Mileage In it for the Long Haul

The Volvo brand has long been synonymous with both safety and reliability. The brand's vehicles consistently rank among the top contenders in surveys from a variety of media sources including JD Powers, US News and World Report and the Telegraph. One man from New York, though has taken Volvo's legendary reliability to new heights.

Irvin Gordon and His Beloved Volvo

When Irvin Gordon took a Volvo P1800 for a test drive in 1966, the Long Islander probably didn't realize what a long history he would have with the cherry red convertible. Now 76 and retired from a career as a science teacher, Gordon recalled that he fell hard in love with the Volvo convertible during a test drive and shelled out $4,000 on the spot to drive it home. He spent nearly all weekend - from the time he bought the car Friday evening through Sunday - driving around in it. He arrived back at the dealership early Monday morning for the vehicle's 1,500-mile check-up.

Mileage Milestones to be Proud Of

Gordon - who readily admits that driving is his "drug of choice" - says he drives an average of about 60, 000 miles each year. So far, he's driven through the United States, Denmark, France, Sweden, Holland, Mexico, Germany and the United Kingdom.

After having his Volvo for only a decade, Gordon hit the 500,000-mile mark in 1976. In 1987, he celebrated driving a million miles in it by taking a spin around Central Park's Tavern on the Green. By 1998, Gordon and his little red Volvo convertible made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for having racked up the most miles driven by one person in a non-commercial vehicle.

Gordon drove 2 million miles by 2002 and crossed the 3 million mile mark in September 2013. This is the same as driving to the moon and back six times or driving 120 times around the Earth.

Maintenance is Key

While the reliability of the Volvo brand is well known, Gordon also babies his red convertible. Throughout the car's lifetime, he's had the oil changed more than 857 times, added over 120 bottles of transmission fluid and had the drive belt changed 30 times. Gordon has always had the car serviced using genuine Volvo auto parts and Castrol motor oils, a factor that he believes is key to the car's longevity. As the result of his exceptional love and care, his car - which still has the original gearbox and engine - has never broken down.

Recognized by Volvo

In February 2017, Gordon was invited to Volvo's Tom Campher Motors dealership in Johannesburg in recognition of his achievement. During his visit, Gordon met other Volvo owners and discussed the special relationships that people forge with their Volvo cars. These discussions were part of a film project for Castrol, the official motor oil for the brand.