Miles versus kilometres on SVXes

[Obewon]

I have been reading this forum regularly for the last several years. There are SVX owners / enthusiasts mainly in the USA, Canada, Australia and NZ, right ? Probably a few in the UK, and then there's the whole Japan thing.

What I am wondering about is that I often see posted descriptions of the SVX with mileage / kilometrage figures (e.g. the thread re: high mileage SVX examples).

My '92 has 187,000 kilometres on it (and zero rust and no oil leaks in the engine), which translates to about 117,000 miles.

Are many of the 200k+ figures referred to on this forum in miles, mainly ??

.. and does that mean that I have a (still) relatively low-mileage SVX (thus allowing me to imagine another 15 or 20 years of enjoyable driving as long as the car's rubber seals etc. hold out ?

[Lookin4SVX]

The high mileage achievement thread is in miles.
The rubber bits can become brittle with just time, even if its just parked.
Hot/cold/hot/cold = brittle rubber after like 20 years.
There are guys running around with 400,000KM (250,000mi), so I would think there is a bunch of life left in your svx.

When I got my SVX it had 180,000mi on it. I Dropped it off at the mechanic and asked him to tell me if I could get another 100,000mi out of her.
He lol'ed and told me, long as it has oil in it, there should be no reason why it wont last another 100,000mi, that these motors don't die.

I know they use these motors in planes. So that's got to be a plus for reliability.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4azrvsFiWo
I read s story somewhere that said they get 10,000 flight hours out of it before head gasket replacement, that is like 2million miles...

[Obewon]

Hot/cold/hot/cold = brittle rubber after like 20 years.


Thanks for that info. That's one of things I like about living on the West Coast ... the climate is wonderful for the SVX. It's very temperate here .. for example, today it is about 9 degrees Celsius or 50 Fahrenheit (and sunny, on January 26) and it's supposed to be the dead of winter ;-)

Oh, and my SVX sleeps inside.

[Rod.]

Originally Posted by Obewon

I have been reading this forum regularly for the last several years. There are SVX owners / enthusiasts mainly in the USA, Canada, Australia and NZ, right ? Probably a few in the UK, and then there's the whole Japan thing.

What I am wondering about is that I often see posted descriptions of the SVX with mileage / kilometrage figures (e.g. the thread re: high mileage SVX examples).

My '92 has 187,000 kilometres on it (and zero rust and no oil leaks in the engine), which translates to about 117,000 miles.

Are many of the 200k+ figures referred to on this forum in miles, mainly ??

.. and does that mean that I have a (still) relatively low-mileage SVX (thus allowing me to imagine another 15 or 20 years of enjoyable driving as long as the car's rubber seals etc. hold out ?

Hi Obewon,
My '97 is just turned 177,000 km. I've only had it since last June so can't really speak to reliability, but I did have to do an engine rebuild soon after getting it because of a spun crankshaft bearing. That effectively doubled my 'investment' but like you I'm hoping on many more years with her. In my case, with studded snow tires, it's pretty much a daily driver even here in a Saskatchewan winter (it really is a dry cold...).

May the force be with you!

Rod.

[1986nate]

It's just getting broken in!
I know of a few with over 300k+ miles on their original engines, including head gaskets. There are some freak cases, my silver being an example, that have some failures at lower mileages. Though, I'm not sure what is wrong with my silver's engine until I tear it down, but I just drove it 600 miles when I moved, an have put over 11k miles since I've owned it with this noise. (bought with an exhaust leak so I didn't know at the time) It is louder than your average piston slap and with only 113k miles on it now, it seems as though it probably wasn't maintained too well.
Fear not, your engine should be the least of yours concerns with these cars.

[Obewon]

with only 113k miles on it now, it seems as though it probably wasn't maintained tintooo well.
Fear not, your engine should be the least of yours concerns with these cars.

I've been pretty much babying it for the past 13 years. Let's see .. new alternator, water pump, radiator, timing belt, 2 MAF's over that period of time, O2 sensors, on my 2nd tranny (now have intercooler installed as well).

It sat for 3 years 'cuz I thought the tranny was starting to go .. then a year ago I took it out of storage and decided that since I couldn't sell it for more than $4,000 tops (and probably more like $2,500), I'd put a bit of money it.

So .. 10 months ago .. new valve covers, complete professional tune-up, flush and replace all fluids, a bit of wrestling with a seized brake calliper, and the start of using Royal Purple 10W40 that is changed so far every 5,000 kilometres.

Then, the transmission that I thought was starting to go ... installed an ECUTune TCU.

Voila .. since then, this car has been running and driving better than when I got it with only 40,000 kilometres on the clock.

I re-fell in love with it, to the extent that I made the rash investment of $2,500 in a paint job 6 months ago. With the rear spoiler removed and 17" STi silver wheels, this SVX looks and drives like a (almost) new car ;-)

It's sorta like that really sexy and classy girl you went out with 30 years ago in high school .. meeting her again, finding out that she grew into a classy, sophisticated and sexy lady with a real personality .. and now we're regular lovers ;-)

Except that (of course) I don't really sleep with my SVX.

I'm thinking it will be quite an interesting car to have around for the odd Sunday drive in the summer of 2030.