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A man has driven an impressive 4,9 million kilometers in his personal car, setting a new world record for the highest mileage ever recorded.
O Volvo 1800S of 1966, belonging to Irvin Gordon, reached an incredible feat: holds the world record longest distance traveled by a personal car, at over 3.039.122 miles (approx. 4.890.993 kilometers) rounds over decades.
Unforgettable trips and many kilometers
Irvin Gordon, a teacher on Long Island, New York, purchased the Volvo 1800S on June 30, 1966, for US$ 4.150 — the equivalent of a year's salary at the time. Throughout this period, he never stopped driving his car with enthusiasm.
In just the first weekend after purchase, he drove 1.500 miles. (approx. 2.414 kilometers). His long daily commute and frequent weekend trips contributed to the 1.000.000 million mile mark (approx. 1.609.344 kilometers) reached in 1987, 2 million in 2002 and 3 million in 2013, on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska.
Gordon estimated that he would travel more than 100.000 miles (approx. 160.934 kilometers) per year. His longest trip was from New York to Vancouver, Canada, totaling about 4.809 miles.
During the decades of use, he applied an impeccable maintenance routine: changing the engine oil every 4.800-5.600 km and the transmission oil every 40.000 km. This discipline helped preserve the original engine, which underwent only two rebuilds.
Impressive durability
The performance of Gordon's Volvo clutch has become an example of its longevity. While the average lifespan of a clutch is around 50.000 miles (approx. 80.467 km), the one in the original Volvo 1800S lasted an impressive 450.000 miles (approx. 724.205 km) before needing replacement. This feat is extremely rare, even among the best-kept cars.
In addition, Gordon changed 492 spark plugs, used 33 sets of tires, and consumed an estimated 112.889 gallons of gasoline. This efficiency reflects not only the car's build quality, but also the meticulous care of its owner.
Global recognition
Gordon's commitment to his Volvo caught the world's attention. In 1987, when he reached 1 million miles, he was presented with a Volvo 780 coupe. After accumulating 450.000 miles on the car, Gordon sold it.
In 2013, when the Volvo 3S reached 1800 million miles, Volvo Car North America celebrated the milestone by presenting it with a XC60. Despite this, he kept his focus on the classic, accumulating another 250.000 miles (approx. 402.336 km) in the following years.
Gordon drove his Volvo at car shows around the world, visiting the UK and even Sweden, where the car was manufactured. He also explored Australia in another Volvo, experiencing the outback and the local wildlife.
The secret to longevity
When asked about the secret to keeping your Volvo in tip-top shape, Gordon was straightforward: read the owner's manual and follow the basic maintenance instructions.
He ensured that the car never broke down or stopped working, even in the harshest weather conditions such as ice and snowstorms. His approach was based on hard work and dedication.
"I hope to keep driving the car until there’s nothing left of me,” Gordon said in 2018. “It’s in better shape than I am… The car will still be around."
Unfortunately, in 2018, Irvin Gordon passed away, but his story was preserved and to this day no one has managed to break his world record for the longest distance traveled.
Only 33 sets of tires. 150 thousand km per set. That's tough.
Envy has a name…D…A…N…I…E…L😂😂😂
Envy is ****, when the person has no capacity, doubts about who does it.
The tire wears out with braking, if most of it was on the road, I don't doubt the km. Given the care and concern for the vehicle. Volvo is Volvo...