60 Years Ago, The Highest Mileage Car Of All Time Started Its Journey
If you're skeptical about the old saying of "they don't make cars like they used to," consider the latest 2025 Longest-Lasting Study by iSeeCars, which lists auto brands and their respective vehicles that are most likely to reach 250,000 miles. Toyota, despite ranking first, has a 17.8% chance of lasting 250,000 miles — and that industry-leading 17.8% is already 3.7 times better than average. We're not bashing Toyota here; we gushed over the GR Corolla and manual Supra, and those didn't even make it onto the list.
But when it comes to lasting for generations, older cars are the torchbearers of longevity. A 1991 Chevy Silverado racked up over 1,000,000 miles, and a 1963 Plymouth Fury had 1,620,000 miles on the odometer by 1999. That latter feat would've been good enough for the Guinness Book of World Records to take notice, but it fell short when an errant truck ran a red light and totaled the car.
However, none of those came close to former Long Island school teacher Irvin "Irv" Gordon and his gorgeous 1966 Volvo P1800. Gordon purchased a cherry red Volvo P1800 coupe on June 30, 1966. He forked over around $4,150 – what was then equivalent to a year's salary – for his coupe. It clocked 1,500 miles in just two days, and thus began Irv Gordon's record-breaking journey of achieving the highest mileage ever in a road car: 3,260,257 miles.
For the love of driving
Irv Gordon didn't keep the odometer turning for publicity or with the intent of breaking records. According to Volvo's press release, "Gordon genuinely loved driving his car. Combining a long daily commute with a penchant for epic roadtrips at the weekend, he'd racked up a million miles by 1987." Volvo celebrated the milestone by endowing Gordon with a new 780 coupe, which he drove for 450,000 miles before eventually selling it.
As for the P1800, Gordon added another 250,000 miles from 1987 to 1992. By 2002, the P1800 already had 2,000,000 miles on the clock — and we can't blame him for sticking to the P1800 and ditching the 780 coupe. Volvo calls the P1800 its "most internationally renowned model," thanks in part to its Italian-derived styling and a starring role as Simon Templar's vehicle of choice on the British TV drama series "The Saint." That show catapulted Volvo as one of the makers of the world's most beautiful cars, all due to the P1800's timeless styling.
Reliable to the core
Modern cars will most likely need engine rebuilds or a couple of new transmissions by 250,000 miles. But for Irv Gordon and his Volvo P1800, he claimed the car had managed to last him the whole journey without any major issues, even regardless of weather conditions. Granted, the car needed two engine rebuilds over the course of 3,000,000+ miles, but it didn't need any more than that. Plus, the car still has the original engine from the factory. By 2013, the car reached 3,000,000 miles, and Volvo gave Gordon a new XC60 — now Volvo's best-selling car – to celebrate the milestone.
As fate would have it, Irvin Gordon passed away in November 2018. At the time of his passing, the P1800's odometer had a final tally of 3,260,257 miles — unbelievable numbers for an extraordinary man and an iconic car. The car is now under Volvo's stewardship, and we're waiting for the next old car to surpass one of the most awe-inspiring records in automotive history.