Are highway miles easier on the system than city/local miles??

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

I would argue that long distance highway miles are far better than local city stop and go traffic....less wear on engine, transmission, brakes, etc....

Once you are up to cruising speed... it's just a constant RPMs of all systems....

Do you agree???

[Porsche911]

This seems to make sense to me.

[WJones]

Agree. Among other things, from what I understand, wear on engine parts goes way down once the engine is up to operating temperature. Heat in the transmission also seems to increase when the transmission shifts more often. This happens less often on the highway.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by Porsche911

This seems to make sense to me.

Sorry I initially misread your reply on the spare tire.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by WJones

Agree. Among other things, from what I understand, wear on engine parts goes way down once the engine is up to operating temperature. Heat in the transmission also seems to increase when the transmission shifts more often. This happens less often on the highway.

You know.... I have mixed feelings about running up miles... but, people tell me...diesels love to run ... keep lubricated, and seem to thrive on long distance highway miles..

I know that there's a lot of misconceptions about high mileage and people are many times fixated on wanting the lowest miles possible on their vehicles...

SO... while I really love the idea of a low mileage vehicle...it means that you didn't get the fullest use by keeping it as a museum piece.... And not driving it... doesn't make sense...

AND... highway mileage is MUCH less stress on the system... Just about everything from shifting to braking.. and everything in between..

That's probably why long distance trucks get 500,000 to 1,000,000 miles.. I know someone who drove a Subaru Outback..in 6 years went 300,000 miles... all highway ...

It's not just the miles.. it's the years...
I got it in May 2017 with only 26,000 miles.. now has 42,000... still pretty low mileage...

My vehicle is this below.

https://www.conejowholesaleauto.com/vehicle-details/f22d7e5afa634d388dbeffb59e9eb708

It's like an executive jet on wheels...😁😁😁

I could worry about mileage....but , then again.. it's taking us lots of places and adventures I would have not otherwise been able to go...

Might as well just get out and enjoy it...

[Porsche911]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

Sorry I initially misread your reply on the spare tire.

Not a problem, thanks anyway.

[booster]

Slow driving doesn't hurt them as much as it used to, as the newer engines have much better controls on them like electronic fuel injection and timing.


In the day, carbs constantly messed up the mixtures, either being lean and hurting valves, etc, or detonating or they were rich and washing the oil off the rings and diluting the oil (diesels still do this part).



It has always been said that most wear occurs at cold START UPS, with the % being anywhere from 50-90% depending on who you believe. IMO, the likelyhood is that the high end is probably closer for modern engines.


One of the major reasons, I think, that OTR trucks and other industrial diesels last so long is that very many of them have preoiling systems on them to prevent dry cold starts. I have had a couple of the systems that I put on past cars, and they are amazing. I could start a 200K mile Escort at -30*F with oil pressure before ever turning the key. When it started there was no lifter noise at all. That Escort had the preoiler the entire 18.5 years since new and the last oil change went 10K without adding any oil (I had quit changing the oil when I saw the rear suspension was going to fall off due to rust) before I drove it to the junkyard.


IMO, adding pre oiling is the biggest thing you can do to increase the useful life of any vehicle engine.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by booster

Slow driving doesn't hurt them as much as it used to, as the newer engines have much better controls on them like electronic fuel injection and timing.


In the day, carbs constantly messed up the mixtures, either being lean and hurting valves, etc, or detonating or they were rich and washing the oil off the rings and diluting the oil (diesels still do this part).



It has always been said that most wear occurs at cold START UPS, with the % being anywhere from 50-90% depending on who you believe. IMO, the likelyhood is that the high end is probably closer for modern engines.


One of the major reasons, I think, that OTR trucks and other industrial diesels last so long is that very many of them have preoiling systems on them to prevent dry cold starts. I have had a couple of the systems that I put on past cars, and they are amazing. I could start a 200K mile Escort at -30*F with oil pressure before ever turning the key. When it started there was no lifter noise at all. That Escort had the preoiler the entire 18.5 years since new and the last oil change went 10K without adding any oil (I had quit changing the oil when I saw the rear suspension was going to fall off due to rust) before I drove it to the junkyard.


IMO, adding pre oiling is the biggest thing you can do to increase the useful life of any vehicle engine.

Sounds EXPENSIVE..... especially don't know if you could add on the Sprinter..and what would Mercedes Benz think about that?

[Joe]

I have always heard highway miles are better for a vehicle. I have a 1995 Dodge Class B Explorer with 56,000 on it. We have put most of the miles on it. It only had 23,000 when we bought it 10 years ago. I also have a 2005 Dodge truck with 279,000 miles on it. Mostly all highway and frequent oil changes.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by Joe

I have always heard highway miles are better for a vehicle. I have a 1995 Dodge Class B Explorer with 56,000 on it. We have put most of the miles on it. It only had 23,000 when we bought it 10 years ago. I also have a 2005 Dodge truck with 279,000 miles on it. Mostly all highway and frequent oil changes.

I knew two people who drove many highway miles.... going 55 to 65 MPH for sustained hours... both had hundreds of thousands of miles.....less wear on the engine, transmission, brakes and tires... wheels turning that are going straight ahead are not wearing like cars or vehicles stopping and starting.....

[booster]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

Sounds EXPENSIVE..... especially don't know if you could add on the Sprinter..and what would Mercedes Benz think about that?

Not all that expensive compared to shortened engine life or repairs.


There are a couple of different types of pre-oilers, mainly they either use a passive accumulator to gather and hold oil at pressure for use at starting, or they use an electric pump to take oil from the pan and pump it into the engine before starting.


The accumulators require you to have quite a bit more oil in the system, maybe a gallon more in many cases, so I am not a big fan of them and prefer the electric pumps. Downside of the pumps is that you need to remove the pan to mount a pickup fitting to it. Most of the time, the oil goes back into the engine at the oil pressure sender port, but sometimes you need to get to an oil gallery plug.


Most of the systems can be had for 3-500 dollars plus installation.



I don't think MB would have any issue with one on their engines, as they would be very familiar with the concept from their OTR truck diesels.

[ChicagoTom]

Miles IMO should be less of a concern than most make it out to be. I bought PW Chevy Express with 108k. Before I bought it, I went to Auto-Trader to see what the actual vehicle could handle. I did a sort by miles, highest to lowest, and there were at least 50 for sale with between 300 & 400k miles. That blew me away.
Also, you never know what to expect, for example, something major goes wrong at 95k, you buy it with 65k, vs. the person who bought it at 96,000 miles. Again, JMHO

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by ChicagoTom

Miles IMO should be less of a concern than most make it out to be. I bought PW Chevy Express with 108k. Before I bought it, I went to Auto-Trader to see what the actual vehicle could handle. I did a sort by miles, highest to lowest, and there were at least 50 for sale with between 300 & 400k miles. That blew me away.
Also, you never know what to expect, for example, something major goes wrong at 95k, you buy it with 65k, vs. the person who bought it at 96,000 miles. Again, JMHO

I agree with you 100 percent...

I think it's more about proper servicing and maintenance.
I've known people who went over 300,000 miles on their cars and met one person with a Sprinter who went almost 500,000 miles original engine.

So, there's a lot of factors here. Sure, anything can happen... even under 100,000 miles especially if not well maintained.

I think... highway miles running at a steady speed is easier since there's less shifting, braking etc.

How many miles are currently on your PW Chevy Express and what year is it?

Another key point.... the more miles you go ... over many years, the less per mile it takes to run the vehicle. In other words, traveling 500,000 miles divided by your total cost will be a lot less than going 100,000 miles divided by your total investment.

[ChicagoTom]

I have around 112k on an 08 (Actually 09) I'm the 2nd owner. I just got it in March. I too have known people who blew past 300k.
I think age and miles are not all that important. Prior to picking up my RV, the consignment dealer discovered the AC was shot, refrigerator board blown, generator had never been used, so they needed to work on the board and carb, and grey water pipe leaking. All of these things were fixed. Nice new A/C. Point is, had I purchased it a year earlier, I would have been in for some cash, aggravation, and time wasted. The different Facebook forums I'm on, it sounds like the biggest issues are coming form the 2016-18 models. Nice to have all the new bells and whistles, but if they don't work, or keep breaking down, what good is it?

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by ChicagoTom

I have around 112k on an 08 (Actually 09) I'm the 2nd owner. I just got it in March. I too have known people who blew past 300k.
I think age and miles are not all that important. Prior to picking up my RV, the consignment dealer discovered the AC was shot, refrigerator board blown, generator had never been used, so they needed to work on the board and carb, and grey water pipe leaking. All of these things were fixed. Nice new A/C. Point is, had I purchased it a year earlier, I would have been in for some cash, aggravation, and time wasted. The different Facebook forums I'm on, it sounds like the biggest issues are coming form the 2016-18 models. Nice to have all the new bells and whistles, but if they don't work, or keep breaking down, what good is it?

Tom,

Here's my rig......


https://www.conejowholesaleauto.com/...beffb59e9eb708

[ChicagoTom]

Sweet! Very nice.