High Mileage Heroes, Presented by Pennzoil—Congrats to TheRealGuitardave, Viper1952, and Basil017! You Should Know

6/30 Update: Well, our winner’s announcement was delayed a couple days, but we’re back to hand out some prizes! Your favorite High Mileage Hero this round was the 200k-mile Viper belonging to @Viper1952 and picked up by our Australian friend @Basil017 a few years back. And our favorite comment? That was the one left by @TheRealGuitardave, who wrote about his own Viper experience and clued us in to an Aimee Mann song we hadn’t heard before:

“Gotta pick the Viper. Being a lo-budget boy from birth I’ve mostly owned cars with power characteristics that don’t really require any throttle control…an on-off switch would suffice. You know the old “using all the power you have” vs “having more power than you can use”….and yes, there were a few of the later variety that weren’t too pleased being spanked by a wild man driving something they thought was ‘slow’…..but i digress.

I had the joy of about 6 hours in the cockpit of a Viper that my mom rented for my dad on his 60th B-day..( yeah, she’s a saint…seems they don’t make em’ like that anymore..[ IT”S A JOKE!…please don’t flag this, my dear Rando-Karen’s] 😉 …

And…well… I. Can’t. EVEN!!…200k…NO CRASHES?!?…TICKETS?!?…NO ANKLE SURGERY?!? ( I got cramps trying to stay out of it!) … I’m sorry, and I ain’t saying your fibbing, but I’m gonna have to meditate for a week till I wrap my head around that claim.

Highlights of the day…watching 3 of my old motor-head friends peel their eyelids out of their skull. and rub their chest where their jaw hit it.
A 4th to 5th shift (in a six-speed) at 135 mph…(I guess I shouldn’t mention it was on a road that at 1/2 that speed would be sketchy…oops)
Then, as it got dark…a nice little rain shower. And, of course, it was in the summer, after multiple dry days. That’s when the fun stopped.

I didn’t crash it. I learned real fast about playfully tapping the throttle when easing around a turn…but it certainly entertained the goobers hanging out at the gas-n-go that night. That move puckered-up my wild butt right quick.
I think Amiee Mann wrote a song about it, IIRC…”

Initially, we were going to send prizes to the winning bidder and our favorite commenter, but we feel the need to include the car’s original owner @Viper1952, for being bold enough to rack up serious mileage in a Viper GTS, and for chiming in to share some fun details about his ownership! All three of you will be receiving your very own 1/18 scale BaT Ford Roadster Hot Rod. We’ll be in touch shortly to coordinate shipping.

Big thanks are also due to Pennzoil for sponsoring this series, and the BaT community for participating in some lively and entertaining discussion. Long may we drive, indeed! Don’t forget to cash in your rebate good for up to 6 quarts of any Pennzoil motor oil this summer.

ORIGINAL POST:

If you’ve spent any time around this site, you’ll know that we think driving an interesting car is the best part of owning an interesting car. The more, the better. Our friends at Pennzoil agree, and in order to help members of the BaT community get their cars on the road where they belong, they’re offering a rebate good for up to 6 quarts of any Pennzoil motor oil to all members of this site (seriously, get your free motor oil while you can). In support of their “long may we drive” mantra, we’re surfacing a few great examples of vehicles that have rewarded their owners with decades of regular use and enjoyment—our High Mileage Heroes.

This time, we’ve got a fun twist. We’re asking you to tell us which of these cars most resonates with you, and why. Both the winning bidder of that automobile and author of our favorite comment will be awarded a 1/18 scale BaT Ford Roadster Hot Rod! We’ll count comments submitted until next Wednesday, June 24.

And now, here are your High-Mileage Heroes!

Original-Owner 200k-Mile 1997 Dodge Viper GTS

It’s been a while since @Viper1952 sold his double-century snake on BaT, but this one of those listings that we keep coming back to. Is there anyone who could possible have more seat time in a Viper than him? During the auction, he reported that he tracked the car, maintained it with an open wallet (the engine was rebuilt once), and received exactly zero speeding tickets in his tenure. The car went to Australia with serial BaT auction winner @Basil017. Hopefully he’s been keeping pace with the mileage.

200k-Mile 2000 Chevrolet Corvette Fixed Roof Coupe 6-Speed

Here’s another American performance car that proved its durability over the long haul. Pushrod engines: they get the job done! Like the Viper above, this FRC ‘Vette drove the equivalent of eight times around the globe with one owner. This spec was relatively rare—the lighter and stiffer short-roof body was offered for just two years, and became the basis for the Z06. Even in its nascent form, it was a high-performance variant, equipped with the Z51 suspension and a limited-slip differential as standard. We love to see a driver’s car that’s been driven, and it’s even more impressive when it still looks as new as this one does.

372k-Mile 1991 Nissan 300ZX 5-Speed

This car is another lucky example that found a soulmate in its long-term previous owner. That gentleman was a Boeing engineer and vintage racer who clocked over 370k miles in his Z32 over the course of 30 years before his passing in January. The service history runs to three volumes and includes Nissan parts labels for almost everything that was replaced (save some suspension bits and a Borla exhaust). The attention he lavished upon it really shows—most people we know don’t look this fresh at 30 years of age. This car is both a testament to the importance of regular maintenance and the quality of Japanese manufacturing in the 1990s. @Silvershine440, if you’re out there, we’d love to know how you’re doing with this Z!

375k-Mile 1983 Subaru GL Wagon 4WD

This last High Mileage Hero is currently up for auction! 100 Black Diamond Edition examples were reportedly produced for Subaru dealers in the Rocky Mountain region this is labeled car #86 in the series. The harsh climates favored by these little Subies usually render them back into dust long before they reach this age and mileage, but this one was blessed with the lifespan of a Bristlecone Pine. Of course the engine has been rebuilt, but it made it until 252k miles before that major surgery was required, and the interior finishes appear to have proven incorruptible.  With so few of these on the road, we can’t imagine plowing this one through a snowdrift. Maybe Subaru North America needs a new display for the lobby.

These are just a few of the High Mileage Heroes we have sold on BaT—big thanks to Pennzoil for supporting this piece and gifting a bunch of engine oil to keep these steadfast rides on the road. Are there other high-mileage BaT alumni you can’t that live rent-free in your head? Let us know about them in the comments.