Extreme Car Ownership is Here

Extreme is defined by Webster’s as “going to great or exaggerated lengths.” The popular culture has attached the word to an untold number of sports and the reality TV genre has coupled the word with makeover and couponing for your viewing pleasure. If you didn’t see the announcement on The Wrap, the originator of The Shark Tank is now developing a show for the CW network that transforms the old school party game – musical chairs – into Extreme Musical Chairs.

I know, you don’t see an automotive connection here but there is, at least there is in my head. It’s Extreme Car Ownership and this will be the third time I have written about it. The first was in my story A Vehicle with High Mileage. I mentioned Peter Gilbert’s 1989 Saab 900 SPG which Saab certified to be a million miler in 2006. The Wisconsin salesman drove it for 17 years and retired it to a museum when the rusted frame made it unsafe to drive.

Then I wrote an open letter to Irv Gordon who hopes to record his 3 millionth mile on his 1966 Volvo P1800 by the time he turns 73 years old in 2013. The story was written for the family of sites associated with The Car Connection and can be found at Family Car Guide. Its title is Volvo Record Holder And The man Who Loves It.

Now comes Joe LoCicero of Norway Maine, he has spent 17 years as a technician and over 14 as an insurance adjuster, but Honda has dubbed him “Million Mile Joe” because his 1990 Honda Accord is approaching one million miles. At last count he had less than 4,000 miles to go which for Joe must seem like a trip to the 7- Eleven. He drives 62,500 miles per year. He isn’t even the original owner. He bought it in 1996 from a Honda Dealer when it had 74,000 miles on the odometer.

That odometer has been the subject of more photographs than many only children. Joe has taken 661 photos of the reading. He keeps maintenance records in spiral notebooks in which he jots down his religious adherence to the owner’s manual. He started doing that at 300,000 miles and along the way he has replaced the fuel pump, both cooling fans and the radiator two times.

The longevity of Joe’s Accord is a tribute to the value of regular service. He checks the fluids weekly and changes the oil every 5,000 miles varying the viscosity of the oil he runs in the vehicle depending on the season. He never runs the gas tank extremely low and is loyal to one brand of motor oil.

You can follow Joe’s progress at Honda’s Facebook page.

What is remarkable about these cars is that they were all registered in what the car companies call a “salt belt” state. These states commonly use salt or other corrosive applications to treat snow and ice covered roads in the winter. Often times, recalls dealing with corrosion will only cover vehicles registered in these states. So when Joe LoCicero who resides in Maine, is able to rack up 1,000,000 miles it is really notable, some might even say it is Extreme Car Ownership.

Source: Million Mile Joe, www.facebook.com/Honda