"Highway miles" versus "Non-Highway miles"

[LTCPipkin]

This may sound like a stupid question, but here goes.

When I see used cars advertised, they sometimes indicate high mileage as "highway miles". Does that really mean anything in terms of wear-n-tear?? I have found myself in a place where I am logging quite a lot of "highway miles". Does that mean I can reasonably expect my 2005 Explorer to last longer than if it were a city driver? Yes, I am diligent about maintenance and such!!

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Baddecision93]

It should mean that you will get more life, as long as you are indeed diligent about maintenance.
Movement = wear (typically)
When you cruise on the highway the only moving parts are doing so at a constant speed. Varying rpms wears an engine. If you think back to high school a consistently applied force = acceleration (all things equal). So, if you are consistently applying throttle your vehicle will constantly be in a state of acceleration. Obviously you are limited mechanically and by the speed limit. As a result you have to stop applying throttle to stop accelerating. This means you are now making your engine and transmission do less work. They just have to maintain.
Stop and go means your engine revs up and down, gears shift frequently, brakes are applied on and off, shocks wear more (you get the idea).
So the short answer is yes, the highway is easier on a car.
Another good example of this is to see how much your mileage improves on the highway. This is because your car is doing so much less work.

 

[demortey]

Awesome explanation. I have always wondered that. I think this falls under the "no question is a stupid question" because other ppl have wondered the same thing.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I did get into a nice argument with someone selling a car advertised as "all highway miles" after I asked them what highway ramp they lived on...

 

[D Hook]

Good one Joe!

I just bought (in October) a high mileage (144,000) '02 and it was driven almost exclusively highway miles. I know the previous owner. They took good care of it and I have no complaints (yet).

My Mark VIII is the same way. Haven't had any trouble with that one either. (knocking on wood right now!)

YMMV.

 

[EasyRhino]

There is a huge difference in a reasonably well-built car.

I would rather buy a car with 500K miles that was recent and well-maintained, than a car that was driven only 50 miles a month and not maintained, including not letting it warm up (to burn off the acids that form in the oil) and not keeping the sealing surfaces covered in an oil film.

Highway miles are very easy on cars, city miles, not so much.

 

[Fifty150]

Your brakes last longer too.

 

[unclemeat]

If you read the owners manual you will find two or more maintenence recommendations. One is for what I beleve Ford calls normal duty. Then there is the extreme duty. That includes short trips, prolonged idle ect. Basically the maintenence is half for normal operation verses extreme operation. That should give you an idea about wear.