I orginally got my 96 camaro with 110,000 miles on it 6 years ago. It now has 237,000 miles and I go about 33,000 a year now. I pretty much have to keep it for 2 more years and should make 300,000 easy. How much longer can the motor last? I don't know of any camaros that have more miles than mine except for one i once read about in a different post. So far besides the expected alternator, starter and a couple of small cheap sensors, etc, I have only went as far as changing the intake, valve cover and oil pan gaskets. Nothing major on the motor. I just recently replaced the 5 speed tranny at 225,000 miles with one from a low (95,000 mile) donor camaro.

So how many miles is this motor good for without a major rebuild?

 

As long as it keeps running its fine.

Hard to answer that question. GM had a truck go a million miles on the stock engine.......

 

as many miles as you drive it would pay for itself to get someting that gets better mileage.

I dont know how you drive that many miles, but that's over 90 miles a day, every day of the year.

 

I don't know, 3.8's get decent mileage. I don't think it would add up to more than a car payment plus full coverage insurance on a newer car, plus the gas you still have to put in the new car.

If it's not smoking or burning oil it will probably last quite a while with the proper maintenance. I mean if you DD's it and not beating on it, you'll probably have plenty of life left in it. My dad's 96 silverado has 240k on the 305 ci. My mom's 94 3.4 Firebird has 230+ and still runs fine.

 

I drive 5 days a week to work (117 mile round trip) plus one weekend a month to my guard base (300 mile round trip) plus anything else I drive to such as the store, friends and familys houses. My wife also has an 06 Colorado 3.5L but I try not to use that as its milage is about 18/21 highway. Right now I am getting in the 27-28 mpg range in the camaro. My best was 30.5 mpg ... not bad for a V-6 with almost a quarter million miles on it.

Anyways it would cost so much more to get a new or even a used car as the payment/insurance etc would be high.... if i could even get a loan for a margnial better gas mileage. If you figure that in I may break even in like 8 years.

So far no smoking. It uses a quarts of engine oil every 5000 miles or so. I use mobil 1 synthetic oil since I have owned the car at 110,000 miles I will be at 250,000 miles at the end of the year and in two years from now I will be at 300,000 miles. I know I wont be able to buy a car for at least 2 years and maybe more so I am just hoping this lasts. I do most of my own maintenance and do keep up on it.

Anyways, what is the highest mileage 3.8 camaro anyone here has seen or heard of? Or even any GM 3.8L equipped car?

 

this guy i work with claims he has a minivan with the 3.8 close to 400k miles with no major work done to the engine. just lots and lots of transmissions. not sure if i believe him or not though

 

my 97 3.8 has 140k ... No problems at all with it, uses a quart about every 1700 miles, no smoke, good engine.

 

One of my coworkers has an02 Buick Century and his wife is about to hit the 400K mark hoping to make 500k. He also has a 97 Geo Metro with the 3cyl that is close to 300k. Change the fluids when necessary, and since it's all long miles you can go 5,000 on an oil change. Every 3,000 is nice but not necessary and really wasting money on a car that racks up the long miles.

 

Mine just went; a burnt exhaust valve at 170,000. I am looking for a replacement. I have a new post about that so as not to hijack this thread. Best car I ever owned.