It is well known that a new car begins to depreciate from the moment it leaves the dealership and hits the street for the first time. The first year of life, it loses approximately 20% of its value and depreciates as time passes. At the same time, as the years go by and the mileage increases, various parts and components of the vehicle experience natural wear that requires their replacement to ensure optimal performance and durability of the car. But how many kilometers can a car last?
This is undoubtedly a difficult question to answer, since it depends on various factors, such as proper maintenance, driving conditions, the quality of the components and the brand of the car. Some vehicles have proven to have exceptional longevity, reaching several hundred thousand miles with proper care, while others may show signs of premature wear.
Experts point out that on average a well-maintained and quality car can last between 15 and 20 years or reach approximately 250,000 to 300,000 kilometers traveled. However, there are exceptions and some vehicles can be surprising for their durability and accumulate not only hundreds of thousands of kilometers but even millions of kilometers.
This is the case of the Mercedes W123 that works as a taxi in Maspalomas (Gran Canaria island) and is popularly known as Dominguito. The car was bought by a taxi driver named Domingo in 1986 but it was not until two years later that he registered it for use as public transportation. Today, the taxi is owned by Domingo’s granddaughter, now deceased, but is managed by the Maspalomas Taxi Drivers Cooperative.
It is a four-cylinder, 2,399 cubic centimeter diesel limousine with capacity for seven passengers in addition to the driver. It has a generously sized trunk that allows it to transport the suitcases of the passengers that it usually takes to the Gran Canaria airport, making it easy to travel up to 700 kilometers a day. On some routes it carries a total weight, including passengers and their belongings, of around 800 kg.
The taxi operates 24 hours a day in three 8-hour shifts. One of the drivers, Juan Rafael Santana, assures that the car has already traveled 7 million kilometers, which is equivalent to 175 times around the Earth.
The engine of the Mercedes W123 that has been a taxi on the island of Gran Canaria for 35 years is not the original. The factory one was repaired three times. The accumulation of kilometers requires a complete engine change every five years, which is the time it takes to accumulate one million kilometers on the odometer.
Likewise, the bodywork and paint of the taxi are not original either, but have been renewed several times throughout the more than three decades of service. In addition to interventions on the engine and bodywork, other parts of the vehicle, such as the upholstery and internal components, have also undergone changes over the years to ensure a comfortable and functional environment inside the taxi.
Calculating that the average journey covered by the taxi is 30 km and an occupancy of 6 passengers, the Mercedes W123 would have transported 1.5 million people. The data that refers to estimated consumption throughout the 35 years of history is also not negligible. Starting from the premise that it consumes 10 liters every 100 kilometers, the long-lived Maspalomas taxi would have consumed 700,000 liters of diesel. At the current exchange rate, it would represent an expense of 1,085,000 euros in fuel.
