While covering 500,000 miles (804,500 kilometers) with the same engine is not something unheard of these days, it is not common either. Welcome to the world of Matt Marion, deputy editor at Men’s Health magazine, who recently hit the half-million mile mark with his 2001 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T.
Marion began blogging about his car on a dedicated section at Men’s Health website called “The Half-Million Mile Man” on March 2010, when his turbocharged Jetta reached 400,000 miles (643,000 km). The purpose was to detail his efforts to reach the half million-a-mile landmark.
“The purpose of my blog ‘The Half-Million Mile Man’ was not only to chronicle my journey toward 500,000 miles, but also to share what I learned along the way about automotive maintenance with other drivers,” Marion explains. “When I neared 500K, I realized that the most valuable lessons of all were probably hiding inside the Jetta’s engine.”
The milestone came on April 9, 2012, but instead of simply opening a champagne to celebrate the occasion, Marion decided to perform an autopsy at Volkswagen Group of America’s Auburn Hills Technical Center in Michigan.
Over the course of two days, the German brand’s technicians took apart the Jetta’s 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine to check for cylinder wall wear and intake valve carbon deposits.
The technicians reportedly found little wear and buildup, crediting Marion’s careful servicing of the car for its good condition.
Heinz Rothe, a Product Support Engineer with Audi who was on hand during the autopsy, seemed surprised with the results. “This is fantastic,” he said. “Unless you see it, you don’t believe it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you could do another half million.”
Unfortunately for the Jetta, this was the end of the line as Marion sold the body of the car for parts.
You can watch a video of the “Automotive Autopsy” at Marion’s blog here.
VIDEO
