Believe it or not, a woman drove the same car for a whopping 48 years and covered 567,000 miles
- A woman in the US kept the same car – a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente for almost 50 years
- She racked up a whopping 567,000 miles on the clock during that time
- She only gave up the car in her 90s when her vision prevented her from driving safely
Published on Jun 24, 2024 at 6:10 PM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jun 24, 2024 at 6:49 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
A woman racked up 567,000 miles in her beloved car – a 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente – after using it for almost 50 years.
Former nurse Rachel Veitch bought the car for $3,289 in February 1964 from a dealer in Florida and kept the car on the road for a whopping 48 years – truly going to show that if you take care of things they can last a lifetime.
Veitch spent many happy years with her motor until she was forced to stop driving due to macular degeneration at age 93.
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The car had seen plenty of action over its 48 years on the road
Veitch, from Orlando, told Fox News in 2009 that the vehicle, which she dubbed the ‘Chariot’, had outlasted three marriages and got through 18 batteries, eight mufflers, and countless oil changes over the years.
It was even involved in a smash on the I-95 back in 1980 when it was rear-ended by another vehicle but thankfully neither Chariot nor driver Veitch was too badly injured.
“She’s survived three husbands. She’s never lied to me. She’s never cheated on me. I could always depend on her,” Veitch told ABC in 2012.
“She’s American-made. She’s solid steel. This is my ship.”
After spending decades behind the wheel, Veitch knew it was time to give up her faithful old motor.
“I am legally blind, so I can no longer drive my lovely Chariot,” she told Fox News.
“They don’t have to take it away, I would not dream of driving that car again.
“I know I’m not safe enough to drive. But I have taken it in stride.”
“I’ve just taken care of everything.”
Veitch, who sadly passed away in 2017, said the secret to Chariot’s longevity was her keen attention to detail and dedication to its care.
“When I buy gas, I write down the mileage, the date and how many miles per gallon I got,” she told Fox News in 2009.
When asked if any of Veitch’s four children, nine grandchildren, or 11 great-grandchildren had their eye on the Chariot, she said they probably couldn’t take care of it like she did.
And it goes to show cars last when you take care of them.
Earlier this year, a 90-year-old man from the US was officially recognized as the oldest truck driver in the world.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Across her career she's covered a wide variety of topics, including celebrity, cryptocurrency, politics, true crime and just about everything in between.
