'No Engine Or Transmission Issues?': Illinois Uber Customer Gets Into 2019 Jeep Cherokee. Then He Sees the Odometer

Jeep

When most people see a car with nearly 400,000 miles on it, they assume it's held together by duct tape and prayers.

But one Uber driver's Jeep Cherokee is proving that stereotype wrong and doing it while giving rides for a living. Here’s how the driver has kept his car in working condition over the years.

Uber Driver's 2019 Jeep Cherokee Has Nearly 400,000 Miles

In a trending video with 136,000 views, a car content creator who goes by @autopartscity shared his surprise after getting into an Uber and spotting something unusual on the dashboard.

"I'm in an Uber today on my way up to Auto Parts City, and as soon as I got in this car, I saw the odometer—398,000 miles on this Jeep Cherokee," he said in shock.

The passenger struck up a conversation with the Uber driver to learn more about the vehicle's history. Turns out, he bought the 2019 Jeep Cherokee brand new in 2018 with just 25 miles on it, so that means he's put nearly 400,000 miles on the vehicle in roughly seven years. That’s over 50,000 miles a year.

When asked about serious repairs over the car's lifetime, the driver said he doesn’t think he had to do anything too major.

"The basic alternator once, the starter once, battery twice, radiator once, and of course switching out tires every 50,000 miles—but other than that, it's been running good," he said.

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The passenger pressed further, asking the question that would make or break the vehicle's reputation: "No engine or transmission issues?"

"No engine or transmission issues," the driver confirmed.

The driver also shared that he's a name-brand tire buyer, swapping them out regularly every 50,000 miles to maintain the vehicle's performance.

"So, no major problems on a Jeep Cherokee with almost 400,000 miles on it?" @autopartscity asked, impressed.

"No, I think it's divine intervention," the driver joked.

"Pretty impressed with that little Jeep Cherokee," @autopartscity concluded.

Gallery: 2019 Jeep Cherokee: First Drive

What 398,000 Miles Really Means for a Vehicle

For context, the average American drives 14,263 miles per year, according to the Federal Highway Administration. At that rate, it would take roughly 28 years to reach 398,000 miles (compare that to the Uber driver’s seven years).

Uber and Lyft drivers rack up significantly higher mileage than average drivers due to the nature of rideshare work. A full-time rideshare driver can easily put more than 1,000 miles a week, which can translate to over 50,000 miles in a year, a driver in a ride share forum shared.

The repairs the driver mentioned (an alternator, starter, two batteries, and a radiator) are considered routine maintenance items that most vehicles need to be replaced at some point during their lifetime.

What's notable is what he hasn't needed to replace: the engine and transmission, which are typically the most expensive components to repair or replace on a vehicle.

An engine can cost between $2,000 and $10,000 to replace, while a transmission replacement can cost an average of $2,500 to $6,000.