More than a million kilometers with the same car? Impossible? not really. The Carinthian Bernhard Schatz (59) from Bad St. Leonhard has reached the magical limit with his car.
When Bernhard Schatz picked up his new car at the dealership in the district town of Wolfsberg on August 6, 2000, he noted eleven kilometers in the logbook. 22 years later, on December 6 of this year, Schatz drove his car to the market town of Reichenfels on the Carinthian-Styrian border to fill up the million. His favorite workshop is there.
All sticker checks passed
The speedometer of his VW Golf IV shows exactly 999,999 kilometers when Schatz drives into the workshop. And then only dashes – Wrong. Of course, that does not prevent Schatz from continuing to drive in the future – after all, there is still the daily odometer. Strange but true. The car is still completely original and has passed all sticker checks without any significant complaints during the long period.
A particularly close relationship with the reliable Golf
It always reliably drives its owner to work – 100 kilometers one way to the Meran’schen Brandhof on the Styrian Hochschwab, where the Bad St. Leonharder has looked after the 6000-hectare chamois and ibex reserve as a gamekeeper and hunter for 30 years. “Accident-free”, emphasizes the 59-year-old, who over the years has not only developed a particularly close relationship with the mystical Capricorn, but also with his reliable Golf.
90 PS stronger turbo diesel
The body and underbody of his black 90PS turbo diesel are in surprisingly good condition even after such a long time, if you ignore a few subtle rust spots on the edges. Fabric seats, exhaust, engine, clutch and gearbox are in good condition, the turbocharger is original. “Only the timing belt was replaced regularly,” says Schatz.
Motor vehicle master praises car owners
But what is the secret to this extraordinarily long car lifespan? “On the one hand, regular maintenance,” says Schatz, whose workshop now knows every screw. Managing Director Michael Hainzl and his team have been taking care of the vehicle since 2011. “The maintenance of his maintenance book is exemplary,” says the master mechanic.
48 maintenance booklets
The history of the Golf is meticulously documented on 14 pages with 48 maintenance booklets. And then there is the relaxed driving style of the passionate hunter. “I always drive with foresight, I’m not a rusher, try to slide and always use the engine brake,” Schatz describes his driving style, which he also uses to try to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Is he now planning to retire his car? “No, we will continue as long as we can,” said Schatz.
Schatz is still far from the world record of a certain Irv Gordon from the US with no less than 5.2 million kilometers in his Volvo P 1800.
Source: Krone
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