--- title: "2003 Honda Accord Hits 1,000,000 Miles on Original Engine" description: "It took a lot more than oil changes, but this 2003 Accord Coupe finally crossed the million mile mark, even with its original engine." date: "2023-03-14" modified: "2023-03-14" authors: - name: "Peter Holderith" job_title: "Contributor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/peter-holderith.md" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/2003-honda-accord-hits-1000000-miles-on-original-engine" categories: - "Culture" - "Honda News" - "News" - "News by Brand" --- # 2003 Honda Accord Hits 1,000,000 Miles on Original Engine ![]() *\TX Accord via YouTube\* It's not often cars reach 1 million miles, but it's more plausible for certain makes/models than others. Take Justin Kilmer's 2003 Honda Accord, for instance. We did [a deep dive on the car]() back when it had a minuscule 982,000 miles on the odometer. Now we're happy to say it's surpassed 1,000,000 miles, and although the car *probably* needs a new engine, it passed into the realm of seven figures on its original 3.0-liter V6. How has it amassed so many miles in 20 years? Kilmer is a medical courier, so he spends most of his waking hours driving. His wife actually purchased the stick-shift Accord Coupe before they were married. In 2015, before Kilmer became a courier, it had 185,000 miles. For any of you doing the math, Kilmer has driven, on average, right around 125,000 miles a year since he entered the profession. He captured the moment on video, of course: https://youtu.be/ochlLnzMzcI The car's original engine is on its last legs. One cylinder has low compression and the car has developed a misfire. That being said, the engine has been one of the more reliable parts of the car. The transmission had to be replaced, for instance, as well as a few clutches. Unexpected wearables include the driver's seat, control arms, and door lock actuators. It's also on its third radiator. Despite the motor lasting this long, it also must be said that most of the accessories had to be replaced. The exhaustive list of everything that has been replaced can be found in our [previous coverage]() of the car. It's also lightly modified, to make driving it a little more enjoyable. Kilmer plans to replace the current engine soon, but he's likely going to keep the original, just because it was such a trooper. ![]() **Justin Kilmer** We've covered other cars in the past that have reached the million-mile mark as well. All were built by Japanese or American manufacturers. They include a [2008 Toyota Tacoma](), a [2013 Ford Super Duty pickup](), a 2007 [Nissan Frontier](), and a Durmax-powered [2007 Chevrolet Silverado 3500](). *Got a tip? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Peter Holderith is a former staff writer for The Drive. He enjoys covering the regular news cycle, writing reviews, and hunting down long features on obscure pieces of automotive history. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]() [Twitter]() ## More - [Here’s What It Takes To Keep a 2003 Honda Accord Running for Nearly a Million Miles]() - [This 2006 Honda Civic Hit a Million Miles on its Original Engine and Transmission]() - [2000 Honda Accord With Over 1 Million Miles Surfaces in North Carolina]() - [This 2022 Honda Civic for Sale Has a Stunning 248,000 Miles on the Odometer]() - [2011 Honda Civic Racks Up 500,000 Miles on Original Powertrain Thanks to Basic Maintenance]() - [Unbelievable 2002 Chevy Camaro SS With Only 830 Miles Deserves to Be Driven]() - [Watch This Teardown of a 300,000-Mile Toyota Camry Engine]() - [Volkswagen Restores Original-Owner 1967 Beetle With 350,000 Miles for Free]()