Missouri Man Receives New Car After Driving One Million Miles in 30-Year-Old Volvo

A Missouri man has been rewarded with a brand new car after driving his 30-year-old Volvo one million miles.

Jim O’Shea, of St. Louis County, reached the milestone in his Volvo 740 GLE while driving to work in late November, KTVI previously reported. The car, purchased in 1991, has been through two engines, two transmissions, and has collected some rust, but still runs.

“The good thing about this car is, it can’t get me in any trouble because it goes about 75 miles per hour tops,” said O’Shea.

“Never been in any accidents. Been hit by my wife three times in my driveway,” O’Shea noted. 

Jim recalled buying the vehicle thirty years ago. 

“Back when I purchased the car from West County Volvo, a guy rolled in with a 1961,” he told KTVI. “I don’t know the model number, but they flipped him the keys to a new car because he had a million miles. The light bulb went off in my head, if he can do it, I can do it. So, I did it!”

When he went home with his new 740 GLE, not everyone was pleased. 

“My dad’s brother was running a Ford dealer, and he said you can only buy Fords. I brought this home, and he didn’t talk to me for a while. I said to him, ‘I guarantee you I will get a million miles out of this car’, and I did,” said O’Shea.

Once he passed the milestone, he thought of what he had told his father three decades ago. 

“It didn’t hit me until I thought about what I told my dad. Since he’s no longer with us, I couldn’t rub it in his face,” O’Shea told KTVI. 

Last month, O’Shea went back to West County Volvo and was rewarded with a 2022 S-60 sedan from the dealership and Volvo Cars USA, according to KTVI.

“It’s his and free for two years, under the ‘Care by Volvo’ all-inclusive car subscription,” the outlet reports. “It includes maintenance, tires, wheels, excessive wear protection, and insurance.” Stephen Lynch, the general manager of the dealership, sold O’Shea his Volvo in 1991.

“We’re just excited to be able to take care of Jim and get him into a new car. He earned it, and we couldn’t be happier for him,” said Lynch. 

“The combination of the two of them is pretty unbelievable,” he said. 

O’Shea was able to keep his 740 GLE as “he is very attached,” states a Facebook post shared by West County Volvo.