It just keeps going, and going and going. No, it's not a battery. It's Irvin Gordon's 1966 Volvo P1800S. Gordon's small, red two-door has well over two million miles on the odometer, the equivalent of nearly 1,176 times across the globe. The retired schoolteacher from Long Island hopes to reach the three-million-mile mark by next year. He only has 34,000 miles to go. Gordon's Volvo P1800 is seen here in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
The 72-year-old drives his Volvo everywhere. He has held the Guinness World Records mark for High Mileage Vehicle since 2002 and was the first person to hold that record. Gordon poses for a picture in his Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
He bought his beloved car on June 30, 1966 for $4,150 at the age of 25. He claims it was "a whole year's salary" at the time. Gordon originally wanted the convertible Volvo with air conditioning, but it was too expensive. He paid an extra $10 to have an AM/FM radio. Gordon poses for a picture in his Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
Gordon's car has just enough room for him and his essentials. His front bumper is filled with pins of his mileage achievements. Even his license plate says "MILNMILER." And his trunk overflows with the many car parts he thinks he might need when on the road. A two-million-mile badge is seen on Gordon's Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
Gordon has been taking road trips since he was a kid and continued to do so through his adult years. He says he would just tell his family to pack their things and hit the road. Gordon's two daughters went on his road trips until they outgrew the tiny red car. His odometer doesn't have enough digits to display the actual mileage, but Gordon has tune-up records verifying it. Gordon shows a recent service statement for his Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
Now divorced, Gordon takes road trips alone. With trips to Montreal, Texas and Michigan in just the last month, the last leg of his trip should not be too hard. Gordon's Volvo P1800 displays the license plate "MILNMILR" in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
It took him 21 years to reach the first million miles and 15 more years to reach two million. Gordon averages 85,000 to 100,000 miles per year. Most of his trips are for auto shows, but he also takes trips across the country just for a good cup of coffee.
Gordon poses for a picture in his Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
Gordon's car already holds the world record for the highest recorded milage on a car and he is less than 40,000 miles away from passing three million miles on the Volvo.
Gordon poses for a picture in his Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
Gordon drives his Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
Gordon poses for a picture in his Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
Gordon drives his Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.
A miniature car rests on the dashboard of Gordon's Volvo P1800 in Babylon, N.Y., July 2, 2012.