To mark the occasion, the 74-year-old Long Island native and retired science teacher drove the record-setting mile on Alaska’s Seward Highway. He has now visited 49 US States, nine countries, and every providence in Canada -- all in the Volvo he bought new in 1966.Already, Gordon holds the Guinness Book of World Records mark for the most miles driven in a vehicle by a single owner. If I stop for gas some place or I stop for a cup of coffee people will pull up next to me and ask about the car and was that the car they saw in a magazine and how's the car doing and so on and so on and its terrific. Before you know it, you've got new friends all over the country." To reach 3 million miles Gordon has driven over 60,000 hours at an average speed of 50 mph.His story is now the focus of Volvo's Three Million Reasons campaign , which follows his travels. However, Gordon says he's just a simple guy, who likes to drive his car. Usually when you see people getting out of their cars on long road trips, they're stretching and aching. By replacing hoses and belts and keeping up on oil changes Gordon has kept his car running, and plans to keep driving it as long as it runs.He suggests taking a few minutes to look under the hood each week, use one brand of oil and keep your car clean by washing it once a week. "Like fellow high-milers Hugh and Tammy Pennington, who still drive their Silverado 3500 HD after 1.2 million miles , Gordon says the secret to his Volvo's longevity is regular TLC and maintenance. If you treat it right, it will last for a very, very long time. Today he announced that he is within 50 miles of his goal and plans to reach it sometime today.To reach three million miles, Gordon drove from his home in Patchogue, N.Y., to Alaska. I drive the car all winter long, all summer long, I don't have a garage, the car sits outside, it's been outside for 47 years and I live a half a block from the ocean."
– When Irv Gordon, 74, had driven his 1966 Volvo P1800 1.69 million miles, he set a record; now, he's made a new mark in the Guinness Book. The Long Island man has as of Sept. 17 driven the car 3 million miles, the highest mileage in history by a single driver in one vehicle, Discovery reports. He hit the milestone on the Seward Highway in Alaska—leaving Hawaii as the only state he has never visited in the car—to celebrate. Gordon says in a press release: "I never had a goal to get to 1 million, to 2 million. I just enjoyed driving and experiencing life through my Volvo," whether he was making his 125-mile round-trip commute or exploring Europe. To put the feat in perspective: That's like driving from New York to LA, and back, 537 times. That's not the only neat number attached to the car. AOL Autos reports that it's also been to nine countries, stopped at 800 Waffle Houses, driven in 105-degree heat in Kansas City, and been in 11 accidents in its 47 years. The former middle-school science teacher, who makes sure to keep his vehicle in top condition, tells MyFoxPhilly.com that his car has started to develop celebrity status. "If I stop for gas some place or I stop for a cup of coffee, people will pull up next to me and ask about the car. Before you know it, you've got new friends all over the country." Not to mention your own website at Volvo, which also gave him a new vehicle for each of his 1 million and 2 million milestones. Those cars currently have 460,000 and 116,000 on the odometer, respectively. (Click for the story of another wild Guinness record.)