First cars with 6 digit odometer

[Dyslexic Viking]

As the title says which cars or which car was the first to have 6 digit odometer?

And which was the last one with 5 digit odometer guessing Escort?

[Dyslexic Viking]

I think Volvo 240 was among the first with a 6 digit odometer.

And think all Mercedes W115 were 5 digit odometers and Mercedes didn't get 6 digit odometers until the W123 series?

[SiC]

Ford Ka had a 5 digit odo and they were around in the 2000s. 

I think Volvo might have been the first maybe?

 

[Dyslexic Viking]

I had forgotten the Volvo 100 series had 6 digit odometer so it must be the first one? 

[Dyslexic Viking]

But wondering why Ford held on to 5 numbers for so long after everyone else?

[egg]

Mini must have had one up to 2000?

[egg]

I have never been in one but late Lada models in the 90's?

[Dyslexic Viking]

6 minutes ago, egg said:

Mini must have had one up to 2000?

I think so, but it was an ancient car that was still in production so is to be expected.

And  you're probably the right one to ask was the Mondeo the first Ford with 6 numbers?

[Dyslexic Viking]

5 minutes ago, egg said:

I have never been in one but late Lada models in the 90's?

A quick search and it seems they were all 5 numbers then.

[egg]

9 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

And  you're probably the right one to ask was the Mondeo the first Ford with 6 numbers?

Not the first I don't think - for example MK3 Granada (1992 model Furious Driving)

[chaseracer]

36 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

But wondering why Ford held on to 5 numbers for so long after everyone else?

You're aware of the 1990 Escort...? 😉😁

[Dyslexic Viking]

2 minutes ago, chaseracer said:

You're aware of the 1990 Escort...? 😉😁

Yes unfortunately, my grandparents had one.

[mk2_craig]

Motorcycle fans, were any bikes ever fitted with a 6 digit odo before digital displays came in? 

[ProgRocker]

Vauxhall/Opel? 🤔

Rolls Royce and Bentley? 

[warren t claim]

I'm pretty sure that six figure odometers were introduced to standardise clusters across Europe as 60000 KMS is hardly a high mileage.

[Rod/b]

Nor is 99,999km, but its still more than 60,000km

[Spottedlaurel]

Thinking of real digits all visible simultaneously, has there ever been a car with more than the 15 of the Nissan Bluebird?

 

[adw1977]

15 hours ago, egg said:

Not the first I don't think - for example MK3 Granada (1992 model Furious Driving)

It seems the Mark 3 Granada had a six digit odometer from the start:

[adw1977]

It's interesting to see how much variation there was, not just between manufacturers but also different models from the same manufacturer. 

Although the 1985 Granada had 6 digits, the Sierra had 5 all the way through, being outclassed by the other new large hatchback for 1982, the Austin Ambassador which did have six!

And the Escort kept 5 digits until at least 1997.

[egg]

Also makes me think of the death of the phrase 'has it been round the clock?'

[Richard_FM]

1 hour ago, adw1977 said:

It's interesting to see how much variation there was, not just between manufacturers but also different models from the same manufacturer. 

Although the 1985 Granada had 6 digits, the Sierra had 5 all the way through, being outclassed by the other new large hatchback for 1982, the Austin Ambassador which did have six!

And the Escort kept 5 digits until at least 1997.

Transits had 5 digits well into the 1990s, I remember seeing something on TV about car auctions where someone was quick to point out one with 25,000 on the clock had probably done 125,000. 

[Blake's Den]

19 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

I think so, but it was an ancient car that was still in production so is to be expected.

And  you're probably the right one to ask was the Mondeo the first Ford with 6 numbers?

My '97 Mini has a 5 digit odometer and no trip counter

[MantaGTE85]

8 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Thinking of real digits all visible simultaneously, has there ever been a car with more than the 15 of the Nissan Bluebird?

 

Good question. I can't think of anything else, other than my old 1989 Galant GTi (non-4wd 4ws sadly) that had a very similar arrangement with its two trip recorders.

[warren t claim]

18 hours ago, Rod/b said:

Nor is 99,999km, but its still more than 60,000km

Maybe in Europe they didn't have the tenths and used all the odo for whole KMs?

[MrGTI6]

On 23/03/2024 at 18:51, Dyslexic Viking said:

 

And which was the last one with 5 digit odometer guessing Escort?

The Escort ditched the five-digit odometer in favour of a digital six-digit readout around the millennium, perhaps just before. About the same time as the Fiesta and Puma. 

The KA retained the five-digit odometer right up to when they switched from Endura to Duratec. I think the latest Endura-powered KAs were registered on a 52-plate.

[MrGTI6]

10 hours ago, Richard_FM said:

Transits had 5 digits well into the 1990s, I remember seeing something on TV about car auctions where someone was quick to point out one with 25,000 on the clock had probably done 125,000. 

The speedometer certainly made up for the odometer's lack of optimism.

It's been a while since I've driven one but I'm sure the speedo went all the way up to 150mph! 🤣

[High Jetter]

First one I knew was my brand new E prefix Bluebird T72. Also had separate indicators for each blown brake bulb, and 2 tripmeters!

[MiniMinorMk3]

1963 Mini with six digit odometer. So which was the first to show 10ths of mile/km? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know that you mean whole miles/kms, and not decimals.

 

[wuvvum]

On 23/03/2024 at 18:58, SiC said:

Ford Ka had a 5 digit odo and they were around in the 2000s. 

I think Volvo might have been the first maybe?

 

Probably - I was going to say my 164 has a 6-digit odo.

[MantaGTE85]

On 24/03/2024 at 23:29, MrGTI6 said:

The speedometer certainly made up for the odometer's lack of optimism.

It's been a while since I've driven one but I'm sure the speedo went all the way up to 150mph! 🤣

My dad's ancient 1.3 Kent-engined '78 mk2 Escort van's speedo went up to 140. It very rarely managed to get over 65.