A SAFEWAY Stores company car driver has clocked up 174,000 miles in three years in his BMW 3-series, and in the process has demonstrated how adhering to manufacturers' servicing and repair guidelines can almost halve a car's running costs.

Safeway's fleet supplier BCH Vehicle Management has applauded Dave Torrance, a project manager with the supermarket giant, as a role model for other fleet car drivers. Despite his car's high mileage, Torrance returned the N-registered BMW 318i four-door in immaculate condition with a service record showing that its recommended service intervals had been carried out on time at a franchised dealer. The average cost of running the car was 1.67pence per mile. This included servicing, repairs, tyres and brakes, with the exceptions of fuel, insurance, road tax and depreciation.

Csaba Ujvari, fleet services manager at BCH, said: 'The car was remarkable and had the looks and engine sound of a car with a quarter of that mileage. The maintenance cost per mile compares with an average cost of 3.2p for a similar vehicle and mileage, for which we would have anticipated an engine replacement or major work. The car has obviously been looked after well and driven carefully, which proves that a vehicle can be looked after this well by someone achieving such high mileage. A car returned with 60,000 miles should, therefore, be in even better condition.'