The Immortal Octavia: See What It's Like After One Million Kilometres

Meet Jómundur Ólason, an Icelandic sheep farmer who drove his first-generation Škoda Octavia over one million kilometres. How did he achieve such a milestone, and what advice does he have for those who want to enjoy their cars for as long as possible?

A Škoda dealer in Iceland was recently contacted by farmer Jómundur Ólason. He was curious to know what his first-generation Škoda Octavia, powered by a 2.0-liter petrol engine, would display on the dashboard after reaching one million kilometres. The dealer didn't know the answer, as he had never encountered anything like this before, so they took a look together.

Jómundur has spent countless hours behind the wheel of his Octavia, most often driving from his home to his sheep farm in Borgarfjörður, but also on longer journeys across the entire island: “I’ve been to many parts of Iceland and have fond memories from those trips. My longest journey with Octavia was about a thousand kilometres when I visited the Westfjords. I definitely recommend stopping by the Dynjandi waterfall,” he says.

He started driving the Octavia in 2007, although the car had been in use since 2003 by his wife. “It was my first Škoda. I’d had several cars before, but none of them had such low running costs and such reliability. Later, I began using the Octavia as my work vehicle — and only then did I realize what an amazing machine it is," recalls the Icelandic farmer.

The car required only regular maintenance, and technical issues were rare. “You don’t often come across such reliability. The Octavia just kept going, no matter what,” Jómundur says. While strong engineering is certainly part of the formula, regular service is just as essential for achieving such high mileage.

“Routine maintenance is essential. You must keep an eye on things like shock absorbers, radiators, and brakes. Driving style also matters — I was always careful not to over-rev the engine. I never pushed it beyond 3,000 rpm. I also only used high-quality oil and changed it roughly every 30,000 kilometres,” Jómundur explains.

Despite what might sound like gentle treatment, the Octavia had to endure Iceland’s harsh climate and the daily demands of its owner´s profession. Jómundur drove in all weather conditions, tackled gravel roads, and even transported sheep from time to time. Yet incredibly, the car still retains its original engine, transmission, and even clutch. According to Jómundur, the key to longevity is respecting the machine and paying attention to small issues before they become big ones.

So, what happened after crossing the one-million-kilometre mark? On the dashboard, six proud nines stood in a row — the odometer simply wasn’t built to handle seven-digit numbers. But that didn’t dampen Jómundur’s joy. Quite the opposite — he beamed with pride at hitting such a legendary milestone. “It was an incredible moment for me, and the journey to get there was pure fun. I kept the car even when everyone told me to trade it for a new one. I always knew it would make it to a million.”

Jómundur did eventually replace his car, stayed true to both the brand and the model, and now drives a new Škoda Octavia. His old Octavia, with its impressive mileage, could easily be placed in a museum after such service, but its journey is not over yet. It will be used at a high school in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavík to explore and study mechanics as part of the automotive engineering program.