91-year-old logs 562K miles in car

MILWAUKEE (CNN/WISN) - A 91-year-old great-great-grandmother is still putting the pedal to the metal, driving around town. And her car has a whopping 562,000 miles on it.

"Oh, I just think she's the most gorgeous thing on earth," said Rachel Veitch.

The car is almost like her fifth child. "She behaves better than the other four, really," added Veitch.

The 91-year-old and her 46-year-old car started their journey together in 1964.

"Cause my husband bought the car. And I never saw it until he brought it home," Veitch said.

The price back then for the V8 was just south of $3300. Since then, Veitch has taken the car on numerous adventures, even driving it 120 miles an hour "just for a mile," she said.

The Mercury Comet Caliente has enough miles on it to go to the moon and back. The engine block is original, and so is the owner. She holds birthday parties for the car and snaps a photo every 100,000 miles. The mileage, gas purchases, and repairs are all documented.

Over the years she says she's spent at least $50,000 to keep the car on the road. But she also knows how to save a lot of money.

"And I've had three sets of Sears shocks. And seven free Midas mufflers. I bought a lifetime battery from JCPenney and so I have had 18 free batteries. Firestone puts the battery in, Penney's pays for it," said Veitch.

Her "chariot" has lasted longer than her three husbands. The car even outlasted the mechanic who retired. But Vietch says retirment is not an option for the car.