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The Toyota brand ranks highly in vehicle dependability studies. A recent JD Power Vehicle Dependability study rated the Toyota Tundra in the number one spot in the large light duty pickup segment. The Tacoma claimed the top spot in the midsize pickup class.

Several car or engine companies have high mileage clubs for customers who like to share their experiences. This includes Toyota, Ford and Cummins. In those clubs you’d find plenty of 500,000 mile trucks. There are also a surprising number of million-mile vehicles running around.

But how about a truck that has completed 2.6-million miles? To be specific, 2,687,028 miles at the last count. Must be a Toyota of sorts, right?

Nope. It’s actually a Dodge. A Dodge Ram 3500.

The High-Mile Club

1.6-million miles. That’s how far Mike Neal drove his 2008 Toyota Tacoma. Neal covered more than 400 highway miles per day, delivering medical supplies across several states. The truck had an engine and gearbox change at around 800,000 miles.

After Neal passed away, the ‘most famous Tacoma in the world’ ended up on the same dealership floor where Mike had bought it back in 2008, enjoying its retirement after all those miles.

There is also the case of Victor Sheppard, who drove his 2007 Toyota Tundra for more than 1-million miles. In 2016, Toyota offered Sheppard a brand-new Tundra for his high miler, an offer that he gratefully accepted.

Mark Miller bought his Toyota Highlander Hybrid in 2006 – and put more than 1-million miles on the Toyota using it as his office and towing trailers for his asphalt paving business. Miller says maintenance was a top priority for him, so he had the Highlander serviced regularly at Germain Toyota of Naples.

In 2022, fate came knocking on Miller’s door… Hurricane Ian hit Florida and the resulting water surge destroyed the Toyota. Then he got a call from the dealership… he needed to go into the shop. He arrived, and there was a brand-new 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid waiting for him.

Nice.

Want Miles? Howard’s Got Some!

When you want to talk high mileage, like really high mileage, how about Howard Clayton’s Dodge Ram 3500, with more than 2.6-million miles on the clock? It still has the original engine (which had a rebuild along the way), and the six-speed gearbox was replaced.

Clayton is an owner-operator that has delivered RV trailers across the USA and Canada for more than two decades. He bought the Ram 3500 new, and fitted high performance injectors and added an aftermarket ECU performance chip that hiked the power to more than 300 hp.

The Dodge’s service manual suggests that the legendary Cummins 5.9-liter Inline-6 direct injection diesel engine has to be serviced every 3,000 miles, but Clayton told Farm Show magazine in 2012 that he actually changed the oil and oil filter every 10,000 miles.

That’s because he travels up to 700 miles per day, and with the 3,000-mile service intervals, he would have to report to his regular mechanic. Forest Cunningham, every four days or so, which is not a practical solution.

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Cunningham told Farm Show that Clayton is a very meticulous owner, and responsible driver. If anything is amiss, even a minor thing, Clayton would have Cunningham sort it, before a small issue turns into a big one.

At 1.7-million miles, the engine’s head gasket gave up the ghost, and there had been a few small oil leaks over the years that had to be mended – but other than that, no major issues were reported. The battery, alternator and lift pumps were also replaced.

At around 2-million miles, the engine was comprehensively overhauled. This included new pistons, bearings and crank. The six-speed gearbox was also replaced. Other issues included the instrument panel… this proved to be the most problematic part of the truck, with a number of replacements over the years.

Clayton had the interior slightly modified for this long-distance driving purpose, replacing the passenger seat with a bed, so he could catch a more comfortable nap when he needed to.

So what’s the secret to the Cummins engine’s longevity? Mechanic Cunningham explained to Farm Show that he cleans out all the fluids and refills with fresh synthetics. Clayton is also very particular about the oils and additives he uses in the drivetrain.

Clayton uses synthetic products for both the engine and gearbox, and also adds a measure of Lucas Oil Additive to the engine at every oil change. This, he told Farm Show, thickens up the oil for better oil pressure.

Another interesting addition is a fuel treatment product to keep the engine’s injectors clean.

Farm Show followed up with Clayton in 2018, and by then the 76-year-old professional driver had covered 2.6-million miles in his Dodge Ram 3500. He also said that he had started taking his driving down a notch, taking more time off – he had driven ‘only’ 200,000 miles since 2016.

Clayton reported that the truck was still returning around 13 miles per gallon with an RV trailer up to 44 feet long in tow, and about 20 MPG with no load.

We hope Howard Clayton is still chasing the horizon in his Dodge Ram 3500.

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The Story Of That 5.9

The Cummins B-Series Inline-6 turbocharged diesel engine was introduced in the Ram pickup range in 1989, and the original single turbo 12-valve 6BT mill produced 160 hp and 400 lb-ft – impressive numbers back in 1989.

In time, with the horsepower and torque race well and truly on in the pickup segment, the engine received many upgrades. By the time Howard Clayton bought his Ram 3500, the 5.9-liter engine was called the ISB5.9 and came with many updates, including four valves per cylinder and electronic engine management, and in this format the engine produced from 215 hp to 325 hp.

The engine was paired with a six-speed automatic gearbox, which reportedly had some issues, including fluid leaks, harsh or delayed shifting, torque converter troubles, and solenoid and sensor malfunctions. So Clayton did really well with his Ram’s original gearbox, obviously taking great care of towing the heavy loads.

The ISB5.9 did service in the Ram range until January 2007. It was replaced by the Cummins 6.7-liter Inline-6, a 13% increase in displacement, with improved power and meeting strict emissions regulations.

2.6-Mllion Miles? That Must Be Like A World Record?

It may very well be the highest officially recorded mileage for a dual-wheel heavy-duty truck, but the official record for the highest recorded mileage for a vehicle is held by Irv’s Gordon’s 1966 Volvo P1800 – it has covered a staggering 3.2-million miles since 1966.

That equates to 55,172 miles per year… lots of fun in the sporty Volvo.

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Want Your Car To Go The High-mileage Way? Here Are A Few Tips:

Maintenance: Servicing your car on a regular basis is the basis of a longer lifespan. Follow the car company’s suggested servicing schedule where possible, or find a viable alternative (like Clayton did). This at least includes oil and oil filter change.

Don’t go cheap on parts: Buying a set of spark plugs that fell off the back of a truck or opting for the cheapest oil you can find, may save you a buck in the short-term, but it may very well come back to bite you in the long run.

It will only have a negative effect on engine performance, efficiency and reliability. Longevity will be compromised. Simply put, you shouldn’t go to your dentist for open-heart surgery – stick with the right stuff as best you can, and your engine (and you) will benefit in the long run.

Don’t ignore strange sounds and symptoms: If a warning light illuminates on the dashboard, best not cover it up with a bit of duct tape. Rather get it fixed. It can be something small, or a more major issue that may leave you in tears next to the road. Similar, if you hit the brakes, and hear a grinding noise, that is not good… you can’t solve the problem by applying less pressure on the pedal. You need to have it sorted (brake pads are done, most probably).

Drive it properly: If you are going to race every other car between the traffic lights, revving the engine into the red line in every gear, braking hard for the next light, your vehicle’s longevity will be compromised.

That said, driving like Miss Daisy and short-shifting in a stick shift so the engine revs never exceed 1,500 rpm is also not recommended. Just drive normally.

Interestingly, all the really high-mileage vehicles spend the majority of those miles on the open road, at a constant speed. Good excuse to go on a road trip, that.