His Dodge Pickup Has Almost A Million Miles

2007 - Volume #31, Issue #2, Page #05

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Ray Melhuish, Hugo, Colo., has more than 983,000 miles on his 2002 Dodge 2500 3/4-ton, 4-WD pickup equipped with a Cummins 6.2-liter diesel engine and 6-speed manual transmission.
    "I have a custom horse hauling business and use this pickup to pull a 5-stall, 24-ft. stock trailer. So it hasn't been babied," says Melhuish. "I deliver horses to breeders, buyers and sellers, and even race horse trainers. I've hauled horses to every state and province in Canada and also to Mexico. Yet my pickup has no rust - the body and paint work are all original."
    Melhuish changes engine oil about every 3,500 miles and the transmission oil every 50,000 miles. He replaced the factory clutch at 100,000 miles and again at 600,000 miles. He also replaced the transmission at 650,000 miles. The engine's head was totally rebuilt at one point, and the fuel injector pump has been replaced three times. "I use exhaust brakes so I redo the brakes only about every 300,000 miles. I bought the pickup with a 5-year or 100,000-mile warranty so that didn't cover me for long."
    He attributes the outstanding longevity of the pickup partly to its factory quality, and partly to having a good mechanic. "I'm usually gone for three to six weeks at a time, and when I get home my mechanic uses a computer to check everything out. He's the best diesel mechanic I've ever met (Don Otto, D & L Services, Limon, Colo.).
    He uses Rotella T synthetic oil, which is recommended by Dodge.
    Melhuish says that when he started his horse hauling business 10 years ago, he used to change vehicles every two years or so. However, when Dodge switched to a new engine with their 2003 models, he decided to keep his 2002 model. "I don't like changes, and I was apprehensive about the computer systems they were building into the new engine so I waited to see how they would work out. I'm glad I waited, because I haven't been very impressed with Dodge pickups made from 2003 on. The owners I talk to seem to have many more problems than I've had.
    "I think the Dodge 2002 model was the last of the good Dodges before they tried installing fancy stuff to quiet the engines down. Now they're all having problems. My mechanic says it's because they doubled the pressure coming through the injector pump to make the engine run more quietly. My daughter sold her 2002 model and bought a 2004 model. She had trouble with it and also bought 2005 and 2006 models, but she had trouble with them, too. And all she uses her pickup for is to drive to work."
    Melhuish plans to drive the truck until he reaches the 1 million mile mark. "Then I plan to park the pickup until my 5-year-old grandson is old enough to drive it. He'll be able to drive a vintage Dodge truck."
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ray Melhuish, P.O. Box 536, Hugo, Colo. 80821 (ph 719 740-2688; aussieringer@hotmail.com).

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His Dodge Pickup Has Almost A Million Miles PICKUPS Miscellaneous 31-2-5 Ray Melhuish, Hugo, Colo., has more than 983,000 miles on his 2002 Dodge 2500 3/4-ton, 4-WD pickup equipped with a Cummins 6.2-liter diesel engine and 6-speed manual transmission. "I have a custom horse hauling business and use this pickup to pull a 5-stall, 24-ft. stock trailer. So it hasn't been babied," says Melhuish. "I deliver horses to breeders, buyers and sellers, and even race horse trainers. I've hauled horses to every state and province in Canada and also to Mexico. Yet my pickup has no rust - the body and paint work are all original." Melhuish changes engine oil about every 3,500 miles and the transmission oil every 50,000 miles. He replaced the factory clutch at 100,000 miles and again at 600,000 miles. He also replaced the transmission at 650,000 miles. The engine's head was totally rebuilt at one point, and the fuel injector pump has been replaced three times. "I use exhaust brakes so I redo the brakes only about every 300,000 miles. I bought the pickup with a 5-year or 100,000-mile warranty so that didn't cover me for long." He attributes the outstanding longevity of the pickup partly to its factory quality, and partly to having a good mechanic. "I'm usually gone for three to six weeks at a time, and when I get home my mechanic uses a computer to check everything out. He's the best diesel mechanic I've ever met (Don Otto, D & L Services, Limon, Colo.). He uses Rotella T synthetic oil, which is recommended by Dodge. Melhuish says that when he started his horse hauling business 10 years ago, he used to change vehicles every two years or so. However, when Dodge switched to a new engine with their 2003 models, he decided to keep his 2002 model. "I don't like changes, and I was apprehensive about the computer systems they were building into the new engine so I waited to see how they would work out. I'm glad I waited, because I haven't been very impressed with Dodge pickups made from 2003 on. The owners I talk to seem to have many more problems than I've had. "I think the Dodge 2002 model was the last of the good Dodges before they tried installing fancy stuff to quiet the engines down. Now they're all having problems. My mechanic says it's because they doubled the pressure coming through the injector pump to make the engine run more quietly. My daughter sold her 2002 model and bought a 2004 model. She had trouble with it and also bought 2005 and 2006 models, but she had trouble with them, too. And all she uses her pickup for is to drive to work." Melhuish plans to drive the truck until he reaches the 1 million mile mark. "Then I plan to park the pickup until my 5-year-old grandson is old enough to drive it. He'll be able to drive a vintage Dodge truck." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ray Melhuish, P.O. Box 536, Hugo, Colo. 80821 (ph 719 740-2688; aussieringer @hotmail.com).

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