Cars or trucks logging a million miles and more are a rare occurrence, let alone without an engine repair or replacement. Somehow, though, Vic Shepherd has now completed a million miles for the second time in a Toyota Tundra SR5 model. The first was a 2007 model and the second a 2014 model, meaning both are from the same generation. It’s an astonishing feat, with the first using Toyota’s 4.7-liter V8 engine and the second using the 5.7-liter version. When Pickup Truck And SUV Talk spoke to Shepherd, he said that the second million-mile truck did have transmission issues at 780,000 miles and ended up being replaced another 80,000 miles later.
A Million Miles With Minimal Mishaps
Other than the transmission starting to slip at 780,000 miles, the only other issue was at the 800,000-mile mark, when the motor that controls the seat back recliner gave up. According to Pickup Truck And SUV Talk, Shepherd is a tall man built like a football linebacker and regularly reclines the seat to sleep in the truck when out on delivery jobs to save on motels and hotels, so even that part “failure” is an anomaly. Usually, million-mile vehicles take a long time, sometimes a lifetime, to accrue their legendary status, but Shepherd’s work as a contract driver has got him over the line twice, averaging around 10,000 miles per month on his trucks.
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Shepherd bought his 2014 truck a little before his 2007 model Tundra hit all nines on the odometer. News reached Toyota of the 2007 model hitting the million-mile mark, and the Japanese automaker offered him a trade for a 2016 model, so engineers could tear down the 2007 model and see what could be learned from it. He kept the 2016 Tundra as his personal vehicle and pressed the 2014 model into service for work.
The first Shepherd-owned Tundra to do a million miles didn’t suffer any transmission issues, and purely got by on regular servicing at a dealership. Unfortunately, the second truck didn’t manage its million miles in under 10 years as work slowed for Shepherd in 2024.
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This might be the most impressive feat of reliability we’ve seen from a car model among many. Most, particularly trucks, which are heavy and often strained when used for work, have the whole drivetrain replaced or torn down and rebuilt a couple of times. The 2007 model went to Toyota with signs of wear – dents in the bodywork and understandably well-worn seats, but everything was fully functional. The 2027 also suffered a few dents, but any vehicle completing a million miles as a delivery vehicle without a few bumps and scrapes would be an outright miracle. If anything, they are badges of honor on an otherwise unremarkable-looking truck. The pictures below are of the 2007 model from Toyota’s celebration.
Another Million Miles Is Surely On The Cards
It’s curious now if Shepherd will press his 2016 model into service. It would make sense as it’s still in the same generation of Tundra – the second generation started with the 2007 model year and ended with the 2021 model year. At this point, though, we’re thinking Toyota should put him in a current, third-generation model, but with the 4.6-liter V8 to see how it fares. This kind of reliability would be key if Toyota is to reach the point of rivaling the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado in sales in the US.
Source: Pickup Truck And SUV Talk
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