Toyota Gives Million-Mile Tundra Driver a Brand New Truck
The 2016 Toyota Tundra
How does it feel to drive a vehicle with a million miles on the odometer? For one Toyota Tundra driver in Houma, Louisiana, it feels pretty great right about now. That’s because this lucky driver, Victor Sheppard, managed to make a deal with Toyota where they would get his hard-working truck, and Sheppard himself would get a brand-new one, free of charge.
Since purchasing the truck new in 2007, Sheppard has driven it an average of 125,000 miles per year, thanks to numerous trips between Louisiana, North Dakota, Wyoming, and Virginia for his job.
Toyota has been aware of Sheppard’s Tundra for a while. The truck was even displayed at the 2012 Texas State Fair in Dallas due to its excellent condition despite its high mileage. Now, Toyota wants to dissect the Tundra to see exactly what helped it hold up over these million miles, and to use the information it finds when designing future models.
In his almost 10 years of ownership, Sheppard has been diligent about keeping up with his truck’s maintenance. In all, the Tundra has had 117 dealership service visits for things like oil changes, timing belt replacements, and other recommended checkups. Surprisingly, the truck still houses its original engine, transmission, and paint job.
This truck is the seventh known vehicle in the US to reach this momentous mileage landmark, and it’s the first Toyota model to do so. This incredible story goes to show how important regular maintenance is to the health and longevity of a vehicle. Time will tell how Sheppard’s brand-new Toyota will hold up compared to his trusty 2007 Tundra.
News Source: Houma Today
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