Summary

• Chevy Silverado 3500: A real workhorse with the sturdiness and energy to journey a million miles in simply six years.
• Chevrolet: Known for constructing vans that simply maintain operating, the Silverado’s popularity for longevity is obvious within the Million Mile Club.
• Preventive Maintenance is vital: Regular oil modifications and high quality care helped Hugh and Tammy Pennington’s Silverado 3500 attain seven figures on the odometer.

Chevrolet is famend for constructing vans that simply maintain operating, and in the case of touring lengthy distances, Chevrolet is up there with the big guns like Toyota and Honda. Chevy has had so many vans cruise by to 6 figures that they established a membership only for drivers who’ve gone greater than 100,000 miles; the Chevy Truck Legends neighborhood.

Currently sitting at 18,500 members within the non-public Facebook group, it’s a testomony to the sturdiness of Chevy vans that so many have gone to date. For some drivers, 100,000 miles is simply warming up, and several other have even cruised previous their odometer restrict to hit probably the most spectacular milestone of 1 million miles pushed. Whether you’re transporting heavy trailers or heading on long road trips, the Silverado is the right car to get you from A to B.

The final mileage machine in Chevrolet’s vary is, surprisingly, the heavy-duty Silverado 3500, a real workhorse famend for its towing capability, highly effective engine choices, and talent to deal with something you throw at it. One couple managed to get their 2006 Silverado 3500 HD not solely to the million-mile mark, however in an extremely quick six years with no main repairs or issues with the truck.

In order to provide the newest and correct data potential, the info used to compile this text was sourced from Chevrolet, and different authoritative sources, together with MLive, DieselTech, Pickup Truck Talk, NPR, and Fuelly.

The Chevrolet Silverado, A Million Miles Of Machine

It’s no shock that the Silverado has multiple million-mile models; the Duramax turbo diesel present in most fashions is an engine that’s legendary for a motive; it’s highly effective, it’s sturdy (if the identify wasn’t sufficient of a touch) and the LBZ engine within the 2006 Silverado specifically is about as bulletproof because it will get. One couple from Michigan managed to not solely breeze previous the a million miles of their Silverado 3500, however they did so in simply 6 quick years, far faster than different file holders like Irv Gordon’s Volvo P1800S which took 52 years to get previous 3 million miles.

Long distances are to be anticipated within the Silverado, a lot in order that Chevrolet included an industry-exclusive engine hour meter to trace upkeep higher, and whereas drivers have reported the fuel economy to be round 12 MPG, this does climb to just about 18 MPG if you happen to’re spending your time on the freeway, which Hugh and Tammy Pennington definitely did.

Hugh and Tammy Pennington’s 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD

One million miles is a powerful sufficient feat. For Hugh and Tammy, the gap was only a case of enterprise as typical. In June 2006, they bought a model new Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD crew cab with a Duramax diesel engine and Allison transmission whereas in Georgia. Tammy had been driving Hugh’s Silverado and after placing down 150,000 miles in lower than a 12 months, they determined to purchase a brand new one. Six quick years later, the odometer hit its restrict and a million miles was achieved, with Tammy (who did 90 p.c of the driving) driving between 600 and 700 miles a day behind the wheel to succeed in the quantity.

Chevrolet Silverado 3500 In Detail

The Chevrolet Silverado 3500 heavy-duty spec mannequin is constructed for laborious work and towing giant hundreds and is much from the typical pickup truck, one thing that’s true even with the newest electric Silverado. Rated to tow an unlimited 16,700 kilos and carry a payload of 5,511 kilos in its 8-foot-long mattress, this can be a truck for individuals who want to maneuver numerous weight round. The 6.6-liter Duramax V-8 gives loads of energy to get the job executed, so you are not slowed to a crawl when towing giant trailers or RV’s, which is strictly what Hugh and Tammy did throughout their unbelievable six-year stretch.

The LBZ engine, which was first launched in early 2006, has since change into a legendary engine for its sturdiness and energy; it was launched proper earlier than emission laws required DPF (diesel particulate filters) set up which reduces efficiency and fuel mileage. Chevy additionally resolved the injector points that plagued the earlier LLY engine and paired it with an Allison six-speed computerized transmission to make sure you get probably the most mileage out of your Silverado.

Performance Specifications

Six Years To Hit Seven Figures, How?

Hitting a million miles is an unbelievable achievement, however to take action in simply six years beggars perception, particularly in something shy of a semi-trailer. For Hugh and Tammy, this was simply a part of the job and the miles added up with constant long-distance driving, and proper maintenance of their truck. The query turns into, how does one truck handle so many miles in such a short while, and what’s concerned in such a powerful achievement?

Much like different million-mile drivers like Victor Sheppard who is sort of as much as his second million miles, or Irv Gordon, whose different 2 automobiles had 600,000 miles on prime of his Volvo’s 3.2 million, the Penningtons additionally had one other Silverado with wonderful mileage; Hugh’s 2001 had 725,000 miles (though with one engine alternative) on the time, so driving is a giant a part of the life-style of 1,000,000 miler.

The much less glamorous reply to the right way to get to at least one million miles is pretty easy; numerous freeway driving. Of all of the automobiles which have hit the milestone, only some have managed it from purely private miles, the bulk have executed the laborious yards both transporting interstate or with constant long-distance journeys over a few years. The Penningtons did each, with constant 600-700 mile days throughout the US and Canada, therefore why they had been in a position to race to the million so rapidly.

500 Miles A Day, Every Day

It all began when Tammy got down to supply assist after Hurricane Katrina, transporting RVs into Georgia to offer shelter for these affected by the catastrophe. After placing 150,000 miles on Hugh’s 2001 Silverado, she determined it was time for a brand new one, they usually bought the 2006 Silverado 3500 HD crew cab whereas in Georgia. By the tip of 2006, they had been transporting fifth-wheel RVs and trailers throughout the nation from the factories to the dealerships in addition to some much-needed holidays throughout North America. They had been shifting RVs as much as 39 ft lengthy throughout the nation, usually placing 600-700 miles on the truck every single day and sleeping on a mattress within the again seat whereas on the street.

If you’ve got ever puzzled simply how a lot a Silverado 3500 can tow (generally uncooked numbers do not fairly paint the image), Hugh and Tammy would vacation by towing their very own 35-foot fifth wheeler and their 16-foot Sportscraft boat behind it. For a truck with an eight-foot-long mattress, towing an additional 51 ft behind it’s about as spectacular because it will get for a pickup truck.

What It Takes To Get To One Million So Fast

“Keep up on the maintenance. Change the oil religiously, and change the filters at the same time.” Hugh Pennington, 2015

The key to all of the automobiles which have managed to succeed in a million miles is preventive upkeep; it might not be probably the most thrilling factor, however it’s important. The most necessary of all the upkeep you are able to do is to alter your oil commonly, if not incessantly. Hugh and Tammy made a degree of adjusting their filters on the identical time to ensure they weren’t operating soiled oil by their Duramax, however simply maintaining on prime of your manufacturer-recommended oil modifications goes to get you a good distance.

This means you’re altering oil each 3,000 to five,000 miles, and for drivers just like the Penningtons, you’ll be as much as 50 oil modifications a 12 months – so getting aware of the method or turning into pleasant along with your mechanic is an effective tip. The Penningtons’ Silverado 3500 managed to hit the million with none main points, solely a changed transmission and switch case at 850,000 miles which ended up being principally pointless; after the work was executed it turned out solely the switch case wanted to get replaced.

Chevrolet, Home Of Million Mile Trucks

As a testomony to the power of Chevrolet’s vans, there have truly been a number of to succeed in the million-mile mark, and the Duramax Silverado specifically has managed the feat a minimum of 5 instances over time, with a couple of making it appear very easy a job. Frank Oresnik was interviewed back in 2008 by Robert Siegel of All Things Considered as he ticked over the million miles, and Brook Smith is as much as 1.5 million miles throughout his two Duramax vans, a Silverado and a GMC Sierra. Both of those drivers have had comparable experiences; no break-downs, inventory engine and transmission, and a smooth-running truck irrespective of what number of miles they placed on it.

Frank Oresnik’s 1991 Silverado

400 oil modifications, 5 radiators, 1,219,000 miles; these are the numbers Frank Oresnik managed in his 1991 Silverado, partly out of stubbornness, partly out of curiosity in seeing how far it will go. After buying his 1991 Silverado in 1996 with 41,000 miles on it when the unique proprietor handed away, Frank paid off the three-year mortgage with 300,000 miles on the dial and a powerful need to by no means cope with automobile funds once more, so he stored driving ‘Old Girl’ till the odometer rolled over to seven figures.

Frank spent his profession delivering steaks and seafood between Wisconsin and Chicago and managed to succeed in 1,000,000 miles in simply 12 years, and the 1.2 million mile mark by the fifteenth 12 months. Impressive numbers for any driver, particularly one whose truck was within the palms of one other driver for the primary 41,000 miles of its life.

Two Duramax Trucks, 1.5 Million Miles

Brook Smith is a man of many miles, 1.5 million of them to be exact; in his 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 DRW crew cab he managed a million miles and, after ‘retiring’ the truck, he put greater than 500,000 on his 2015 GMC Sierra as he was eager for a ‘new office’. Just just like the Penningtons, Brook reached his million miles transporting RVs throughout North America, whereas taking his Silverado to 49 states, all 10 Canadian provinces, and even drove it on an ice street.

His Silverado managed all this with out a downside, and apart from changing one set of injectors at 616,000 miles (as a result of it’s a enterprise truck, and he figured why not), the engine and transmission had been untouched and by no means had a difficulty. Amazingly, he managed to get wherever between 170,000 and 190,000 miles out of his tires (Michelin LTX A/T2), by making certain he by no means overworked them; not being too heavy on the foot was key to this.