Question: How do you put 365,000 miles in 2 1/2 years on a Ford E-150 Cargo van?
Answer: By changing the oil every week!
I have purchased and leased new Fords since our LTD-2 in 1977, so when I needed a vehicle with more cargo area than my F-150 had to get a new job, I bought my 2006 E-150 and had it on the road that night. For two and one half years, sometimes seven and mostly six nights a week, I drove nearly 500 miles from Dallas to Shreveport, LA, putting nearly 3,000 miles a week on my van.
From the beginning, I changed the oil every week. I drove very dark, rural roads and wanted my van in tip-top condition at all times. In the 2 1/2 years, the only things I had to have done or replace were; a set of tires each year; 2 alternators; headlights, twice; (I drove all night) and one tune-up. When I took my van to my mechanic for the tune-up, the guys were lining up to take the test drive because they had never ridden in a vehicle with more than 300,000 miles on it! Since the job ended in March, 2009, I have driven from Dallas to Southern California and back adding another 3,000 miles.
Texas puts a whole different strain on vehicles than most other states. I have driven in tornado weather, many days in a row over 100 degrees and through ice storms where I could barely see out of my windshield. If you take care of your vehicle, it will take care of you.
I believe that when you find a good thing, you should stick with it. All our Fords, at least eight, were purchased or leased from Villa Ford in Orange, California until we moved to Arlington, Texas in 2006.
Thank you, Ford, for building all your vehicles tough.