dieseldoctor1
Expert Expediter
The dream van now has passed the half million mile mark (503,888) and 11,047.5 hours in 41 months. Total cost per mile is $.2874. What is included in that cost per mile figure? Totally paying for the van and everything I added to it, including insulation, bed system and bed, shelves, E track and plywood floor, Automatic starting system, air bags and air compressor, height control valves and plumbing, television, Maxx-Air fan, Sirius radio, aux batteries (2 sets), van washes, ScanGauge, tire chains, load straps etc, and Endless Breeze fan from Fantastic fan in 36 months. Truck insurance is in that figure. All repairs and routine maintenance. Basically everything that it takes to operate the van and equip it for our comfort. Also included is $50.00 per hour for all work that I did on the van. Also idling the van to keep inside temp between 62 and 80 degrees anytime we are in the van.
Repairs include 2 fuel pumps (one at 230,000 miles (failed), one at 450,000 miles as routine maintenance), one set of brake pads (rotors look like they may handle another set of pads at about 700,000 miles), one water pump replaced at 412,000 as routine maintenance, four sets of spark plugs, and one alternator rebuild. Also included in my cost per mile are all repairs that I have done to the systems I have added,(one example: new ropes for the bed suspension). I've had no problems with the Unicell body.
Shocks are original,and still good. Tie rod ends and ball joints are still tight. Transmission fluid and filter have never been changed. Read axle fluid has not been changed, though I have added a bottle of limited slip lube. Backlash in ring gear and pinion is still good. Driveshaft “U†joints are original. All wheel bearings are original. Engine uses a quart of oil about every 2500 miles (same as when new). I usually get somewhere around 140,000 miles out of a set of tireS and replace them because of winter weather coming on instead of because they are worn out. Van had one alignment at approx. 10,000 miles after I had everything installed and ran it enough to get the suspension “settled†in. Have had no unusual tire wear.
In approx. 10 yrs I’ve put over one and a quarter million miles on three Ford vans and gotten similar service out of all three. What can I say except:
THANK YOU, MR FORD!
Dieseldoctor
Repairs include 2 fuel pumps (one at 230,000 miles (failed), one at 450,000 miles as routine maintenance), one set of brake pads (rotors look like they may handle another set of pads at about 700,000 miles), one water pump replaced at 412,000 as routine maintenance, four sets of spark plugs, and one alternator rebuild. Also included in my cost per mile are all repairs that I have done to the systems I have added,(one example: new ropes for the bed suspension). I've had no problems with the Unicell body.
Shocks are original,and still good. Tie rod ends and ball joints are still tight. Transmission fluid and filter have never been changed. Read axle fluid has not been changed, though I have added a bottle of limited slip lube. Backlash in ring gear and pinion is still good. Driveshaft “U†joints are original. All wheel bearings are original. Engine uses a quart of oil about every 2500 miles (same as when new). I usually get somewhere around 140,000 miles out of a set of tireS and replace them because of winter weather coming on instead of because they are worn out. Van had one alignment at approx. 10,000 miles after I had everything installed and ran it enough to get the suspension “settled†in. Have had no unusual tire wear.
In approx. 10 yrs I’ve put over one and a quarter million miles on three Ford vans and gotten similar service out of all three. What can I say except:
THANK YOU, MR FORD!
Dieseldoctor
