We've all been there. You're casually browsing an online auction site, dreaming of your perfect car, when you stumble upon one that catches your eye—and it's priced surprisingly low. Instinctively, you start to wonder what could be off about it. At first glance, it looks fine, but then you spot the mileage. A figure around 150,000 miles might raise some red flags. You can't help but think: how much longer can this car last?

The answer could be: a very, very long time. Of course, if it has spent much of its life as a police interceptor in a particularly high crime area, or has been exclusively used for street racing – and there is nothing wrong with a street racer – you may want to triple-check the engine internals. But, with the right maintenance, care, and possibly hundreds of gallons of good quality oil, cars can reach surprisingly high mileage without much trouble.

Chevy produced many reliable models over the years, some of which have gone on to reach impressive mileages. Unsurprisingly, many of the brand's highest-mileage vehicles were reliable pickups built to last. However, one Chevy stands out with the highest reading on the odometer ever.

A 1991 C1500 Silverado Holds the Record for the Highest Mileage Chevy in History

1991 Chevy Silverado 5.7-Liter Specs

Chevy

If you wanted an idea of how big a deal it was when Frank Oresnik's 1991 Chevy Silverado reached one million miles, it is worth looking back at the archives of NPR radio. In February 2008, host Robert Siegel did a live interview with Frank as he drove the truck over the million-mile mark. While approaching the landmark turn of the odometer, Frank explained that the truck had 41,000 original miles when he bought it in 1996 from the widow of the first owner.

The truck was well-maintained to ensure it could cover long distances.

Frank shared as he celebrated the milestone that his truck is affectionately called 'Old Girl' and that he held onto it because he couldn't stand the thought of purchasing a new one and going through the hassle of monthly payments again. "You see, when I got this truck on a three-year loan, by the time I made the final payment, it had already racked up over 300,000 miles," Frank detailed. "I really dislike having to make payments." He added, "I figured, I need to make sure this truck endures." In the years that followed, Frank dedicated himself to meticulously maintaining the truck to ensure its longevity.

Frank Utilized His High-Mileage Chevy As a Reliable Daily Commuter

In 2011, Frank, a seafood distributor, appeared in a documentary for Chevy's 100th birthday to say the truck had covered 1,219,000 miles. Three years later, Jack Maxton Chevy, a family-owned dealership that serves the Greater Columbus area, wrote a blog post about a recent call he received from Frank. In it, Frank was quoted as saying that the truck was still going strong and had now completed 1,289,882 miles. He added that such was his confidence in the Chevy that he had just spent more than $1,100.00 on new tires, wheel bearings, bushings and brakes. Frank said: "Dependable and reliable, he doesn't begin to touch it at all – this truck has never ever, ever left me in the lurch."

Here’s the Story of How the Silverado Reached Over a Million Miles

1991 Chevy C/K 1500 Series Prices (Clean Example)

• $2,642 (trade-in)
• $3,593 (private party)
• $4,166 (dealer retail)

Origin: Edmunds.com

Fueled by an Indestructible Small Block V8

Frank's truck is equipped with a 5.7-liter (350) small block V8 engine, renowned for its reliability and longevity. This particular engine has been meticulously maintained throughout its life. The 350ci V8 is designed with a straightforward but robust build, featuring a durable cast iron block and heads. Additionally, the truck's undercarriage has been treated with Ziebart for protection, and it has undergone 400 oil changes, with each service diligently recorded along with the date and mileage. Frank also mentions that the truck has never been involved in any significant accidents.

Throughout its journey of over a million miles, the transmission, water pump, alternator, and power steering pump have been replaced, yet the original engine has remained untouched. Frank has also gone through five radiators, but despite this, the engine has performed flawlessly beyond the million-mile threshold. Remarkably, it still retains all its original rings, pistons, bearings, valves, guides, gaskets, seals, and camshaft.

For anyone looking for a dependable Chevy truck that could make it past a million miles, the good news is that the 1991 Chevy C/K 1500 Series is extremely cheap to buy. According to Edmunds.com, a clean 1991 Chevy C/K 1500 Series truck can be had for $3,593 on the private market. This is based on a truck that covers 12,000 miles a year, however.

There's also another Chevy truck out there boasting ultra-high mileage.

Perhaps even more surprising, Hugh and Tammy Pennington put more than one million miles on their Chevy Silverado 3500 HD in less than six years, making it the highest-mileage diesel truck in the world. That equates to, according to Tammy, 474 miles per day, every day, for six years, when the truck covered 1,015,928 miles in 2013.

The couple mentioned that they have barely added anything to the truck – it required minimal maintenance – and have successfully towed numerous heavy loads throughout the years. Hugh expressed that his Silverado is 'the finest truck available on the road'. Back in 2013, the Penningtons stated in an interview that the truck had reached 1,220,935 miles and was still performing exceptionally well.

The World’s Most High-Mileage Pickup Truck Isn’t a Chevy

Chevrolet trucks aren't the sole contenders when it comes to impressive mileage. In 2021, a Ford 6.7-liter diesel was featured on the PowerStroke Tech Talk YouTube channel, showcasing extraordinary mileage. The owner hit an astounding 999,999.9 miles on the odometer, and then utilized his trip B feature to keep track of his journey in increments of 10,000 miles, continuously recording and resetting the data as he drove.

The result for the truck, which has gone through 12 windshields and four turbochargers, is a total of 1.3 million miles. Another Ford owner, John Freeland, also racked up 1.3 million miles on his 2000 Ford F-350 dually, the most reliable diesel truck around, having owned it from just four miles in.

A Toyota Pickup That Has Surpassed All Others in Mileage

Reaching 1.3 million miles is impressive, but it is nothing compared to Mike Neal’s 2008 Toyota Tacoma. The dependable Toyota became a YouTube hit, reaching 1.6 million miles, with the owner writing the different mileages on the tailgate.

The truck did get an engine and transmission replacement, at 880,000 miles and 1.3 million miles, respectively, said Toyota Jeff, but everything else is the same as when Mike bought it. There are also plenty of other cars, including Porsches and Saabs, that prove high mileages aren't just a Toyota or Chevy thing.