Chicagoland delivery man Brian Murphy bought his two-wheel-drive, 4-cylinder 5-speed manual Frontier King Cab pickup in June 2007 with one goal: to put 1 million miles on it. The red Frontier passed the million-mile mark on January 27, 2020.
According to Murphy, the original clutch lasted 801,000 miles, the timing chain was replaced as a preventative measure at 700,000 miles, and the radiator and alternator lasted about 450,000 miles each. Even the driver's seat lasted a half-million miles but has also been replaced.
To celebrate Murphy's incredible accomplishment and loyalty, Nissan announced it would give Murphy a new Frontier once the 2020 model begins production later this year.
"I never imagined I'd be given a new truck, especially since my Frontier is still running strong. It will be a real treat to have an efficient V6 engine, but I guess I'll have to find another way to exercise now that I'll have an automatic transmission and power windows," said Murphy.
For regular maintenance, the truck has been serviced at M'Lady Nissan in Crystal Lake, Illinois, the same dealership where Murphy purchased the vehicle new in June 2007. Murphy insists on doing his own oil changes every 10,000 miles.
Murphy began his career as a delivery truck driver 45 years ago in the Chicago area. He "retired" from corporate America 16 years ago and started his part-time job as an independent delivery driver in 2007. He has never used GPS to guide him on his route, and his driving record is free of any moving violations.
The "Million-Mile" Frontier was built at Nissan Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant in Smyrna, Tennessee. The company invited Murphy and his family to an event during the 2020 Chicago Auto Show.
To find out more, see our full news release here.