I know exactly what you mean... My previous truck was a 1987 Dodge D50 with 270,000 Miles on the original 2.6L.
I mean, they just don't build em like they used to. I Only dumped the clutch all the time, drove around in 4WD on dry pavement (and wet pavement), hauled stuff that was well over the weight class of the truck, plowed snow with it and beat the ever loving crap out of it :finga:
I was expecting 400,000 miles out of it, who doesn't expect that kind of lifespan out of their vehicle?
In the defense of older vehicles (even older than that crapbox I drove for years...sure do love those d50's)
I had a customer bring in a 1970's Dodge Van once, 318/727 with over 300,000 miles on it. It had never been tuned up or had the oil changed during its entire life :wack: (the owner was proud to brag about the fact that it had never received any tune ups or oil changes) The engine was so whipped that it was pumping oil up through the intake into the carb, only 3 of the spark plugs were capable of being removed from the heads. He continued to run that van for another year before finally sending it to the junkyard.
He drove it to the scrapyard, the 318 was still running at that time, but it smoked like a burning tire and used more oil than it did gas.
