2 things that come to my mind....

1. Sounds like your dad never used the dipstick anyway if he let the dodge get to the point where it was stalling....

2. Its not a matter of ford not valuing customers....its a matter of vehicles progressing and owners refusing to. The tranny doesn't need to be touched for 100,000 miles..... its the same thing as sealed wheel bearings.....sure we can't repack them and check their condition...but do we really want to go back that route?