F-250

[Rick2 42]

Looks like I'm going to buy a new truck and the F-250 looks pretty nice. I found a left over XLT 4X4 2009 extended cab with all the toys (power everything, sat radio, etc,etc) and 8 foot bed for 30K. I didn't want all the toys but I guess they are trying to move this one. A "basic" version is only 2K less. Being someone that's never owened a Ford truck I thought I'd ask for opinions here. Anyone???

[Rick2 42]

Bud its abuse when you dont maintain a machine!! Not to be mean. I mechanic as well and all that stuff that you mentioned is neglect and normal wear and tear.Starters go bad and easy to change, your rotors first will squeek from the squeeker on the pads before you mess up the rotor,the noise from the front end sounds like there in no rear end fluid in it so you have bad seals which is leaking the fluid and making the bearing wine,and the fluid loss in the cooling system could be bad hoses,water pump,heater coil,or radiator if you see the drips if not look at the oil and see if it is milky thats bad head gaskets or if steam is coming out of the exhaust bad head gaskets and the bucking at high way speeds can mean you are in need of a tune up,plugs wires ect. and could be worse.Now all those brackets breaking off and stuff like that just dont make any sence really on a 50,000 mile truck. You might want to have cameras watching your stuff. No brand truck can take the neglec this one has had.

Advice when you first notice a problem with any machine fix it!!

Marko

When I take out 27 thousand dollars from from my bank I have a tendency to take care of what I buy with it. Every service was done at each recomended mile from the owener's manual. It just got the transmission fluid changed and the oil in both axles changed at 49K miles. Never a single drop of oil in the drivway and no water in the block. Were the manifold bolts that snaped, the power steering bracket that broke, the horn that rusted and fell off, wiper transmission that failed, the radio that doesn't work, tow.haul switch that refuses to work and the transmission linkage that twice fell off the transmission from abuse too? The only abuse I've given it is not cleaning out the empty coffee cups on the floors.

[Rick2 42]

Also, I'm pretty good with a wrench in my hand too so I can maintain / repairmy truck and other machines. Took me 5 years to restore this basket case British Spitfire but I've won first place several times at the car shows.

[John T 744]

John,

What kind of problems are you having?

First the Turbo charger went on it..supposedly that was $3000 but it was covered under warranty. I did have to pay the automatic $100 that Ford charges here no matter if its waranteed or not. THis was around a year ago. Then last month The truck just stalled and I couldn't start it. An hour later I got it started and took it to Ford. They changed out a couple of Fuel Injectors and off I went. Two days latter I broke down on the main business strip on Long Island where I held up some serious traffic. This went on for at least 15 minutes. Luckely I got the truck started and then drove off and 5 minutes later it stalled again so I glided off the road. I tried to start it again but the batteries eventually lost the charge needed to turn the starter. So I had to get it flatbeded to Ford. This Flatbed cost me $250. Then Ford says I blew my starter and thats my fault so now where at another $500. In the end I contested all of that after the truck was fixed and Ford would only pay for the tow so I was stuck with the burnt out starter which I had to use to get my truck out of that massive traffic tieup it caused. They changed out at least 4 more injectors which they said were bad. So this cost me the starter and alot of headaches.

Now Yesterday it breaks down again in traffic. The tow truck takes over an hour to get there but right before they did I get it started. I take it right to Ford which was 10 minutes from there. The engine ran OK at this point but the Turbo boost was registering ZERO on the tacomoter. So who knows now what the problem is there.

I need both trucks Monday Morning for a large Condo pool area and all of the walkways around the Condo that have to be done. The kicker here is that my guys told me that my other Ford Truck the left wheel is starting to make metal to metal noise when they step on the brake. This is going to be costly because I cant get that truck in the shop at all now because of my 05 sitting in the Ford parking lot. I'm just heading there now to see if they can give me a loaner since its not my fault that my truck engine sucks.

[Rick2 42]

Do you need a big truck or do you jsut want to be the guy with the biggest toy.

Maybe the F-250 is too big for my 5.5 hp Craftsman powerwasher with a 25 foot hose. I mean, come on, look where you are. Do you think most people on this site don't tow or move equiptment with their trucks? If my truck isn't hauling the powerwash trailer it's towing the boat for a weekend on the lake. If it isn't doing either of those it's plowing snow. It's even been seen towing a Bobcat once or twice. You guys want to talk about abusing a truck? Do any of those things with anything less than a 3/4 ton. That would be abusing a truck. Geeze, I don't know how I get so much flack from asking opinions about a Ford truck and listing problems I've had with mine.

[Little Buddy 14]

my dad is no longer a ford guy (was one for 30+ years) because of the issues listed above, is now GM. Everytime i ride in a ford i make sure i have my phone with. I dont have a problem with dodge, they are for sure the real work horse of the bunch.

[Jim Gamble 20]

Do you need a big truck or do you jsut want to be the guy with the biggest toy.

Maybe the F-250 is too big for my 5.5 hp Craftsman powerwasher with a 25 foot hose. I mean, come on, look where you are. Do you think most people on this site don't tow or move equiptment with their trucks? If my truck isn't hauling the powerwash trailer it's towing the boat for a weekend on the lake. If it isn't doing either of those it's plowing snow. It's even been seen towing a Bobcat once or twice. You guys want to talk about abusing a truck? Do any of those things with anything less than a 3/4 ton. That would be abusing a truck. Geeze, I don't know how I get so much flack from asking opinions about a Ford truck and listing problems I've had with mine.

Is that a red 1980 Triumph for your avatar? I had a 1978 Fiat Convertible back in High School. Always loved the European cars. Great chick magnets !!!

[TNRoofCleaner 16]

They do say Chevy is like a rock.....ever try to push one? A rock that is.

The Ford will do fine. 3/4 ton is perfect for what you do. 1/2 ton is too light in my opinion. The issue with the motors was with the 6.0 DIESEL not the gas engine. Just like when GM back in the 80's tried to make a diesel for their olds and basically converted a 350 to a diesel. That one was crap also. Make sure it has the towing package and you should be just fine. Like I said my 97 has over 130k on it and starts every time.

[Russ Spence 76]

here is the real deal, ALL new 2007 and up diesels have the strictest epa guidelines, gone are the day that cummins, powerstrokes and duramax last forever, they have problems with the DPF, REGEN, INJECTORS - It all works together and its smothering diesel engines. Ford had the first problems with the 6.0 so they replaced it with an even worse 6.4 (of which I own one) I also own 2 7.3's they are rocks!

I spoke with mechanics and ALL of them day to eith reprogram with FPF delet kits and remove the exhaust junk or buy older ones.

Ford mechanic told me to sell the 6.4 it was garbage!

Back to the original question- The 5.4 is way to small of an engine for that truck

[Russ Spence 76]

here is mine the day it blew up

[Rick2 42]

I for one would question the power train for that price.

Overheated tranny or torqued driveshaft can lead to some costly repairs.

Rod!~

It's a brand new truck sitting at the dealer's lot on Cape Cod.

[Russ Spence 76]

I would NOT buy a 5.4 gas in a 3/4 ton truck, just my .02 but I would buy th V10 if I were going to buy a gas burner.

Edited May 9, 2010 by Russ Spence

[Chris Tharpe 40]

DPF Sucks, but its going bye bye next week.

[TNRoofCleaner 16]

WOW I found a site to do the conversion because english makes more sense on engine sizes and the 5.4 converts to a 329.5 cubic inches I could not remember so I looked at mine and I have the 5.7 which converts out to 347.8 cubic inches. I have seen some 6 cylinders out pull a V8 so I guess it is just going to come down to what you want. When pulling the engine is not what is going to take the most abuse anyway. The drive train will take the most abuse.

For 18.3 cubic inch difference I don't think you would even notice.

[cleanhoods 43]

Now that is true the motor isnt the thing you look at,heck if you had a 4 banger but geared the rear end and trainy right you could pull a house.It would be slow but it is possible look at a tracktor.Now likw a 5.0 litter you can change that high geared rear end to a 4.10 or lower and then you have a work horse.

Marko

[Rick2 42]

Close, it's a 1975 Triumph. Lots of fun in the summer when I have time to use it. In fact I still haven't taken it out of storage from the winter. At least it's sitting in a nice dry area by itself. What kind of Fiat did you have? My brother Tim had an X/19. We used to say it stood for Fix It Again Timmy. The original joke was with a name of Tony for Italy.

[James 625]

I miss my MGB

Edited May 24, 2010 by James

[RPetry 564]

I miss my MGB

I miss my '74 1/2 MGB-GT. And my hair. And my good looks....

[Rick2 42]

I ended up buying the F-250. It's a pretty nice truck with a million options I didn't think I'd want but now I'm happy it came with. It's listed as 300hp like my last truck but my last one seems to have a lot more power. I can tell when I'm towing the powerwash trailer. I haven't towed the boat yet and it's a lot heavier than the trailer.

[cleanhoods 43]

Your probably geared high in the rear end.Change the yok to a lower geared and you will pull.

Marko

[Scott Stone 604]

Don't change anything and it will pull, too. I have pulled way too much with my truck, and the only thing that apparently suffered was the mileage, it dropped to 5.4 mpg. With a 10 k trailer, I get around 11 mpg. Yes, it was very heavy.

[Rick2 42]

I forgot it had the tow/haul switch on it, that made a huge difference today. I don't really want to see the milage but it did make a big difference. I never used it on the last truck because it never worked for the 10 years I owned it.

[Rick2 42]

Well, this is my nice new truck last week. Doesn't quite look the same tonight.

[tonyshelton 112]

Having owned a dry clean delivery business with quite a few vehicles, it makes a lot more sense to have older cheaper vehicles like Jim has than new one's. For example:

1996 Ford F350, low miles, $3000 cash.

Spare 1996 F350, low miles, $3000 cash.

Outlay $6k

Average life of trucks 4 yrs.

Repairs = MaX - $6k

Total cost 4 yrs = $12k

Vs

2010 truck $700/month

Cost over 4 yrs = over $33k

It's crazy. No contest.

In our part of the country you're more likely to be looked at as overpriced if you drive up in a new truck. That's part of the reason we have a Crown Vic instead of the BMW that lost us a big account.

Edited June 11, 2010 by tonyshelton