In 2005 I bought the truck that I thought would be the last truck I would ever have to buy. A Ford F-250 extra cab 4x4 6.0 diesel. Thought that this diesel should out live me considering how few miles I drove ( 10,000 a yr ). Well before the first yr was out the EGR valve had to be replaced. No biggie I thought. Ended up going through four more before the 50,000 mile warranty was up. Now while replacing these Ford said don't worry that they would take care of this problem after warranty was up because it was a ongoing problem. At 50,100 miles the EGR goes out and I'm stuck with over a 400 dollar bill.
Ford and I start to argue. Before 52,000 moles it goes out again plus the ECU so I go ballistic with Ford some more and a guy calls me while it's in the shop and says instead of 1,600.00 bucks how about 500 ? i tell them its ridiculous but I want it fixed. I got to pick it up and find out they meant 500 off of the 1,600.00 bill not 500 total.
******** I threw such a fit they threatened to call the sheriff. ********
The service manager came out and said Ford was willing to adjust the bill but it would be between me and Ford ,not the dealer.
This truck also started rusting below the doors and at the bottom of the tailgate. Their repair lasted about 6 months before coming back through.They offered to re-paint it again but I mentioned if they couldn't repair it right the first time that they were just wasting my time and theirs. He also told me the truck was not driven hard enough or fast enough. I replied BS. I then left on a trip to New Hampshire from Indy and returning through New York and New Jersey at a average of 75-80 mph. It broke down in RI. The dealer there said it needed a turbo and a inner cooler. He also said he had a lot full of 6.0's with similar problems and couldn't get to it for over 30 days. I limped it back home and headed to the dealer again. The estimate was a couple of thousand dollars and I said get Ford on the line for no way was that going to happen. Long story made short, Ford made me a offer for my truck in trade for a 2009 crew cab F-250 6.4 diesel. I might regret it later down the road but this 6.4 is quieter and smoother then the 6.0 so far with 31,000 on it.. My son has a 2006 6.0 and after his second EGR failure we installed a EGR delete and now he needs head gaskets at 80,000 miles. If this 2009 starts having problems their will be a Dodge or Chevy sitting in my driveway next.
Sounds like some of the roads I went down with them for sure. I got to the point where I understood the dealer not wanting to *step up to the plate* because as all my trucks were bought and built from the equipment installer the dealer(s) just didn't have any skin in the game. OTOH, They are THERE to service their label, period. When you buy a truck where the chassis was drop shipped elsewhere you don't have a choice to go through your home town dealer, they get it from wherever (literally anywhere) they buy them from.
All that made for some pretty tense moments in the service lanes for sure!
I dunno' Paul, on the Dodge vs Chevy. Were it me I'd go Chevy as it's just a better truck hands down. OTOH, That Cummins power is rock solid and I don't care what they do to V8 diesels EVER, I'll take a straight 6 anytime and everytime.
I just HATE that GM put the medium duty CAT out of business. When I think about all the CAT power I ended up with after switching from Fords it's almost like remembering good sex.
The first one I bought was the 3116 215hp / 605tq in a TopKick 6500, 26,000 Lb taperleaf rears (
instead of rougher riding stack leafs, which also wear out and need re-springing before 100,000 miles) w/ 19,800 axle, 8400 Lb front axle. Derated the truck to 25,750 to keep from running a CDL.
One thing that made that engine so much more expensive was all the internal fuel rails, but it also made it more reliable as well. Back then (1996) there were 'basic' CAT packages, the 170/185, 200/215, and a 230/245. Same block but different cams, pistons, sleeves, cranks, injection pumps & injectors basically is what made the difference. Same turbo even. And the sound.... OMG I love that CAT sound. Every one they make has the same firing order, to this day, (which makes it easy to tell how well she's a runnin' when you get used to it).
Were Chevy/GMC to put one in a truck today they would *own* that segment for guys that need those trucks to pull, day in, day out. Might not make a difference to those guys that just use them as a HD Pickup, but to those that 'work' them daily that is one tough engine.
The 6.0s were very problematic. They take lots of building up and modification to be reliable. I think that was the 1st powerstroke engine ford made "in house". Im pretty sure International made all the powerstrokes up untill the 6.0.
I know the first Powerstroke was in that darned 94, and it was JUNK compared to the Navistar engines that preceeded it, at least till they got the kinks worked out. What happened in my industry was we were running 350's, then Super Duty's and when the beds started reaching up to 19' it was just more than the chassis was built for. Put a VW bug on it and it was at rated limit on the rear axle. Put a car on the wheel lift and the only and I mean ONLY time you have front brakes worth a crap is on dry pavement. To this day I just shake my head when I see guys running a rollback with a pickup style body (HD, SD, whatever). I put a ton of flashing lights, strobes, horns, and whatever else I could on mine because I knew the first time the road had ANY moisture I would AND DID slide through intersections with the front wheels stopped dead still and my "pucker factor" going full blast.
It''s just a LOT safer, not to mention easier, to buy a 'real' medium duty truck. Wear and tear goes down by a huge factor, mpg actually can go up overall, and cost to run is a TON cheaper. Not to mention they'll STOP!
rops:
All my 215's would run right at 10¾ MPG @ 77.6 mph, with that thing started at 6:00am and running non-stop for 16~18 hours a day. Empty, loaded, even pulling a triple-axle 41' trailer the mileage was something you could set your watch to.
Unless.... there was a road trip to FL (all down hill) and it'd jump to 13 MPG. I'd leave early doing Mercedes dealer trades to Tampa, and be back for supper. Only had to stop for a quick refuel when back at the FlyingJ in Forsyth (which is almost back home).
Ladies and Gentlemen.... we have a winner! :joking: