I am broke down on the sid eof US 59 and I am as mad as heck about it. My work truck is a F550 4 door with a utility box on the back. It has every forensic tool, gadget and gizmo known to man. This thing is not worthy of carrying a bucket of spit. It is a true lemon. I talked to the service guy today when I picked it up at the shop AGAIN !!!!! $46000 is how much they have spent in repairs alone. It has 51000 miles. That is nearly a $1.00 a mile in repairs. Add fuel and maintanance you would not beleive. I really wish it would catch on fire, blow out a tire and slip off into the gulf of Mexico as it explodes into pieces.
That is of course after I get me and my gear out :)
Geez, for a minute I thought you were broke down in your Eagle. But as I read further I had was relieved to find out it's only a Ford! ;)
Sounds like you need to get another truck, for that kind of money at least one that works! ;D
Oh no the eagle is purring like a tiger on steroids (insert knock knock knock on wood here). This thing has been in the shop so many times I can't believe it. When the tow truck gets Herr I know he is going to ask me where he should take it. I want to tell him just take it you can have it. I know some Fords have trouble but lord almighty this one has demons in it.
That's more than all of the vehicles that I have had cost put together, including the bus :o. (leave out the misses vehicles of course ;))
Maybe You should put the tool box on your bus, so you will be more comfortable on the side of the road. ;D
Good luck, I know that is frustrating.
You're the guy that can train dogs to avoid snakes and you can't train your truck to avoid repair shops? then it's true, the shoemakers kids are barefoot. lol Michigan has a lemon law, I'd be willing to bet most states have one of some sort or another, I kinda think maybe it qualifies.
My guess is that if you have spent $51000 on repairs on this truck you have spent more in repairs that the truck cost new. I'm not a big fan of fords but I would find me a lawyer and let him have a word with ford as you definitely got a lemon. And I believe there is such a thing as a lemon law. I do feel your pain though.
WVaNative
nearly everyone I know who has had the Ford trucks after they got rid of the tried and true 7.3 has gotten rid of them. they all had so many problems that the shop had them more than they did. none of those that got rid of them bought another Ford. On the flip side the new motors have really helped the economy as every shop I know that works on them is working overtime trying to keep them going.
Could this be part of the stimulus program?
Since this is Wayne's police forensics truck, I'm sure it is govt. owned and he doesn't get much of a say on it. So until the procurement dept. decides the cost of ownership isn't working out on it or it meets with an untimely demise, he is stuck with it (literally).
Naw Cody that is NFTA the engine in that Ford is made in Mexico legal or illegal that is question lol
good luck
Yessir hightech you are correct. It is city owned. I am stuck with it as the @$# chief, I mean assistant chief took the brand new replacement Taho which had been in the budget fir CSI. Add any dirty adjective and you will surely be on the same page with me. Funny thing is I got it going again before the tow truck got to me. I got this thing to the shop. Oh well. A few more years of city then it is onto private sector contracting with the Feds for overseas assignments. Two tours and it is me my wife and the Eagle, gone into nowhere land. If we want to go left then by God we will go.
Powerstroke = SUCKS
Duramax = RULES
This is why many who are using a Ford F550-which is just an over built pick'emup truck are opting for a real truck. Freightliner's M2106 (and for that matter any other big rig manufacture) 26,000gvw truck is a big rig with smaller cab, engine, transmission, etc. So you're getting exactly the same big rig truck that runs down the road pulling 80,000lbs, but just at a reduced size. It has always made more sense to me to use something that is derated down in size then to try to use something that has been enlarged to the point of being unreliable. Good Luck, TomC
Never had any luck with a Ford. I quess owning one was better for one's health as I seemed to walk a lot more!! :D Just be glad it's not an F 150!!! Those are a pos built truck indeed! Ford's commercials about their trucks always amuse me.
I have a 7.3 power smoke in my 2000 Excursion, love it. The only problem I have had with it is when the oil place changed the oil and did not replace it with 14 quarts of oil. They put 5 in it. It started shutting down because of low oil. To say this it cost me $1000 to get it to where it was going, diagnosed and fixed.
That F550 is what junk is made of.
Don't knock Ford's too hard. I am just now looking to buy my first 7.3 (probably 01 or 02). Would I get a 6.0? Nope!!! I would if it was given to me...lol...and then sell it and buy a 7.3 ;D.
God bless,
John
I've got an '08 F550 6.4L, 25,000 miles towing 36' triple axle trailer, just under 26k GCVW. Haven't had a problem at all yet. Knock on wood!
Those Freightliners are nice, but at over twice the cost of the 550.
I've owned two 7.3 powerstrokes.............well over 400,000 miles between both.......they were awesome! I changed the oil regularly, checked the coolant to make sure it was correct, no cavitation problems with the correct mixture! Fords are for pulling.......chevy's are for racing (well before the government took over) but don't worry they are paying their loans back! ::)
The troubles with the post 7.3 Powerstrokes led to Ford and International parting ways earlier than their contract expiration.
For those who didn't know, International has been the provider of Ford's diesels for a long long time.
Ford is bringing out an in-house diesel shortly, interesting architecture, the exhaust and turbo will be in the V, the intake on the sides.
Lots of distressing stories about the 6.0 diesel here in municipal service.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Now the F650 with the Cummins/Allison is one fine piece of machinery - FWIW
As a true BLUE Ford fan for years, I must say this is disturbing to hear.
I do own and have owned many fords over the years. My current ford trk is the lowered F350 4 dr shown in the middle of the buses on my avatar.
I have usually found ford trks to be built ford tough!
I have to agree I hate the current ford powerstroke and never have liked it. (but never owned one myself!)
The 7.3 on the other hand was what made the Superduty ford trucks the awesome trucks they used to be!
What really surprised me was that ford never found away around the deal that gave Dodge exclusive rights to the Cummins engine since ford bought Cummins out shortly after that deal was made.
A Cummins/Ford Superduty would be awesome!
Just my opinion but all brands have lemons, and it sure sounds like Wayne got one! ;)
;D BK ;D
Quote from: Busted Knuckle on May 05, 2010, 12:29:07 PM
What really surprised me was that ford never found away around the deal that gave Dodge exclusive rights to the Cummins engine since ford bought Cummins out shortly after that deal was made.
Ford has never owned Cummins. I belive Cummins even has that fact on their website because so many people believe that.
I never owned a Ford diesel after they stopped using the 7.3 - not so much by design, that's just the way it worked out. From what I've read it worked out well for me to not own one. What I'd like to have owned though is a late production 7.3 with an Allison behind it. That would have been a towing beast. I never had any trouble with my E4OD but I think others did and my 4R100 transmission was pure crap from day 1.
I guy I knew in a former life now owns Roadex which is an RV hauling company based up here. He says the long term RV haulers always end up driving Dodges. I always thought driving a Dodge was like dating your sister - it might be OK late at night in the dark but you wouldn't want to be seen driving around town. ;D ;D ;D
I have a 98 E-350 Box van with the "cornbinder" 7.3 Turbo.
In the 5 years I have had it I had the cam sensor recalled, changed a water pump
and put tires on it. The only other thing was a bad pickup tube in the fuel tank
that disappeared ( 2.5 inches long ) and a few clogged fuel filters. And a new starter
the week I bought the truck.
Oil changes and normal stuff. It's not super powerful but people can hear you coming from a mile away.
I never liked the sound of the cummins especially when people
change the exhaust systems. They just have a hollow sickly sound to me.
I had a mexican built dodge ram truck... What a garbage heap it was if you could
keep it running at all.
Dave...
My 1997 dodge 1500 ram 4x4 has 212K on the 360 gasser, motor hasn't been touched except for routine oil changes and tuneups, my dodge before that had 324K on the 318 gasser, same story, just routine maintanence, it's still running great.
Cody- the 318 was probably the best engine Dodge made-just like the 327 Chevrolet and 289 Ford. All are well balanced engines for performance and longevity. Good Luck, TomC