Maintaining higher mileage trucks

Groover wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
I guess I'm different. I use local shops for regular maint. but for something big. I take it to the ford store. They DO have the right parts, They ARE trained by Ford. they HAVE seen it before, and In truth they are not much more expensive than the local shop where you see vehicles sitting there for months. I can't have my vehicle sit on a fly by night lot for months. I need it fixed right, and fixed quick. A friend of mine is even now taking his truck back to a local shop to get the same fixed AGAIN.
Plus, and this is important. The Ford store warranties their repairs, and their parts for life. So if it messes up a gain. they fix it free.

Thirty years ago my father bought a Crown Victoria and took it to the dealer when the AC quit and got one of those warranted for life repairs. Six months later it had the exact same symptoms but the dealer insisted that the cause was different and therefore not warranted. Some thing again just a few more months later. After that no more trips to the dealer. It is still very rare for me to take any of my vehicles to a dealer if I am paying the bill.

Things change over 30 years. It has already paid off for me. got a 35 hundred dollar trans rebuild, for no charge. The manufacturers stand behind their vehicles better today. they have to, To stay competitive.


And BTW. the cost difference between the dealer, and the local shop, is very narrow, and n truth. you get what you pay for.