Forum Discussion

Redcatcher70's avatar
Redcatcher70
Explorer
Feb 22, 2019

My F250 finally bit me in the bu##

After 15 years and only 85,000 miles my F250 hit me in the wallet this week.
All the dash gauges, radio, door locks and window buttons would just stop working. It is an intermitted problem, sometimes while driving or at start-up. My local general mechanic ran the diagnostic test, checked all fuses and relays. Decided it was a short somewhere and he did not want to tackle the job. Bit the bullet and took it to Ford dealer Service Dept. After a day and a half of checking and researching, they decided the circuit board on the cluster panel was bad. Ordered a new board, should be here in about four days, another day to install and program, total of about $1000 dollars. Can't complain, the truck has served me well and other than regular maintenance it has cost me zero to own. This is a 2004 F250, XLT crew cab, with the V10 gasser.
Tow Vehicles
  • schlep1967's avatar
    schlep1967
    Nomad
    Feb 22, 2019
    They all bite us eventually. My Ram got me twice in the last 6 months. Turbo went bad in October ($3,000 variable fin type of course) and I just got hit with the dreaded Dodge death wobble last week. Thankfully I wasn't towing. $2,000 going into front end parts on Monday.

    Still cheaper than a $75,000 replacement truck.
  • IdaD's avatar
    IdaD
    Explorer
    Feb 22, 2019
    schlep1967 wrote:
    They all bite us eventually. My Ram got me twice in the last 6 months. Turbo went bad in October ($3,000 variable fin type of course) and I just got hit with the dreaded Dodge death wobble last week. Thankfully I wasn't towing. $2,000 going into front end parts on Monday.

    Still cheaper than a $75,000 replacement truck.


    I agree with your premise, but the bit about the $75,000 replacement truck feels like a stretch to make yourself feel better. You can get a modestly optioned gas truck for well under $40k in a 4wd/crew cab cab configuration, or a bit over $40k if you want diesel. You can check a bunch more boxes and work up to $75,000 but that's certainly not the entry point.
  • ShinerBock's avatar
    ShinerBock
    Explorer
    Feb 22, 2019
    schlep1967 wrote:
    They all bite us eventually. My Ram got me twice in the last 6 months. Turbo went bad in October ($3,000 variable fin type of course) and I just got hit with the dreaded Dodge death wobble last week. Thankfully I wasn't towing. $2,000 going into front end parts on Monday.

    Still cheaper than a $75,000 replacement truck.


    Did you replace it with another VGT or go with the less expansive and more reliable fixed geometry unit? I am guess you went back to a VGT since it cost you $3k and a standard fixed geometry with a the new manifold and all hardware to install will generally cost half that.
  • ksss's avatar
    ksss
    Explorer
    Feb 22, 2019
    Depending on what you do with the pickup, repairing an older pickup or upgrading to newer can go either way. The increase in technology makes it easier for me. While my 3500 LBZ is a great motor, the newer pickups tow soo much better, not just power but brakes, vastly superior engine braking (I have my LBZ programmed to engine brake, but it pales to the latest gen HD's) and the newer suspensions are much better at max GVW. While the money spent is borderline ridiculous, you get an incredibly capable towing vehicle for your investment. Whether you tow enough or heavy enough to appreciate it, that is another issue. However I have look at it like an investment, the better the tech the better the towing and safety factor is.
  • schlep1967's avatar
    schlep1967
    Nomad
    Feb 22, 2019
    IdaD wrote:
    schlep1967 wrote:
    They all bite us eventually. My Ram got me twice in the last 6 months. Turbo went bad in October ($3,000 variable fin type of course) and I just got hit with the dreaded Dodge death wobble last week. Thankfully I wasn't towing. $2,000 going into front end parts on Monday.

    Still cheaper than a $75,000 replacement truck.


    I agree with your premise, but the bit about the $75,000 replacement truck feels like a stretch to make yourself feel better. You can get a modestly optioned gas truck for well under $40k in a 4wd/crew cab cab configuration, or a bit over $40k if you want diesel. You can check a bunch more boxes and work up to $75,000 but that's certainly not the entry point.

    I don't see me going to a tradesman level with no A/C and very few other amenities. And it has to be suitable for the fifth-wheel I currently have and would be looking ahead to the next one I would need.
  • schlep1967's avatar
    schlep1967
    Nomad
    Feb 22, 2019
    ShinerBock wrote:
    schlep1967 wrote:
    They all bite us eventually. My Ram got me twice in the last 6 months. Turbo went bad in October ($3,000 variable fin type of course) and I just got hit with the dreaded Dodge death wobble last week. Thankfully I wasn't towing. $2,000 going into front end parts on Monday.

    Still cheaper than a $75,000 replacement truck.


    Did you replace it with another VGT or go with the less expansive and more reliable fixed geometry unit? I am guess you went back to a VGT since it cost you $3k and a standard fixed geometry with a the new manifold and all hardware to install will generally cost half that.

    I did go with the VGT. I like the exhaust brake. I compared the fixed with an add on exhaust brake to the VGT and they come out very close in price. I wanted to do some deletes but that happened just as Bullydog was getting fined and stopped selling the tuners that supported deletes.
  • Me_Again's avatar
    Me_Again
    Explorer III
    Feb 22, 2019
    RAM's can be had for 10-11.5K off the sticker price. You just have to do the leg work and maybe fly to Boise, Id or Kernersville, NC, or and few others around the country. Chris
  • ppine's avatar
    ppine
    Explorer II
    Feb 22, 2019
    The one wekaness in my Ford is the electronics. They perfected diesel technology. They have beefed up their transimissions. The brakes are really good. The suspension is acceptable and lasts a long time.

    After 170 k miles, swithches, lights on the dash and some other things just don't work right. They are hard to fix.
  • ShinerBock's avatar
    ShinerBock
    Explorer
    Feb 22, 2019
    schlep1967 wrote:

    I did go with the VGT. I like the exhaust brake. I compared the fixed with an add on exhaust brake to the VGT and they come out very close in price. I wanted to do some deletes but that happened just as Bullydog was getting fined and stopped selling the tuners that supported deletes.


    Ah, okay.

    BWT, EFI Live oe EZLynk is a way better tuning platform than Bully Dog. Places like Anarchy Diesel, Higher Power Performance, or Double R Diesel still sell them.

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