Stranded in Houston

Part of trusting your truck is trusting the people that work on your truck. If you feel that a job was done sub par or the competence of the mechanic is questionable, how can you feel comfortable about its reliability?

Start by learning about the issues your vehicle is currently having and then discuss them with your mechanic. You will want to address how to resolve the current problems and how to mitigate future problems. Getting satisfying responses from your mechanic will be the start of trusting your truck again. Remember that you have owned it for a while and it has performed well for you in the past. Just because it failed and the repair was not done correctly the first time should not be indicator that this is the trend.

If you had issues with your vehicle before and this was just a string of continuing repairs, I would be advising you to replace rather than repair. I too am debt adverse and have fully paid for my vehicles instead of financing. I keep a contingency fund for unexpected accidents or repairs and I build a reserve fund for eventual replacement. So far this worked for me, but others have different ideas on how to manage finances.

OMG is right. Sorry to hear you had so much trouble. I don't think you're done spending yet though. Losing coolant is a really bad sign, unless it's a simple leak.

rhagfo wrote:

DavinD wrote:
Hi all, just wanted to update everyone.
.........
.......

I still believe the truck is not quite right. The coolant was full when I left San Antonio and by the time I got home there was barely in the bottle. It was a very nerve-wracking drive home as I really don't trust the truck anymore. I've driven it to Florida and back once before, and many other long trips. It's never let me down until now.

The truck is going to my mechanic on Tuesday. We'll see how it goes. I'm not sure if I'll trade it or not at this point. It's paid for and I'm debt averse, but we'll see.

Someone asked about brand loyalty...

To be honest, if Toyota sold a 1 ton diesel in the US, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. My previous truck was a 2000 tundra that had about 150,000 miles on it and cost me nothing but oil changes and brake pads over its life.

I do like the looks of Ford trucks and I've heard the newer engines are much better.

I don't like the looks of the Dodge trucks, although I believe their engines are superior.

A GM truck is a possibility as well.

As a side note - here is what that break down cost

New EGR cooler - $2600
Cruise America RV rental in Orlando - $1500
Rental truck to get family and stuff to Florida - $850
Tubs, Ice chest and misc. items at Walmart that we wouldn't have needed - $100
2 nights missed at Ft Wilderness - Priceless
Gas money paid to my brother - $400

Total Cost - $5450

Wow! $5,450 in extra cost, and a truck you don't trust, so if you replace it do you buy a truck for it's looks, or for drive train reliability???

I was a 45 year Ford man, was not going to buy into the Ford 6.0 issues, I bought an 01 Ram with the smallest diesel engine in any American full size PU, it was the best choice I ever made. I pull 11,000+ (12,360 GVWR) up hill and down hill at speed with a lightly chipped Cummins, about 270 HP, 550 lb. ft. of torque.

I agree.. although I would probably be buying a 6.2 or a V10 Ford Gasser and KISS (Keep It Simple Smarty) Diesel good bye.

JMHO

DavinD wrote:
Hi all, just wanted to update everyone.
.........
.......

I still believe the truck is not quite right. The coolant was full when I left San Antonio and by the time I got home there was barely in the bottle. It was a very nerve-wracking drive home as I really don't trust the truck anymore. I've driven it to Florida and back once before, and many other long trips. It's never let me down until now.

The truck is going to my mechanic on Tuesday. We'll see how it goes. I'm not sure if I'll trade it or not at this point. It's paid for and I'm debt averse, but we'll see.

Someone asked about brand loyalty...

To be honest, if Toyota sold a 1 ton diesel in the US, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. My previous truck was a 2000 tundra that had about 150,000 miles on it and cost me nothing but oil changes and brake pads over its life.

I do like the looks of Ford trucks and I've heard the newer engines are much better.

I don't like the looks of the Dodge trucks, although I believe their engines are superior.

A GM truck is a possibility as well.

As a side note - here is what that break down cost

New EGR cooler - $2600
Cruise America RV rental in Orlando - $1500
Rental truck to get family and stuff to Florida - $850
Tubs, Ice chest and misc. items at Walmart that we wouldn't have needed - $100
2 nights missed at Ft Wilderness - Priceless
Gas money paid to my brother - $400

Total Cost - $5450

Wow! $5,450 in extra cost, and a truck you don't trust, so if you replace it do you buy a truck for it's looks, or for drive train reliability???

I was a 45 year Ford man, was not going to buy into the Ford 6.0 issues, I bought an 01 Ram with the smallest diesel engine in any American full size PU, it was the best choice I ever made. I pull 11,000+ (12,360 GVWR) up hill and down hill at speed with a lightly chipped Cummins, about 270 HP, 550 lb. ft. of torque.

The EGR cooler would not have failed without the engine oil cooler being restricted, but it's nearly the same labor all over to get to the cooler now. Until the root cause is addressed, it will continue to crack EGR coolers.

Glad you made it back home safely. OMG $5450 could have flown 1st class for that price :B
Anyway it could have been worse Grizwald, you could have been traveling in the mid west this week :E
Good Luck buddy.

Hi all, just wanted to update everyone.

After the second failure (coolant spewing everywhere), I took the truck to a different mechanic and left it there while we rented an RV from Cruise America and continued our vacation. While on vacation I got a call from the mechanic stating that the dealership had simply failed to tighten a hose clamp, ergo coolant spewing everywhere.

I picked up the truck on Saturday morning and Houston and started the trip home. I only got about 100 miles before I noticed that my turbo whistle had turned into a wooshing noise. Clicky

At this point I called my brother and had him drive to San Antonio and pick up the wife and kids and get them home in time for school on Monday while I stayed in San Antonio to get the boost hose fixed.

After getting the boost hose fixed in San Antonio, I finished the drive home.

I still believe the truck is not quite right. The coolant was full when I left San Antonio and by the time I got home there was barely in the bottle. It was a very nerve-wracking drive home as I really don't trust the truck anymore. I've driven it to Florida and back once before, and many other long trips. It's never let me down until now.

The truck is going to my mechanic on Tuesday. We'll see how it goes. I'm not sure if I'll trade it or not at this point. It's paid for and I'm debt averse, but we'll see.

Someone asked about brand loyalty...

To be honest, if Toyota sold a 1 ton diesel in the US, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. My previous truck was a 2000 tundra that had about 150,000 miles on it and cost me nothing but oil changes and brake pads over its life.

I do like the looks of Ford trucks and I've heard the newer engines are much better.

I don't like the looks of the Dodge trucks, although I believe their engines are superior.

A GM truck is a possibility as well.

As a side note - here is what that break down cost

New EGR cooler - $2600
Cruise America RV rental in Orlando - $1500
Rental truck to get family and stuff to Florida - $850
Tubs, Ice chest and misc. items at Walmart that we wouldn't have needed - $100
2 nights missed at Ft Wilderness - Priceless
Gas money paid to my brother - $400

Total Cost - $5450

Lessmore wrote:

Itching2go wrote:

Jarlaxle wrote:
If he buys a new Ford diesel he needs his head examined!

I'm really not trying to stir up a controversy here, but while I understand brand loyalty, at some point I just don't understand rewarding companies that sold me junk. If I bought a vehicle that ended up with significant reliability issues and cost me thousands in repairs, you can bet I'd be taking my hard-earned dollars somewhere else. Why do folks keep going back? Flame away if you want, but I just don't get it.

X 2.

X 3 and that's just what I did after wwwaaayyy too many issues with Ford and their crappy dealers around here! And yep the OP bought a new to him truck new post link. Man I bet he took a bath on that deal :( .

Don

45Ricochet wrote:
:B I agree, it's been 4 days now since OP Davin has responded. Hopefully his 6.0 was fixed for free or he is smiling with a new 6.7. Your pick of brands :W

I could be wrong but I believe he started a new thread stating he bought a 'new to him' truck.

Itching2go wrote:

Jarlaxle wrote:
If he buys a new Ford diesel he needs his head examined!

I'm really not trying to stir up a controversy here, but while I understand brand loyalty, at some point I just don't understand rewarding companies that sold me junk. If I bought a vehicle that ended up with significant reliability issues and cost me thousands in repairs, you can bet I'd be taking my hard-earned dollars somewhere else. Why do folks keep going back? Flame away if you want, but I just don't get it.

X 2.