My F250 finally bit me in the bu##

[Redcatcher70]

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.

[Edd505]

IdaD wrote:

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.

75K was exactly where my F350 Lariat Super Duty CCLB 6.7 power stroke 4X4FX booked new. Price that in a 2019.

[1320Fastback]

shum02 wrote:

Redcatcher70 wrote:
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.

Not to rain to much on this but it's not uncommon in Fords and just about any other OEM to have cluster issues. Had this happen to my truck. Found a local guy to do it for $100 cash here in the Toronto area. Dash Medics is another online company that does it as well. Removing and installing the cluster takes about 15 minutes and the only tools required are your fingers.

When I took my cluster apart to replace the odometer gears and paint the needles bright orange on my old Dodge I found 2 fractured solder points on the circuit board. Hit them with the solder gun before putting it all back together and works perfectly.

[Grit_dog]

IdaD wrote:

troubledwaters wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
...Take your moderately equipped diesel truck that “we” say can be had for $50k. Round numbers. Obviously that’s $10k or more off the sticker...

Good luck getting $10K off the sticker on a $50K truck. You ain't been shopping for a while. Even A-plan is not $10K off the sticker.

You aren't doing it right.

Lol, right?
What did I say about the ones that overpay?

[riven1950]

Good luck getting $10K off the sticker on a $50K truck. You ain't been shopping for a while. Even A-plan is not $10K off the sticker.

Just did it in November. You just have to work at it a bit. Had to go to Charlotte and not deal with the local Dealer who is not a " Dealer ". It is a 2018, not 2019 but that's ok, only 9 miles on it when I picked it up, and actually a little more then 10k off.

[IdaD]

troubledwaters wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
...Take your moderately equipped diesel truck that “we” say can be had for $50k. Round numbers. Obviously that’s $10k or more off the sticker...

Good luck getting $10K off the sticker on a $50K truck. You ain't been shopping for a while. Even A-plan is not $10K off the sticker.

You aren't doing it right.

[ford_truck_guy]

Not for nothing.... I just picked up my 2019 F-150 Platinum..sticker was $69,610.00.. Paid $59,998.00.. Its my work truck :B

[troubledwaters]

Grit dog wrote:
...Take your moderately equipped diesel truck that “we” say can be had for $50k. Round numbers. Obviously that’s $10k or more off the sticker...

Good luck getting $10K off the sticker on a $50K truck. You ain't been shopping for a while. Even A-plan is not $10K off the sticker.

[shum02]

Redcatcher70 wrote:
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.

Not to rain to much on this but it's not uncommon in Fords and just about any other OEM to have cluster issues. Had this happen to my truck. Found a local guy to do it for $100 cash here in the Toronto area. Dash Medics is another online company that does it as well. Removing and installing the cluster takes about 15 minutes and the only tools required are your fingers.

[Super_Dave]

Funny thing about vehicles is that things can go wrong from lack of use as well as too much use. Is there a perfect amount of use? Lol! All we can hope for is that when something goes wrong we aren't out on the open road somewhere.

[Redcatcher70]

I am not complaining at all. I am resigned to the fact that the older it gets the more money I will have to part with. At 69 years old, and no trailer to tow anymore, the truck is just a grocery getter and road trip unit. I have no desires for a new unit so if the truck lasts me til I can no longer drive, I am okay with that. BTW, dealer had a 2019 F150 KR, CC, 4X4 in the showroom. Sticker totaled right at $65,000, I have no desire to go into debt for that much at my age and on the old "fixed income" we are enjoying. I would rather spend money having fun.....

[camperdave]

over the last few years I've dumped some serious money into my 1998 Ford van with only 120k miles on it. Entire air conditioning system rebuild ($2400 for front and rear), rebuilt rear pumpkin and U-joints ($5000), front suspension rebuilt ($1000) plugs and coils (preventive, but expensive!), and other misc stuff. All on a van that books at around $2k I'd guess lol. But it's my schlep truck and I love it. Cheap to register and insure, and I only drive it a few thousand miles a year at this point.

Nothing electrical yet though. At the point when electrical gremlins start popping up, that's when I'll consider replacement. I don't mind fixing mechanical failures, but electrical can just be so darn frustrating. And in my experience once they start, it's all downhill from there...

[mich800]

That is the downside to an older vehicle. Even one with low miles. Mechanically sound but the electrical and other problems can pop up. And diagnosing electrical problems on more modern vehicles can be a challenge.

[IdaD]

kirkl wrote:

schlep1967 wrote:

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.

Lol, you must not have researched tradesmans before. I paid 43k for my new tradesman diesel long bed 4x4. Power windows, XM radio, Cruise, backup camera, exhaust brake and heck they even threw in heat and AC for me 🙂

Most Tradesman trucks, at least in the popular crew cab 4wd configuration, come with all the basic SLT options. They aren't loaded by any means but they're not the basic work trucks many expect. Add to your list - bluetooth/hands free calling, IBC, auto headlamps, keyless, limited slip diff, spray in bed liner...even a heater. The only interior part that feels cheap to me are the door panels but that's a minor thing. The chrome hubcaps over steel wheels look tacky too but that's a cheap fix with factory takeoffs from Craigslist or aftermarket wheels.

Mine was a bit over $39k before tax and title but that was back in 2015 and they've gone up a little.

[Grit_dog]

Lol. No AC...

What some of y’all have to remember, is some of us talk vehicle prices from the standpoint of a person who is fiscally responsible, financially stable and also able to get the best pricing on a vehicle (TV, loaf of bread, etc...).
BUT $75k is not out of line for someone who’s not down with all that stuff above that I just said.
Take your moderately equipped diesel truck that “we” say can be had for $50k. Round numbers. Obviously that’s $10k or more off the sticker.
Now go buy a new car like a lot of consumers....because, even the janitor is entitled to a new diesel truck in our society, right?
$60 k sticker price
$3000 dealer add on sucker “stuff”
$6k tax
$2k In gotta have accessories
$5-10k interest, cost of financing.
Now you got $75k into a truck, not even considering the first tank of fuel!
The dumb people WILL pay $75k for a $50-55k truck, or MORE all day long......
In dumbville, $75k only gets you an XLT. If you’re the head janitor and you gotta have the King Ranch, you get to tell the story about your $100k truck!

Why do you think the used prices are so jacked on trucks? Partly becisse they’re popular and the economy is good, but a good part of it is all folks who spend waaay more than they should and then when the fuel bills start eating a hole in their wallet, they have to sell it either for too much money or upside down.

[time2roll]

knocks on wood 😉 My largest repair was transmission valve body for about $800. 18 years and 199,000 miles. Besides that an alternator and a fuel pump is it.