The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
08-13-2013, 02:09 PM
#11
Senior Member
I appreciate the cheerleading and justifications as relates to the F150s with the 5.4L 3-valves. I am 100% certain that the other brands have their fair share of bugs and common failures. I am also 100% certain that doesn't make me feel any better. Perhaps I am one of "those" posters that "come and complain" ... but I have to say that I expect a lot more from a truck that cost $33K+ brand new and that I have over $20K into (purchased used with 51K miles, tires and now a full timing kit).
I think the synopsis of this thread is ... you'd be a fool to finance one of these used trucks (be it an F150, Silverado, Sierra or Ram) without a rock-solid warranty. The issues with these poorly engineered scrap heaps aren't little issues. Some folks are finding pretty good deals, but typically, to deal with the VCT issues and spark plugs alone, it's a $2000-$2500 endeavor with the stealerships or even independent shops.
When a vehicle costs this much, you should absolutely be able to take it to 100,000 miles, trouble-free (with prudent maintenance, of course).
I'll be installing a new OEM timing kit into my F150 that I have owned for less than 2 months. Love the truck. Love the way it looks. Would love to get into some mild modding on it. But if this kit goes in and all is well ... the very next thing this truck is going to see is a new owner. Maybe I am just blowing smoke and I'll change my mind after my Powerstroke diesel returns to its 330ci beginnings ... but I have never been more disappointed in the viability and longevity prospects of a vehicle.
I think the synopsis of this thread is ... you'd be a fool to finance one of these used trucks (be it an F150, Silverado, Sierra or Ram) without a rock-solid warranty. The issues with these poorly engineered scrap heaps aren't little issues. Some folks are finding pretty good deals, but typically, to deal with the VCT issues and spark plugs alone, it's a $2000-$2500 endeavor with the stealerships or even independent shops.
When a vehicle costs this much, you should absolutely be able to take it to 100,000 miles, trouble-free (with prudent maintenance, of course).
I'll be installing a new OEM timing kit into my F150 that I have owned for less than 2 months. Love the truck. Love the way it looks. Would love to get into some mild modding on it. But if this kit goes in and all is well ... the very next thing this truck is going to see is a new owner. Maybe I am just blowing smoke and I'll change my mind after my Powerstroke diesel returns to its 330ci beginnings ... but I have never been more disappointed in the viability and longevity prospects of a vehicle.
Last edited by GrimaceTimus; 08-13-2013 at 02:12 PM.
08-13-2013, 02:51 PM
#12
♫♪ I Hold On ♫♪
I honestly think people just like to btch and moan about crap that they 'feel' isn't right. Well nothing anymore is built how they used to be..so better get used to that now. Any vehicle is going to have it's own set of issues..no reason to dump a truck just because what MIGHT happen in the future. I have 55k miles on mine, now I realize that isn't a lot but I haven't had any issues. There is an 04 running around up here with over 300k miles on his and he only had to do the plugs and normal maintenance..other that that NO issues. Don't beat the **** outta your tuck and you should be fine. There is a reason these are the best selling trucks..
Last edited by Zax; 08-13-2013 at 02:56 PM.
08-13-2013, 02:57 PM
#13
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
I honestly think people just like to btch and moan about crap that they 'feel' isn't right. Well nothing anymore is built how they used to be..so better get used to that now. Any vehicle is going to have it's own set of issues..no reason to dump a truck just because what MIGHT happen in the future. I have 55k miles on mine, now I realize that isn't a lot but I haven't had any issues. There is an 04 running around up here with over 300k miles on his and he only had to do the plugs and normal maintenance..other that that NO issues. Don't beat the **** outta your tuck and you should be fine. These aren't the best selling truck for no reason...Ford knows what they are doing...
08-13-2013, 03:00 PM
#14
♫♪ I Hold On ♫♪
And that is a good thing in many ways ^^^ Ask anyone that grew up working on cars in the 70,s and 80's, most will tell you about cars with less than 100K self destructing far more often then cars now days with 200K or more. Cars today do run much longer than they used to.
I get so sick of people saying that meaning things were better back then.
08-13-2013, 03:36 PM
#16
I would be more afraid of buying an 8 or 9 year old truck with less than 50k miles on it than I would and 8 or 9 yr old truck that has >100k. Low mileage older trucks mean they set a lot more than they should and likely don't get the oil changed very often because they aren't driven much.
08-13-2013, 03:51 PM
#17
Senior Member
My Dad's '74 Jeep Gladiator went to 185K miles with little more than oil changes, shocks and tires (the typical stuff).
My Dad's 1977 Chevy 1/2-ton, 4x4 went to 275,000 miles.
My Dad's 1984 K-5 Blazer ... 300,000 miles (plenty of work done on this ride, but it was all voluntary, not necessary).
My Grandfather's 1979 Ford F-250, he went to 200,000 miles with no major issues and then replaced the engine and transmission with a junkyard set for like $700. Took it another 150,000 miles.
My Grandfather's 1989 Ford F-250, took a dive at 186,000 miles and cost more to revive than to scrap.
My point?...
Cars have been fully capable of 200K+ miles for a LONG time. There have certainly been plenty of throw-away vehicles from the big-three over the years, but in the category of trucks, it USED TO BE that you were pretty much GUARANTEED 200K miles if you took good care of your vehicle. Again...I believe this to be true for at least the last 35, if not 40 years. The real difference?
It used to be you could sit on a fender-well and have your valve covers off in about 5 minutes. The same people that couldn't get 100K out of their cars 40 years ago, are the same ones that can't get 50K out of 'em today. But the biggest difference I see is that religious, routine maintenance (and sometimes overly cautious preventive maintenance) means nothing with the big-three today. Damn...there have been WAY more than a few people that didn't get 500 miles on their new '04-'05 F150s and had cam phasers trying to rattle off the end of the camshafts.
If we want to have an honest conversation, we'd all acknowledge that technology has done nothing but complicate and bring down product quality. What the technology should have done was taken my lineage's ability to get 200K+ out of a powertrain and turn that into 400K+ without even blinking. Instead we have an entire generation of Fords, Chevys and Mopars that can't compare to the engineering prowess of my Honda lawn mower.
We live in an throw-away society...so for most, it is perfectly acceptable to have these monumental failures and for big-corporate to get away with putting out products that have cut every imaginable corner (reducing quality and longevity) 1-save cost and 2-because they NEED throw-away vehicles...they NEED you to have to need annual repairs in excess of $1000.
Oh ...and yeah...there are lot of F150s out there......increasing the probability of failures. Ford and the stealerships have to love it.
I will go out of my way to purchase Made in the USA products. I'll spend extra money to do so. The one exception to that is Honda's. My grandfather started selling Honda motorcycles in 1968 (after selling HD and Indian for 20 years) and they have been a staple in my family ever since. Rock-solid reliability and cars that are easily capable of going 300K without a major repair. It is really a shame they don't make a (real) full-size truck.
Sorry guys ... I am just in a really pissy mood over this truck ... and truth be told, this site really just compounds my frustration. Every single day (if not hour) a new report of some poorly engineered part/product on these things failing...and most often just simply due to the poor quality. Hell, they couldn't even seal the GD 3rd brake light.
My Dad's 1977 Chevy 1/2-ton, 4x4 went to 275,000 miles.
My Dad's 1984 K-5 Blazer ... 300,000 miles (plenty of work done on this ride, but it was all voluntary, not necessary).
My Grandfather's 1979 Ford F-250, he went to 200,000 miles with no major issues and then replaced the engine and transmission with a junkyard set for like $700. Took it another 150,000 miles.
My Grandfather's 1989 Ford F-250, took a dive at 186,000 miles and cost more to revive than to scrap.
My point?...
Cars have been fully capable of 200K+ miles for a LONG time. There have certainly been plenty of throw-away vehicles from the big-three over the years, but in the category of trucks, it USED TO BE that you were pretty much GUARANTEED 200K miles if you took good care of your vehicle. Again...I believe this to be true for at least the last 35, if not 40 years. The real difference?
It used to be you could sit on a fender-well and have your valve covers off in about 5 minutes. The same people that couldn't get 100K out of their cars 40 years ago, are the same ones that can't get 50K out of 'em today. But the biggest difference I see is that religious, routine maintenance (and sometimes overly cautious preventive maintenance) means nothing with the big-three today. Damn...there have been WAY more than a few people that didn't get 500 miles on their new '04-'05 F150s and had cam phasers trying to rattle off the end of the camshafts.
If we want to have an honest conversation, we'd all acknowledge that technology has done nothing but complicate and bring down product quality. What the technology should have done was taken my lineage's ability to get 200K+ out of a powertrain and turn that into 400K+ without even blinking. Instead we have an entire generation of Fords, Chevys and Mopars that can't compare to the engineering prowess of my Honda lawn mower.
We live in an throw-away society...so for most, it is perfectly acceptable to have these monumental failures and for big-corporate to get away with putting out products that have cut every imaginable corner (reducing quality and longevity) 1-save cost and 2-because they NEED throw-away vehicles...they NEED you to have to need annual repairs in excess of $1000.
Oh ...and yeah...there are lot of F150s out there......increasing the probability of failures. Ford and the stealerships have to love it.
I will go out of my way to purchase Made in the USA products. I'll spend extra money to do so. The one exception to that is Honda's. My grandfather started selling Honda motorcycles in 1968 (after selling HD and Indian for 20 years) and they have been a staple in my family ever since. Rock-solid reliability and cars that are easily capable of going 300K without a major repair. It is really a shame they don't make a (real) full-size truck.
Sorry guys ... I am just in a really pissy mood over this truck ... and truth be told, this site really just compounds my frustration. Every single day (if not hour) a new report of some poorly engineered part/product on these things failing...and most often just simply due to the poor quality. Hell, they couldn't even seal the GD 3rd brake light.
08-13-2013, 03:58 PM
#18
Mine was 3rd party also. I did my research before my purchase and thought it would be worth it. I love my truck. Warranty has paid for my timing/phaser job. Blend doors and rear pinion seals lol
08-13-2013, 04:02 PM
#19
Senior Member
That's another question about the diesel sound. Some people never fix it and it runs fine. Others change the timing parts when they start to hear it. Some people say it won't hurt anything it's just annoying, others say it will ruin your engine... I wish I knew because I don't care how it sounds if I know my engine isn't going to go. Just sucks I hear it with 48K miles on the truck....
08-13-2013, 04:08 PM
#20
08ScrewCA, who did you have yours with?
Grimace, you have turned pretty sour on this truck. Last week you seemed optimistic about fixing it with your timing project this weekend. I know how you feel though. I wouldn't have a problem with something happening to mine if not SO many other people haven't had the same thing happen to theirs.
I go through too many vehicles so I was hoping to keep this a while. I got rid of a Nissan Titan because the mpg SUCKED and there were known drive train problems. Now I just got a truck that has a known engine problem that costs over $1200 to repair and then could possible come back. I almost have to LOL about the whole thing. My wife has a Ford Edge and we have never had an issue with it. My stepdad has a Ranger and the same thing. No issues at all. Even if I had to do the timing repair at 100K is one thing. But at 47K I think is ridiculous....
Grimace, you have turned pretty sour on this truck. Last week you seemed optimistic about fixing it with your timing project this weekend. I know how you feel though. I wouldn't have a problem with something happening to mine if not SO many other people haven't had the same thing happen to theirs.
I go through too many vehicles so I was hoping to keep this a while. I got rid of a Nissan Titan because the mpg SUCKED and there were known drive train problems. Now I just got a truck that has a known engine problem that costs over $1200 to repair and then could possible come back. I almost have to LOL about the whole thing. My wife has a Ford Edge and we have never had an issue with it. My stepdad has a Ranger and the same thing. No issues at all. Even if I had to do the timing repair at 100K is one thing. But at 47K I think is ridiculous....