montanaman

Picking up my truck today, I've started running through my head the repairs I've had to make to the Blue Ox.

Compared to the other trucks I've driven over the last 40 years, it performs better than any of them did. It handles great, has gobs of power, and delivers mileage my Dad could only dream about with any of his pickups.

Plus, being easy to mod, with a 5* Tune, and mechanical limited slip in both 'punkins, it has a combination of power, highway manners, and traction that few trucks can beat. I can pull my dump trailer up a 45 degree gravel road, loaded, and it'll churn the tires a little, and pull it up without a complaint, or I can hit a blacktop and blow highway hot-dogs into the weeds with the same vehicle.

BUT -

In 119,000 miles I've replaced front brake rotors twice.

Had two coolant leaks, the first one being the block heater leaking and needing replaced, then a cracked fitting.

The steering wheel was worn out at 40,000 miles, with the sun cooking off the urethane, and finger grooves worn in it.

The factory drivers floor mat was shot, with a hole in it at 50,000, so when I got new mats I put in a couple of cheap Oakland Raider ones that are fading but undamaged.

Replaced the rear pinion seal.

Replaced the blend door motor because the nylon gears broke in it and I got tired of listening to it click when I turned it all the way up.

Replaced the foam in the drivers seat because it was getting out of shape. While it was apart had the seams in the seat cover resewn because half of it was coming loose.

Now, I just got done replacing the steering rack, plus tie-rod ends, and some bushings in the front end - $1800 alone.

Compared to the 2003 F150 I drove, or even my wife's 1996 Windstar, this pickup has been a money pit as far as repairs and upkeep. And little things like mats and steering wheels and seat covers are not of great quality anymore.

So if I could go back to May of 2011, I don't think I'd buy this truck again, I'd probably walk over to the SD row and get a F250XLT with the 6.2. If I take the $29,100 I paid for it, plus the repair costs, I'm there.

I'm starting to think, what next? Is the tranny that they cut corners on (couldn't afford a dipstick) going to quit next?

Grumpyf150xlt

Montana - where men are men and sheep are nervous


Montana is a state of the United States, named for child star Hannah Montana, who purchased it from the Cleveland Indians for $1 in 1976. Prior to that, the state had been owned by the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Railroads, the Anaconda Copper Company, the Minnesota Twins, and the Minnesota Vikings. The railroads merged to form Burlington Northern, then Burlington Northern Santa Fe, and now "Bin Nothin' Since San Francisco."
Montana has a population of 1,042,520 and a population density of 2 people per square mile. For better or worse, the population will reach the two-million mark sometime in the current century, provided it stops decreasing. For comparison, the population density of cattle in Montana is 500/square mile and of sheep, 234/square mile. Scottish and New Zealanders like Montana a lot.

Montana is extremely unlikely to acquire a coastline, no matter what happens with global warming.
Contrary to the claims made by countless fugly bumper stickers and belt buckles, the sky in Montana is no bigger than the sky over any other state.

The capital of Montana is Helena (pronounced "Hell On Earth"), except that, for college students, the principal city is Missoula and all the capital is inside the cash register in one of that city's taverns.

For much of its history, Montana had no speed limit. This, combined with no statewide open container law and very long, empty two-lane highways, saw drunk drivers often speeding over great distances at triple-digit speeds in Ford F150 pickups, especially over black ice in Winter, shooting rifles into the air and shooting, "Charlton Heston is MY President."

Montana is fundamentally a place where "men are men, women are scarce, and sheep are nervous because the women are scarce." (Honest, I was only trying to push her through the fence.) Both phenomena go far to explain Montana's perpetually low population.



Quoted from http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Montana

Meathead

iTrader: (2)

You should have bought the extended warranty.

Blownfour

eh, the only thing you really have a legit gripe about, IMO at least, is the steering rack itself(you can thank epa regs for manufacturers going to electric), and maybe the seat foam. Though that may depend on how big of a person you are and how you get in and out of the truck. **** wears out, complaining about replacing brake rotors and then saying you would rather go get a heavier truck with the same brakes is laughable.


P.s. - at over 120k miles on your truck you should probably look into replacing your shocks/struts.

Wanted33

At only 34k miles on my '13 I have nothing to compare to your repairs. But, at 119K miles thing do wear over time. From the repairs I see, myself I would be happy if that was all. After looking at the replacement price for my Platinum I figure the funeral home is going to need to dig a big old hole, because I'm taking it with me.

BTW, no matter what Grumpy says the sky is bigger in Montana. I've been there, and saw that sky. Amazing, and beautiful country. Also I wondered why the sheep was so skittish when I walked by..........I know, I know, that was baaaaaaad.

Grumpyf150xlt

The sky in Texas is bigger.
As they say....

Everything is BIGGER in Texas!

montanaman

Thanks for reading my griping🙂
But if I had a SD I would maybe have a leaky power steersteering pump, not a whole new $1100 rack.

1996 Windstar - traded at 162,000 miles on the XLT, never had a leak, replaced the ignition cylinder for $40.00, put on two sets of front brake pads, and the rotors were still straight and turning cleaned them up. Only major thing that broke was the serpentine belt tensioner at 150,000. Seat was still good, steering wheel perfect.

2003 F150, 5.4 extended cab, 144,000 miles, nothing but normal maintenance, two sets of brakes, turned the rotors both times.

At 6 years old I expected it to be holding up better I guess.

Navyslideby

im with you, that's a lot more issues than I would expect. I haven't had my f150 all that long but my VW has needed spark plugs and oil changes, tires and an alignment. I'm at the mileage for a timing belt and I think I might need to replace a CV joint, but nowhere near the amount of issues you've had. Oh I forgot, I had to replace the headliner, vw is infamous for them sucking lol.