Switching to Ford

[catoiler]

FORD=Found On Road Dead!

 

[Diesel Man]

Ok now a few people are just taking pot shots without knowing what they are talking about.

This is what happens when brand loyalty turns into blind loyalty.

Nobody ever said Ford was perfect but I got a news flash for some of you, neither is Dodge!

One of my car (Mopar) club buddies works at a local Dodge dealer and he strongly recommends against buying a NEW Dodge truck. He said they are getting far too many unhappy (new Diesel pickup) customers with freeze plugs blown out, transmission problems, heating problems and drive train problems and the list goes on and on!

So go ahead and do your ford bashing thing and have fun. But I've done my homework and I'm happy with my decision to buy an "American" built Ford truck with a heavy duty five speed automatic.

 

[Jeremiah]

Hey, Diesel Man, don't get mad. Even if you're Santa Claus, you hang around a thread long enough and someone's gonna jump your bones and maybe a few other things too. The gist of what most people have been saying is buy your Ford truck and good luck with it. Bottom line is, we're all hoping our trucks hold up. And quit making oblique references about Dodge trucks being made in Mexico. People on the TDR bought because of the Cummins engine.

 

[JHardwick]

But I've done my homework and I'm happy with my decision to buy an "American" built Ford truck with a heavy duty five speed automatic.

You can't even buy an American made machine tool these days, lmao, ignorance is bliss.

 

[catoiler]

Diesel Man,Were just teasin ya!I've had and still have problems with this truck!Drove a 99 F450 for 6mo or so and put 63000 miles on it!That truck went through #ell and never broke down. It was always loaded with 3 or 4 cars going up and down the coast and even hauled 2 dodge cummins trucks at once!If they would have made up their mind what they wanted for it I would be driving it now.


Mike

 

[LightmanE300]

Dieselman, if you took the time to read the JD power reports , you'd see the powerstroke has incredibly more mechanical failures compared to the Cummins. Also there was a statistic posted a while back about Mexican vs US quality in vehicles, and surprisingly the Mexican products had less errors/failures.



I'm never the type to have baseless brand loyalty, I think at different times different manufacturers have the best product on the market. I do all the research and try to make the best decision. I do like the ford truck itself better than the dodge, however the engine is the most important factor to me in a buying decision, and the Powerstroke is questionable at best. Friends that are in detroit that work inside at ford admitted to me that ford was actually considering pulling the 6. 0 out of production after the first year entirely. The first year of release, ford bought back 558 trucks from FL alone, according to my friend. I think 50,000 trucks sounds a little exaggerated to be honest.



Despite heresay and rumors, the 48re has been actually statistically less problematic than the allison or torqshift 'heavy duty transmission' lol.



If you already ordered the ford, why post here? If you haven't, I'd strongly reconsider.

 

[MichaelWright]

Been parusing over at thedieselstopped.com, looks like the 05's are starting to have problems. Good luck on your purchase. I hope you have a good dealer if you run into problems.



Mike

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

I havent taken many potshots at the 6. 0. I dont think its near as reliable as the cummins. I like fords. Always have. Always will. Just about jumped ship myself a year or two ago. For a last production 7. 3 though not a 6. 0.



Heres what I see. I was over at the diesel stop just tonight. It still looks like a slow motion train wreck and its been two years. Something is seriously wrong with that engine. If I bought one. I know one thing for sure. Id cut it loose before 100k miles. This is coming from someone who likes fords and hasnt had much bad to say about the 6. 0. Dont knock something that someone just spent 50k on. Its like telling them they have an ugly baby. Not cool at all. Brand loyalty is ignorance at its best. Ill drive anything but prefer fords.



Speaking of which. Just had my baby boy last week. 8lbs 5 oz and 21 inches. Very healthy.

 

[DPKetchum]

Would NEVER consider a Ford 6. 0. Used or new yet. Dodge first then a Duramax. I mentioned this before but a year ago a friend who WAS a Service Manager at a SMALL Ford store said his Rep told him Ford was out of pocket a MILLION bucks a day in 6. 0 warranty and buyback claims a DAY. Main reason HE quit the Ford store was the 6. 0. said the customers were eating him a new you know what and could'nt take it anymore. He's writing service now in a G. M. store. Said every time a 6. 0 pulled into the service lane they had to peel TECHS off the back fence they were so burned out on them.

 

[Jeremiah]

And I'll bet it was a BEAUTIFUL baby too, wasn't it! Congratulations!

 

[AMink]

Just another . 02 worth. My buddy bought an '04 PS 4x4. When I first drove it (after my '97 CTD), I thought "HOLY COW"! It ran like a scalded-*** cat! But then the fun. Something went haywire in the electronics and the truck started running poorly. In the shop, out of the shop, in the shop, temperature (in my buddy's face) rising. Almost got to a buy back. I think I would have held out. The truck now runs, but he says never has been as good as new. Bummer. Nice truck inside tho', lots of room in the back seat (4 door).

 

[DPelletier]

Speaking of which. Just had my baby boy last week. 8lbs 5 oz and 21 inches. Very healthy.

Congratulations. My baby boy is 14 yo now, you will have a great time watching and helping him grow.



Dave

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

Thanx. Exciting time in my life. Except for the lack of sleep. I dont want to hijack the thread though. TTT.

 

[GaryCarter]

To each his own. After two Fords I'm back in the Dodge fold again.

6. 0 and torqueshift transmission brought me back.



That's my story and I'm sticking to it.



Mike

 

[KBalzuweit]

With fuel costs over $2 a gallon, and the mileage the 6. 0 gets you really wonder why anyone would buy one.

 

[DPKetchum]

From what I've been reading on the Dieselstop.com fuel mileage isn't a big issue. Its getting through the NEXT tank of fuel with the same engine,oil,intercooler,hoses,egr,turbo,bbt,vvt,wiring harness,coolant etc. seems that some of the poor mileage issues is the IDLE time in the traffic through the service drive and in the bays at the Ford stores.

 

[MichaelWright]

I drove my friends new 05, a replacement truck for his 03. It was a nice truck, but compared to my Mexican Dodge, I was not impressed. No torque where it counts, drove like a gasser, kinda wierd in a way. I drive truck for a living, O/O. I know what a diesel is supposed to feel like, the ford did not cut it. In fact, out of the 4 6. 0's I have driven, I have never expierienced this amazing seat of the pants ride I keep reading about. They were all autos, 3 were barely able to get on the highway (03's), or out of the dealers lot. The 05 was about as peppy as my wifes V6 Jeep Liberty. Am I missing something?



And how do you change the oil on those 6. 0's? I could barely find the motor under all of the tubes, wires and sensors cluttering the engine bay. I don't know, I like simple things, and I am not brand loyal, I just can't figure out the Ford attraction. Lousy mechanical record, high service costs and questionable service. To each his own, but that is allot of money for something with such a lousy track record, even if it is made in the America.



Mike

 

[Diesel Man]

Thanks again

Well the reason I'm still posting on the Dodge site is that I still like the Dodges. Sorry about my little tirate to the pot shots :-{}

In fact I went back and took another look at Dodge yesterday. YES, I do like the Cummins engine and YES I do think it is the best of the three. That was never the question.

Like I said, this was (is ?) not an easy decision. I DO like the low end grunt of the cummins. NOTHING elese compares to that! But after that most of my other preferences add up to the Ford.

I know the early 6. 0 Pwr Strokes had problems with the injectors & turbos (and a few other issues) but I've been reading the Ford Forum regularly and after 04. 5 they seem to have gotten all the bugs worked out.

If I could, I'd buy one of each and put them both through the exact same usage over time and see which one works out the best. Most likely any of the big three will do the job for me.

Hey I still think you guys are pretty cool and I'm still a Mopar fan! Heck, when I mentioned on the Ford Forum that I thought the cummins was the best engine, they nearly ripped my head off! Have a great and safe holiday weekend to eveyone and remember to say a prayer for our troops who can't be here.

 

[DPKetchum]

I've been reading the Ford forums also. Not many posting with 05s and any miles on them yet. They had LOTS of bugs. Ford needed to buy out ORKIN. A few 05s are posting fliud leaks and a couple of bad turbo's so far. I think I'd wait a while longer before buying one. The 04s had problems.

 

[Yo Hoot]

Actually it's all kinda fun.



Cummins is American made and soon the diesel trucks will no longer be assembled in Mexico.