F-series--transmission reliability

[jayste]

Originally Posted by Steve C

Now that is what a truck is supposed to look like. I love the color it is similar to mine it doesn't show dirt. Now tell me it has rubber floor mats......

My dealer had to do a dealer trade with a dealer 400 miles away to get me a one ton diesel truck with an extended cab, 8 foot box and rubber floor mats. Dam city slikers always buy carpet he told me........why would you want that in a truck? I also wanted a manual transmission but he couldn't find one anywhere at the time.

Yes sir, Steve. Rubber floor mats and crank windows and manual locks. First thing to go on my '99 was the door lock actuators! Anyway, when I bought this one I grimaced a little at the auto trans because I really wanted the 6 speed manual but once I got used to the torqueshift I've been fairly pleased.

Jay

[burnetma]

I would not hesitate buying a 2000-2003 Ford with a 7.3L Powerstroke and automatic transmission with under 150 kmiles especially if you can see the service records of the unit.

The keys to auto transmission life:
1. Change the fluid every 25 kmiles (flush & filter)
2. Add an aux cooler (bigger = better)
3. Use the correct transmission fluid
4. Fix ALL leaks immediately
5. Consider a larger pan (more fluid is better)

[Duffster]

Originally Posted by burnetma

I would not hesitate buying a 2000-2003 Ford with a 7.3L Powerstroke and automatic transmission with under 150 kmiles especially if you can see the service records of the unit.

The keys to auto transmission life:
1. Change the fluid every 25 kmiles (flush & filter)
2. Add an aux cooler (bigger = better)
3. Use the correct transmission fluid
4. Fix ALL leaks immediately
5. Consider a larger pan (more fluid is better)

You don't like the '99's?

[MtnViewRanch]

Originally Posted by Duffster

You don't like the '99's?

I think that the 99's that you are thinking about were actually considered 2000's. The 99's were left over 98's. The 99's were only available in certain configuration's due to lack of parts, end of the run sort of thing.

I know none of this to be fact, only what I had heard at my Ford dealer.

[Duffster]

Originally Posted by MtnViewRanch

I think that the 99's that you are thinking about were actually considered 2000's. The 99's were left over 98's. The 99's were only available in certain configuration's due to lack of parts, end of the run sort of thing.

I know none of this to be fact, only what I had heard at my Ford dealer.

The 99's are the same as the 2000's. There was no 98's.

[JESSE1]

The '99 SuperDuty came out in February '98. The fall of '97 was a short run for the old body style until the new SD came out after the first of the year. I ordered a new '99 in August of '97 and it arrived February '98.

[mikeyee]

Ford has been sour in my experience (gas trucks)

I always heard about their product process control (it varies greatly) on the size parts they use. Stricter process control gives a better bell curve in reliability but that costs more money. To save on costs they cut down on this adhering to stricter product selection of samples. But really I think its all about preference. I've had bad experiences with ford (f-150's mainly/overheating problems with brakes/transmission/electrical going bad at 70k miles. seems 70k is a magic number to go get a new ford?) all the time and others have great ones (my boss had 960,000 miles on his ford titan f-150).

Compared to Dodge, dodge has a great diesel engine and decent hemi but their transmission is worse than ford I've heard (made in mexico).

GM has the allison transmission wihich is probably the best I've seen and used hands down for a truck. When my transmission needs 5.5 gallons of transmission fluid, temp gauge with transmission lock at 230 degrees; you know its not going to overheat haha.

And also if you do have a diesel ford 1999-2003; go get a new cruise control button because your car will catch on fire! (no joke)
Ford recall hits 4.5 million more vehicles on fire hazard - Oct. 13, 2009

I can't see how a car company can mess up like that + deny/didn't investigate until in 2008... Fix Or Recall Daily!

[Soundguy]

my 04 f250 with 6.0psd has had a trailer on it for most of it's 86K miles.. never had an issue.. pulls way better than my 5.9l dodge gasser.

soundguy

Originally Posted by flusher

I just talked to my neighbor next door.
He has a 2001 F250 extended cab with the 7.3L diesel.
Bought it new and now has about 70,000 miles on it.

Towing his travel trailer home from a jobsite in Willow Creek along Hwy 299 (between Eureka and Redding CA), the transmission crapped out. Total junk. $2800 for a rebuilt unit.

Question: is this a common problem with that vintage F250?
I ask because I'm looking for a 2000-04 F250 or F350 to tow a 10K GVWR GN trailer hauling my 4500lb (max) parade tractors (one at a time). And most of the stuff I've been eyeballing locally, on eBay and on craigslist has well over 100K miles.