Good truck experiences.

   / Good truck experiences. #1  

Fordman1981

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Kubota L4400 Gear Ag Tires
I'm starting this thread at the suggestion of another member. I think Dmace sorry if I got the name wrong. I think it is a good idea for people to give experiences with older trucks. So other members looking to buy a used truck can see what kind of real world experiences other TBN members have had. Like I said in the other thread I had a 2002 f250 that I had 280,000 miles on before I had to replace the clutch and then it was a pressure plate failure clutch still looked mostly new. I would recommend the 7.3 with the manual transmission. The 7.3 is a good motor if you get one with an auto I would plan to put an aftermarket transmission in it at some point. The one weak point it seems the fords have is ball joints. I put ball joints in the 02 at 110,000 and 205,000 if I remember right and 80 or 81,000 miles in the 08 f350 I had with the 6.4 also high pressure fuel put at 110,00 on the 6.4 too cab off repair for that on by the way. Had to replace the radiator on my 08 and my dads 08 both just over 100,000 miles that's an $1,100 repair.
 
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   / Good truck experiences. #2  
Best truck to date for me was a 1986 Toyota 4x4 4 cylinder 22R engine. Traded at 168,000 miles. 2 sets of front brakes. Rears original. Slave cylinder on the tranny. Spark plug wires. 3 sets of cheap off brand AT tires. Thats it other then plugs every 30K, fluid changes at 100K, and a few batteries.

8 F150's from 1997 to 2007. All 5.4L. Traded most in around 50K or when they needed tires and brakes. All 4x4 except a Lightning. Not a single dime spent. Not even a light bulb.

3 Ford diesels. All SRW 4x4's. 99 F350 totaled at 120K. Never a problem. 04 F250 traded at 80K. Never a problem. 06 F350 I still have. Been to the dealer once for a faulty fuel gauge. Replaced entire dash cluster. Nearing 90K and still going strong. Still have it.

08 Nissan Titan 4x4. Replaced a axle seal on the supposed upgraded Dana 44 axles. Did it myself for about $40. New battery in May along with front and rear brakes. 66K and I don't plan on selling it antime soon. Love to see if it can match or beat the Toyota.

I will not talk about the 3 bad trucks I have owned since you only asked for the positive.

Chris
 
   / Good truck experiences.
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Diamond pilot

Been to the dealer once for a faulty fuel gauge. Replaced entire dash cluster. Nearing 90K and still going strong. Still have it.

My 08 had the same thing they replaced the entire dash cluster on mine too.
 
   / Good truck experiences. #4  
Diamond pilot

Been to the dealer once for a faulty fuel gauge. Replaced entire dash cluster. Nearing 90K and still going strong. Still have it.

My 08 had the same thing they replaced the entire dash cluster on mine too.

Yea, mine actually ran out of fuel pulling a 16,000# boat from Tennessee to Northern Indiana 13 miles short of my destination. Could not figure out what was wrong. Had it towed in and the dealer came and got the boat with a truck from the lot. Sat at the dealers for 2 days with guys scratching their heads. The gauge read 1/3 tank.

I was tossing and turning in bed when it donned on me I had driven all that way without purchasing fuel. Called at 7 am the next morning and told them to put a 5 gallon jerry can of fuel in her. They called me back a hour later and said it was running. I took it straight to the gas station and topped it off with about 25 gallons. That fuel plus the 5 they put in told me it was bone dry. The fact that the gauge did not move either was validation that the gauge had failed.

Chris
 
   / Good truck experiences. #5  
1998 Dodge Dakota club cab 4x4 SLT V6 3.9l
Purchased in 2000 with 20k miles, worked it hard everyday as a land surveyor off road more than on and hauled two sleds in an enclosed trailer plus one in the bed every weekend of the winter to northern NH.
Sold in 2005 with 216k miles, had tranny problem at 170k wouldn't shift to 1st. $400 sensor with labor and its good to go. After about 150k, it got squeaky and was a pain to find problem but after replacing $300 in bushings it was fixed. Still, truck didn't owe me a thing. I loved it!
15-18 mpg empty 10-12 towing
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2003 Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 quad cab V8 5.7l HEMI 3.73 rear
Bought in 2005 with 28k, current truck with 126k miles
I have a company car, this truck does NOT leave the driveway without a trailer/camper on it.
Non maintenance repairs are a set of front wheel bearings ($300, done myself in 2 hours). One side was noisy so I replaced both. Also just replaced the brake pads and rotors at 100k, pads were low but rotors looked good. Replaced all for good measure, calipers like new.
Tows very well for a 9 year old 1/2 ton. Even with a 10k dump trailer loaded up. Another truck I love! My next truck will be a 3/4 ton with a large V8 NA engine. Simple and proven.
15-16 mpg empty, 9-12 towing
ForumRunner_20130201_223506.png100_1852.jpg0716101619.jpg0821101726.jpg

Our fleet is too large to break down but for good experiences:
All the Cummins RAM's have been indestructible but ride rough.
GM 6.0l's and Duramax's rarely fail and ride nice.
Chevy Impala's, good ride great service and mpg's.
Ford Ranger V6 3.0l's, solid truck, great ride even with 250k +
 
   / Good truck experiences. #6  
Bests

1991 Toyota 4 banger 5 speed. I cut her loose at 180,000 for a bigger truck.
Tires, brakes, plugs and wires, o2 sensor, replaced the battery, changed the oil. Never failed me, ever.

Place I worked we used the cheapest ford rangers, all through the 90's. They all ran over a thousand miles a week loaded down with a/c and refrigeration service tools and equipment. 150,000 miles was nothing they really impressed me in durability for what they were.
 
   / Good truck experiences. #7  
1976 GMC 4x4 w/lt1 350..'77 K5 Blazer with dyno tuned and blueprinted 406--Wifes truck..Both an absolute blast to drive. They both needed the attention that you would give a classsic car.

91 & 97 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x4 standard cabs...Ran both to 200K before moving on..Never needed anything beyond normal maintenance..'04 GMC Xcab 4x4 5.3..Bought with 15K ran to 100k with no problems...Traded on a 2011 GMC xcab 6.2 4x4 no problems beyond a throttle body under warranty.
 
   / Good truck experiences.
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Good stuff so far guys. I currently have a 2500 ram quad cab long bed with the 6.7 cummins G56 trans it has a little over 12,000 miles on it right now. I hope to have the same service or better service out of this truck as I did my 02 f250 7.3 with the manual trans. I have a standing order in for a new company truck it will be a ram 3500 srw quad cab 5.7 Hemi 4x4 with the factory gooseneck prep package and the chmsl camera and tailgate back up camera with 8.4 inch touch screen. It should be built this month and maybe arrive at dealer in early march. So I will be able to see side by side what the 2012 cummins and the 2013 3500 hemi will be like as far as maintenance cost and repairs.
 
   / Good truck experiences. #9  
Had many good trucks and like the idea of a postive thread for once

stuff I got rid of that I would buy again
2002 dodge 2500 cummins 5 spd 100,000 miles did nothing to it.
2004 Dodge 3500 430,000 miles auto I didn't put all the miles on it but it only had 2 trannies, ujoints, a tranny cooler and differantial cover.
1995 F350 drw auto tranny and injectors were out when I bought it @ 80,000 miles don't know why but put another 50,000 with no problems other than operator error.
1997 F350 srw powerstroke auto 130,000 miles only problem was ball joints and leaf springs were replaced twice more my fault than truck
Trucks I currently use
1997 F450 powerstroke 5spd 114,000 on it and needs a tranny but not trucks fault put about 2k in the fuel in system due to alge in fuel
2012 F350srw powerstroke just got it but so far been really impress time will tell.
All the ones I have listed I would buy again with out thinking twice. Nothing I have has been chipped or modified. Had many more but these are the good ones and no experience with anything between 7.3 powerstroke and the 6.7L by choice.
 
   / Good truck experiences. #10  
1994 toyota 3.0 V6 3vze.... replaced the motor due to head gasket (known issue on the 3vze) 248,000 on the truck 148,000 on the new rebuilt motor with headers. trans is org. I swapped the rear axle when i had the Detroit locker put in it. replaced a rear u-joint.... front CV boot... alternator....and oh put a new radiator in it a few years ago.... Its starting to show its age, she needs a tune up bad. ive lost 3-4 mpg and its s_l_o_w off the line, but shes my good ol truck. Ive thought about selling her and upgradeing to a early 2000's taco... but the wife has talked me out of it saying i need to keep her as ive had her for 14 years.
 
 
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