F450 woes

[brain55]

I would guess $6000 in labor for the 70 or so hours of work. The parts, who knows? Maybe $7500.

Chris

Oh, and Chris most dealership labor rates out here in California are $135 or better per hour.

 

[timswi]

Oh, and Chris most dealership labor rates out here in California are $135 or better per hour.

The wife was trying to talk me into a diesel...Think I'll stay put after hearing this.

 

[Soundguy]

Oh, and Chris most dealership labor rates out here in California are $135 or better per hour.

i'll immediatly stop complaining about our 38-75$ rates now.. !!!

 

[brain55]

i'll immediatly stop complaining about our 38-75$ rates now.. !!!

Lol, even as an independent equipment mechanic I charge $90/hr, it is a bit silly out here.

 

[HHR]

My local GM dealer charges $70 per hour. They are the only dealership in my area that I trust to do good work.

 

[downslope]

It's all very interesting discussion about what these repairs might have cost at today's retail prices, but it also raises another question. Suppose someone has a similar situation a few years from now, but at that point you may be dealing with a 10-12 year old truck instead of a 4-5 year old one still under warranty. What cost effective repairs could you do/have done, or would the truck be headed for the salvage yard?

 

[TCBoomer]

It's all very interesting discussion about what these repairs might have cost at today's retail prices, but it also raises another question. Suppose someone has a similar situation a few years from now, but at that point you may be dealing with a 10-12 year old truck instead of a 4-5 year old one still under warranty. What cost effective repairs could you do/have done, or would the truck be headed for the salvage yard?

I think it depends on the individual and his location. The GM dealer where I am employed (as a tech) is at $110 per hr. Overhead at a dealership is huge combined with top tier techs demanding and getting a third of that # per flat rate hour. I see the situation you mention on a daily basis and it's not uncommon to see folks drop 2-3 even $4K into 8-10 yr old vehicles for repairs. I've even seen 10K bills go out the door and this was on 5-7 yr old vehicles. Gm trucks are prone to brake system failure due to rust. A complete set of brake lines, 4 rotors, calipers and pads will run you an easy $2500-$3K. Head gskts for a duramax will run about $4K. Head gskts on the caddy Northstar engine will set you back about $5K. And the list goes on.

On the downside...the manufactures are clamping down hard on warranty times and one way the dealerships deal with it is by replacing the veterans who leave as a result of the cuts, with $10 per hour apprentices. Sure they can handle the nuts and bolts part of the job, but complex system diagnosis requires knowledge and experience. And this is what the $100+ labor rate your paying is getting you.

I'm not bad mouthing dealerships in general, just stating the current trend. Makes me glad to be on this side of the counter and that I can repair just about any of the current models out there today. But there's also alot of horror stories on this side of the counter as well...from ALL manufacturers. I seriously doubt brain55's dealer was reimbursed by Ford for multiple cab removals as stated...if I understood what I read. But there's not a doubt in my mind that the tech doing the actual repairs was hosed by Ford as far as what he was paid time wise.

 

[94BULLITT]

I think it depends on the individual and his location. The GM dealer where I am employed (as a tech) is at $110 per hr. Overhead at a dealership is huge combined with top tier techs demanding and getting a third of that # per flat rate hour. I see the situation you mention on a daily basis and it's not uncommon to see folks drop 2-3 even $4K into 8-10 yr old vehicles for repairs. I've even seen 10K bills go out the door and this was on 5-7 yr old vehicles. Gm trucks are prone to brake system failure due to rust. A complete set of brake lines, 4 rotors, calipers and pads will run you an easy $2500-$3K. Head gskts for a duramax will run about $4K. Head gskts on the caddy Northstar engine will set you back about $5K. And the list goes on.

On the downside...the manufactures are clamping down hard on warranty times and one way the dealerships deal with it is by replacing the veterans who leave as a result of the cuts, with $10 per hour apprentices. Sure they can handle the nuts and bolts part of the job, but complex system diagnosis requires knowledge and experience. And this is what the $100+ labor rate your paying is getting you.

I'm not bad mouthing dealerships in general, just stating the current trend. Makes me glad to be on this side of the counter and that I can repair just about any of the current models out there today. But there's also alot of horror stories on this side of the counter as well...from ALL manufacturers. I seriously doubt brain55's dealer was reimbursed by Ford for multiple cab removals as stated...if I understood what I read. But there's not a doubt in my mind that the tech doing the actual repairs was hosed by Ford as far as what he was paid time wise.

I have a ford shop time estimator disk. The warranty times are rediculous.

 

[Hay Dude]

I was thinking retail the short block was in the $7000 range and I'm betting the turbos are $5000 for the pair. At some point I guess I could do some searches on that internet thing, lol.

So brain55, should I steal $4,300 from my savings account for an extended warranty for a truck that should have been built right in the first place?
I have 6 months left on factory warranty. My guess is my cab will be on the floor within 2 years. Gotta weigh $4,300 towards a warranty against bending over and taking it again from the geniuses at the blue oval on a new truck.

 

[WilliamBos]

Oh, and Chris most dealership labor rates out here in California are $135 or better per hour.

About that uo here too.

 

[podagrower]

Let's say the short block is $7,000, the turbos are $5,000, misc parts are $1,500, labor is $3,000, and car rental is $200 for the week. Is there a point at which whatever company is paying for the warranty repairs just gives up, and "totals" the vehicle?

 

[brain55]

Let's say the short block is $7,000, the turbos are $5,000, misc parts are $1,500, labor is $3,000, and car rental is $200 for the week. Is there a point at which whatever company is paying for the warranty repairs just gives up, and "totals" the vehicle?

You know that's a good question. I've never heard of it happening though.

 

[timswi]

You know that's a good question. I've never heard of it happening though.

Never heard of a drivetrain warranty company totalling a vehicle...my BIL had a warranty company buy out his rust warranty on a Ford after the 3rd paint job...Fair enough I guess.

Congrats on getting your truck back...

 

[Diamondpilot]

Never heard of a drivetrain warranty company totalling a vehicle...my BIL had a warranty company buy out his rust warranty on a Ford after the 3rd paint job...Fair enough I guess.

Congrats on getting your truck back...

When I was a Kid it was if the damage was 1/2 the value of the vehicle they would total it out. Now days it seems like if you do $9500 damage to a $10,000 car they will not total it out.

Chris

 

[timswi]

When I was a Kid it was if the damage was 1/2 the value of the vehicle they would total it out. Now days it seems like if you do $9500 damage to a $10,000 car they will not total it out.

Chris

That's generally collision/comp...Don't think it applies to warranties...Could happen but my guess it be a settlement as with my BIL...They paid him off and ended the warranty..He kept the truck.

 

[Hay Dude]

All the guys I work with that were 6L owners said that Ford would fix them over and over again.
One guy that worked for me was well over $10,000 on warranty repairs. I even loaned him one of our work trucks to get around because his 6L spent 2-3 weeks in the shop at a time. He finally unloaded it on an uniformed kid that thought everything made by Ford was flawless.

 

[R_Walter]

He finally unloaded it on an uniformed kid that thought everything made by Ford was flawless.

Buyer beware! I'll just keep my 2 96 dodge cummins 12 valves for another 15 years or so. They get 20 - 22 mpg unloaded at 65 mph, I know them like the back of my hand, they're not expensive to r&r and they can pull a house.

 

[Hay Dude]

Buyer beware! I'll just keep my 2 96 dodge cummins 12 valves for another 15 years or so. They get 20 - 22 mpg unloaded at 65 mph, I know them like the back of my hand, they're not expensive to r&r and they can pull a house.

I know. Great engine and looking better all the time. I wish I had researched my 6.4L before I bought it. Truck itself is good. Diesel drinks fuel and breaks monthly. All trips must be absolutely necessary before anyone takes any of the trucks out. We just hauled another load of hay to the midwest. Average fuel economy was horrible.
Couple CEL lights, too. lol
Going back to the simplicity and reliability of a 12V sounds better every day. Not much more than the $4,300 Ford wants just to extend the warranty on my 6.4L or the over $10,000 we spent on previous 6-ohs!!

 

[dodge man]

My dream truck would be an early Cummins in mint condition with low miles. It doesn't make as much power as my common rail, but you can probably put sticks in 3 older Cummins for the price of them in 1 common rail.

 

[WilliamBos]

My dream truck would be an early Cummins in mint condition with low miles. It doesn't make as much power as my common rail, but you can probably put sticks in 3 older Cummins for the price of them in 1 common rail.

I see a lot of people snatching up the 05 cummins trucks up here. A customer of my cousin has 4 of them now, his son just bought one. Nice truck. Id love a 1993, just because I love the look of the first gen regular cab 4wd trucks.