déjà vu all over again
 

To those that read my "trip to hell" back in November where I spend 5 days
in a hotel room in Georgia while they fixed my super duty Ford 350 .....

I just got back from my final trip to Florida - picked up the Scout (another
story) and started the trip back to MA. Got to Norfork and visited Eisboch
Jr. and his very pregnant wife, then headed north towing the Scout. Got as
far as Fredricksburg, VA and the new, heavy duty diesel Ford 350 died again.

After all kinds of debates and decisions, I ended up hiring the tow company
to transport the dead Ford, with a 20' Scout in tow, all the way from VA to
MA.

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA and
dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of excitement
down there on Monday when they open.

Eisboch (back from the last trip to hell)

déjà vu all over again
 

On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 18:53:35 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA and
dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of excitement
down there on Monday when they open.

===========================================

If you are like me, you will eventually come around to the point of
view that you will never buy another Ford product. That has
subsequently been modified to "never another non-Japanese vehicle".

Unfortunately Toyota does not yet make a super duty pickup but I
wouldn't be surprised if they eventually come up with something.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Eisboch" wrote ...

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA and
dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of excitement
down there on Monday when they open.

Sorry to hear it. Let us know what the diagnosis is if you don't mind.

-rick-

déjà vu all over again
 

On Mon, 12 Dec 2005 01:35:02 GMT, Shortwave Sportfishing
wrote:

Actually, I had a ride in a Tundra the other day and was pleasantly
surprised - it seemed like a nice truck.

=================================

I have one and it is a darned nice truck. I won't bore you with the
details of my Ford story but needless to say it was not a good one.

déjà vu all over again
 

On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 20:37:15 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Well, I have officially offered to take that pesky truck off Eisboch's
hands...as soon as it is fixed.

=================

Define "fixed".

It's hard to fix what was poorly made. Detroit has had so many wake
up calls over the last 30 years and they still have not figured it
out.

déjà vu all over again
 

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:


Actually, I had a ride in a Tundra the other day and was pleasantly
surprised - it seemed like a nice truck.

Not nice enough to replace my F-250 Super Duty 7.3 liter diesel 4x4,
but it was still nice.

Comsumer Reports has been rating it at the top of 'sensible sized'
pickups for a few years.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
To those that read my "trip to hell" back in November where I spend 5 days
in a hotel room in Georgia while they fixed my super duty Ford 350 .....

I just got back from my final trip to Florida - picked up the Scout
(another story) and started the trip back to MA. Got to Norfork and
visited Eisboch Jr. and his very pregnant wife, then headed north towing
the Scout. Got as far as Fredricksburg, VA and the new, heavy duty diesel
Ford 350 died again.

After all kinds of debates and decisions, I ended up hiring the tow
company to transport the dead Ford, with a 20' Scout in tow, all the way
from VA to MA.

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA and
dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of
excitement down there on Monday when they open.

Eisboch (back from the last trip to hell)




FORD - Found On Road Dead



I can't wait for Toyota to start making something comparable to the 350 -
and then it's bye bye American brands.

déjà vu all over again
 

It is time for the Subaru story again? You know - the one where a guy
stole a Honda 125, shot out of an intersection and my wife broadsided
him - couldn't avoid him? And where the owner of the Honda came to
get his motorcycle, picked it up, started it and drove it home while
the Subaru has to be towed and subsequently was totaled with $9,000
worth of damage?


Probably what saved her life. If she was driving a Ford, there would be a
good chance she would come out with something worse than a bruising.

Plus, do you believe another car would have less damage? Subarus are
extremely solid. Looks what people race at rallies where you drive these, un
modified in many cases, 80 MPH on dirt roads... Show me one American car
that could take that abuse...

déjà vu all over again
 

"Don White" wrote in message
...
Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:


Actually, I had a ride in a Tundra the other day and was pleasantly
surprised - it seemed like a nice truck.

Not nice enough to replace my F-250 Super Duty 7.3 liter diesel 4x4,
but it was still nice.

Comsumer Reports has been rating it at the top of 'sensible sized' pickups
for a few years.

Consumer Reports is a joke. They just do cursory evaluations of the
vehicles.

The real test is how many of the trucks are still on the road 10, 15 and 20
years after they are built.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
To those that read my "trip to hell" back in November where I spend 5
days in a hotel room in Georgia while they fixed my super duty Ford 350
.....

I just got back from my final trip to Florida - picked up the Scout
(another story) and started the trip back to MA. Got to Norfork and
visited Eisboch Jr. and his very pregnant wife, then headed north towing
the Scout. Got as far as Fredricksburg, VA and the new, heavy duty
diesel Ford 350 died again.

After all kinds of debates and decisions, I ended up hiring the tow
company to transport the dead Ford, with a 20' Scout in tow, all the way
from VA to MA.

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA
and dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of
excitement down there on Monday when they open.

Eisboch (back from the last trip to hell)




FORD - Found On Road Dead

FORD = First On Race Day

déjà vu all over again
 

Bert Robbins wrote:

Consumer Reports is a joke. They just do cursory evaluations of the
vehicles.

They're even worse with their boat reports. Many of the reports stoop to
the misleading superficial levels of a Chucky boat review.

--
Skipper

déjà vu all over again :Subaru
 

Subaru's are designed to crumple in order to absorb impact. Also, they are
designed to push the engine and transmission downward under the passenger
compartment in a frontal crash via a "Pitching Stopper" to lessen the
possibility of the engine coming into the passenger compartment. They
consistently receive 5 star ratings from the U.S. government in crash
testing.

A proud owner of a 93 Legacy sedan 148,000 miles, 96 Outback wagon 175,000
miles, 05 Legacy sedan 2100 miles and 00 GMC Z-71 165,000 miles.
All are still running well.

OBTW I just tried some Lucas oil stabilizer for the first time and man does
that stuff work great!


Fredo

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...
It is time for the Subaru story again? You know - the one where a guy
stole a Honda 125, shot out of an intersection and my wife broadsided
him - couldn't avoid him? And where the owner of the Honda came to
get his motorcycle, picked it up, started it and drove it home while
the Subaru has to be towed and subsequently was totaled with $9,000
worth of damage?


Probably what saved her life. If she was driving a Ford, there would be a
good chance she would come out with something worse than a bruising.

Plus, do you believe another car would have less damage? Subarus are
extremely solid. Looks what people race at rallies where you drive these,
un modified in many cases, 80 MPH on dirt roads... Show me one American
car that could take that abuse...

déjà vu all over again
 

I had a 94 F-150 XLT Lariat best pulling truck I ever had in 4X4 (locking
front and rear differentials).
But man it was not reliable!

In 36,000 miles and 1 year it had the following repairs:

brake pads and rotors replaced 4 times (rotors kept warping)

fan clutch replaced 2 times

HVAC repaired 3 times they finally found the orifice was missing from the
system, the darn thing would only blow cold air while traveling on the
interstate, any time you went to in town traffic mode it blew hot air.

Radio quit 2 times.

So I traded it on my 96 Subaru Outback and so far it has never been in for
any repairs.

My 00 GMC has had the transfer case replaced, the steering gearbox replaced
and the P/S pump replaced (all under warranty) since then it has been a
truly reliable vehicle.

I wish you well with your Ford quality issues.


"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
To those that read my "trip to hell" back in November where I spend 5
days in a hotel room in Georgia while they fixed my super duty Ford 350
.....

I just got back from my final trip to Florida - picked up the Scout
(another story) and started the trip back to MA. Got to Norfork and
visited Eisboch Jr. and his very pregnant wife, then headed north towing
the Scout. Got as far as Fredricksburg, VA and the new, heavy duty
diesel Ford 350 died again.

After all kinds of debates and decisions, I ended up hiring the tow
company to transport the dead Ford, with a 20' Scout in tow, all the way
from VA to MA.

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA
and dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of
excitement down there on Monday when they open.

Eisboch (back from the last trip to hell)




FORD - Found On Road Dead



I can't wait for Toyota to start making something comparable to the 350 -
and then it's bye bye American brands.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Bert Robbins" wrote in message
...

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
To those that read my "trip to hell" back in November where I spend 5
days in a hotel room in Georgia while they fixed my super duty Ford 350
.....

I just got back from my final trip to Florida - picked up the Scout
(another story) and started the trip back to MA. Got to Norfork and
visited Eisboch Jr. and his very pregnant wife, then headed north towing
the Scout. Got as far as Fredricksburg, VA and the new, heavy duty
diesel Ford 350 died again.

After all kinds of debates and decisions, I ended up hiring the tow
company to transport the dead Ford, with a 20' Scout in tow, all the way
from VA to MA.

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA
and dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of
excitement down there on Monday when they open.

Eisboch (back from the last trip to hell)




FORD - Found On Road Dead

FORD = First On Race Day
IMHO FORD = F%#$&@ Over Rebuilt Dodge

déjà vu all over again :Subaru
 

Not to mention they do not get stuck in snow or ice!!!!!!!!
AWD the only way to drive!!!!

"FREDO" wrote in message
.. .
Subaru's are designed to crumple in order to absorb impact. Also, they are
designed to push the engine and transmission downward under the passenger
compartment in a frontal crash via a "Pitching Stopper" to lessen the
possibility of the engine coming into the passenger compartment. They
consistently receive 5 star ratings from the U.S. government in crash
testing.

A proud owner of a 93 Legacy sedan 148,000 miles, 96 Outback wagon 175,000
miles, 05 Legacy sedan 2100 miles and 00 GMC Z-71 165,000 miles.
All are still running well.

OBTW I just tried some Lucas oil stabilizer for the first time and man
does that stuff work great!


Fredo

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...
It is time for the Subaru story again? You know - the one where a guy
stole a Honda 125, shot out of an intersection and my wife broadsided
him - couldn't avoid him? And where the owner of the Honda came to
get his motorcycle, picked it up, started it and drove it home while
the Subaru has to be towed and subsequently was totaled with $9,000
worth of damage?


Probably what saved her life. If she was driving a Ford, there would be a
good chance she would come out with something worse than a bruising.

Plus, do you believe another car would have less damage? Subarus are
extremely solid. Looks what people race at rallies where you drive these,
un modified in many cases, 80 MPH on dirt roads... Show me one American
car that could take that abuse...

déjà vu all over again :Subaru
 

Before anyone adds Lucas Oil Stabilizer check out this independent review of
the product.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/images/lucas/lucas.htm

It really highlights why you don't want to add any additives to oil.





"FREDO" wrote in message
.. .
Subaru's are designed to crumple in order to absorb impact. Also, they are
designed to push the engine and transmission downward under the passenger
compartment in a frontal crash via a "Pitching Stopper" to lessen the
possibility of the engine coming into the passenger compartment. They
consistently receive 5 star ratings from the U.S. government in crash
testing.

A proud owner of a 93 Legacy sedan 148,000 miles, 96 Outback wagon 175,000
miles, 05 Legacy sedan 2100 miles and 00 GMC Z-71 165,000 miles.
All are still running well.

OBTW I just tried some Lucas oil stabilizer for the first time and man
does that stuff work great!


Fredo

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...
It is time for the Subaru story again? You know - the one where a guy
stole a Honda 125, shot out of an intersection and my wife broadsided
him - couldn't avoid him? And where the owner of the Honda came to
get his motorcycle, picked it up, started it and drove it home while
the Subaru has to be towed and subsequently was totaled with $9,000
worth of damage?


Probably what saved her life. If she was driving a Ford, there would be a
good chance she would come out with something worse than a bruising.

Plus, do you believe another car would have less damage? Subarus are
extremely solid. Looks what people race at rallies where you drive these,
un modified in many cases, 80 MPH on dirt roads... Show me one American
car that could take that abuse...

déjà vu all over again :Subaru
 

"FREDO" wrote...

Not to mention they do not get stuck in snow or ice!!!!!!!!
AWD the only way to drive!!!!

I love my WRX wagon.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

6 liter diesel?

Yup. After the first breakdown I did a bunch of internet searching and
found that this engine, introduced in 2003 to replace the 7.3 L, has had
some serious teething issues but the 2005's (mine) are supposed to have the
problems resolved. It is, however, scheduled to be replaced with yet another
engine in 2007. I also searched GMC and Dodge diesel forums and found both
of them are full of horror stories of problems with the GM Duromax engines
and, in the case of Dodge, transmissions as well. BTW, Ford sells as many
diesel powered trucks as GMC and Dodge combined on a yearly basis.

I suspect a problem again with the high pressure oil pump that was replaced
when it died last month in Savannah. I noticed that there was a small pool
of very clear oil-like fluid under the engine. I am guessing, but I think
it may be the oil used in the high pressure pump that actuates the fuel
injectors.

Surprisingly the salesman that sold me the truck showed up at the dealership
as we were unloading it, even though they were closed. He has promised to
make it right, including a full price credit for another truck if I want. He
acknowledged that some of the 6.0 L engines had problems and he wanted to
check and record the build date of my truck, which turned out to be January,
2005. He then said they may replace the whole engine, depending on the
build date.

I am going to wait and see what the problem is. It may be something like a
connection to the pump that was not tightened properly when it was installed
in Savannah - or something like that. If it is another pump failure - then
I have to think about a replacement truck or replacement engine. Or a
bicycle.

It's been a hell of a week. The day the movers were packing up the Florida
house Mrs. E's car got run over by a Federal Express semi-trailer truck
just as the auto transport company showed up to take it to MA. Mrs. E's
fine, but her little BMW has a hood that looks like an accordian. The next
day when I went to pick up the Scout at the storage place I found the gate
chained and locked and the telephone service disconnected. They had gone
bankrupt the day before and were apparently in court receivership. I got
into the yard by following a guy who opened the gate and drove in. Turns
out he was a mechanic who used to work there and was picking up his tools.
When he opened the gate, I pulled up right behind him and blocked the gate
so they couldn't close it. It was quite a scene as I hooked up the boat
trailer while people were yelling at me that I couldn't take it. I did, but
it's quite a story.

Eisboch

déjà vu all over again
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...

Well, I have officially offered to take that pesky truck off Eisboch's
hands...as soon as it is fixed.



I don't know. I can't quite picture you in a F-350 4x4 Harley Davidson
edition.

Eisboch

déjà vu all over again
 

On Mon, 12 Dec 2005 02:52:15 -0500, Eisboch wrote:


It's been a hell of a week. The day the movers were packing up the
Florida house Mrs. E's car got run over by a Federal Express semi-trailer
truck just as the auto transport company showed up to take it to MA. Mrs.
E's fine, but her little BMW has a hood that looks like an accordian. The
next day when I went to pick up the Scout at the storage place I found the
gate chained and locked and the telephone service disconnected. They had
gone bankrupt the day before and were apparently in court receivership. I
got into the yard by following a guy who opened the gate and drove in.
Turns out he was a mechanic who used to work there and was picking up his
tools. When he opened the gate, I pulled up right behind him and blocked
the gate so they couldn't close it. It was quite a scene as I hooked up
the boat trailer while people were yelling at me that I couldn't take it.
I did, but it's quite a story.

Geez guy, I'm getting images of that Lil' Abner character, Joe Bfstplk.
I'm glad your wife wasn't injured, and hope Ford makes it right by you.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 21:04:26 -0600, "Dan J.S." wrote:

It is time for the Subaru story again? You know - the one where a guy
stole a Honda 125, shot out of an intersection and my wife broadsided
him - couldn't avoid him? And where the owner of the Honda came to
get his motorcycle, picked it up, started it and drove it home while
the Subaru has to be towed and subsequently was totaled with $9,000
worth of damage?


Probably what saved her life. If she was driving a Ford, there would be a
good chance she would come out with something worse than a bruising.

Saved what life? She hit in just under 35 mph. It was a Honda 125
which weighed, what , about 300 lbs?

Plus, do you believe another car would have less damage?

The damage was $2000 more than the price of the car. Yes, I do
believe that. The thing folded up like an accordion. The 125 had a
small dent in the fuel tank and was driven away.

Subaru's are crap cars, always have been, always will be. All the
nonsense about "crumple zones", etc., hides the fact that they are
built out of recycled tin cans.

Subarus are extremely solid.

No they aren't. I made the mistake once of leaning back on the hood
of a 2002 Forester and put a nice dent in it. Can't do that to any of
the cars I own.

Looks what people race at rallies where you drive these, un
modified in many cases, 80 MPH on dirt roads... Show me one American car
that could take that abuse...

Any of them.


Haha! I am glad GM and Ford marketing propaganda is working on you. Haha...

déjà vu all over again
 

I have owned several Fords and the worst thing that ever happened was when
the computer died on one vehicle. Had to get it towed, dianosed, and fixed
for a total of $200.


"FREDO" wrote in message
.. .
I had a 94 F-150 XLT Lariat best pulling truck I ever had in 4X4 (locking
front and rear differentials).
But man it was not reliable!

In 36,000 miles and 1 year it had the following repairs:

brake pads and rotors replaced 4 times (rotors kept warping)

fan clutch replaced 2 times

HVAC repaired 3 times they finally found the orifice was missing from the
system, the darn thing would only blow cold air while traveling on the
interstate, any time you went to in town traffic mode it blew hot air.

Radio quit 2 times.

So I traded it on my 96 Subaru Outback and so far it has never been in
for any repairs.

My 00 GMC has had the transfer case replaced, the steering gearbox
replaced and the P/S pump replaced (all under warranty) since then it has
been a truly reliable vehicle.

I wish you well with your Ford quality issues.


"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
To those that read my "trip to hell" back in November where I spend 5
days in a hotel room in Georgia while they fixed my super duty Ford 350
.....

I just got back from my final trip to Florida - picked up the Scout
(another story) and started the trip back to MA. Got to Norfork and
visited Eisboch Jr. and his very pregnant wife, then headed north towing
the Scout. Got as far as Fredricksburg, VA and the new, heavy duty
diesel Ford 350 died again.

After all kinds of debates and decisions, I ended up hiring the tow
company to transport the dead Ford, with a 20' Scout in tow, all the way
from VA to MA.

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA
and dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of
excitement down there on Monday when they open.

Eisboch (back from the last trip to hell)




FORD - Found On Road Dead



I can't wait for Toyota to start making something comparable to the 350 -
and then it's bye bye American brands.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Mon, 12 Dec 2005 05:56:08 GMT, "FREDO" wrote:

I had a 94 F-150 XLT Lariat best pulling truck I ever had in 4X4
(locking front and rear differentials).
But man it was not reliable!

In 36,000 miles and 1 year it had the following repairs:

brake pads and rotors replaced 4 times (rotors kept warping)

fan clutch replaced 2 times

HVAC repaired 3 times they finally found the orifice was missing from
the system, the darn thing would only blow cold air while traveling on
the interstate, any time you went to in town traffic mode it blew hot
air.

Radio quit 2 times.

Horse feathers. I don't believe it.
So I traded it on my 96 Subaru Outback and so far it has never been in
for any repairs.

My 00 GMC has had the transfer case replaced, the steering gearbox
replaced and the P/S pump replaced (all under warranty) since then it
has been a truly reliable vehicle.

I wish you well with your Ford quality issues.

I have a 2000 F-250 Super Duty 4X4, 7.3 liter diesel and the only
thing I've had go wrong with it was a stuck caliber when I first
bought it. 100,000 miles and it's just getting broken in.

17 mpg around town and 22/23 on the highway.

Best big pickup I've ever owned.

Which have all been Fords.

All of which were traded with no problems at all during the time I
owned them.


When I was actually in the market for a diesel truck, I almost bought a
Ford with the six liter engine, but I kept encountering tales of minor and
serious horror stories about the motor. So I started reading up on the GM
diesel pickup, and lo and behold, the same sorts of horror stories. That's
the major reason I decided not to buy either. Spending $40,000+ on a truck
that wasn't going to behave was not my idea of a smart thing to do.

Since then, the urge for a diesel truck has passed. A close friend bought
a new full-size Chevy truck last year, a 4x4, and it doesn't impress me
all that much. I haven't looked at the new Ford full-size gas engine
truckz in a while. I like pickup trucks, but I like a little fit and
finish on them. The latest Ford and GM offerings just don't do much for me
in that area.

Go take a look at the Ford's in their King Ranch version. I call them
Maximum Cow. Damn, they look and feel good.

déjà vu all over again
 

The problem with the paint was universal with all American Cars built in the
80's. I think it had to so with a reformulated paint with the ClearCoat.
The problem was bad enough that all manu.'s offered an undisclosed 5 yr
warranty on the paint. I had both of my cars repainted for free when they
started to flake after 3 - 4 yrs.


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Dec 2005 07:53:31 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Ford uses the worst
paint available on the market in terms of durability and thinness of coat.

Get with the times dude. :)

They solved that problem years ago.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

Actually, I had a ride in a Tundra the other day and was pleasantly
surprised - it seemed like a nice truck.

Not nice enough to replace my F-250 Super Duty 7.3 liter diesel 4x4,
but it was still nice.

I'm sure that if and when Toyota chooses to address that market niche,
they'll do so very nicely.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Skipper" wrote in message
...
Bert Robbins wrote:

Consumer Reports is a joke. They just do cursory evaluations of the
vehicles.

They're even worse with their boat reports. Many of the reports stoop to
the misleading superficial levels of a Chucky boat review.

--
Skipper

When did CR begin evaluating boats? There is nothing to that effect in their
index of reviews. Are you drunk again?

déjà vu all over again
 

Doug,
CR is a well intentioned group of individuals who don't seem to have a clue.
The don't review boats, but they seem to miss the mark on all other
products. It seemed that they would always pick the product with the worst
quality.



"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"Skipper" wrote in message
...
Bert Robbins wrote:

Consumer Reports is a joke. They just do cursory evaluations of the
vehicles.

They're even worse with their boat reports. Many of the reports stoop to
the misleading superficial levels of a Chucky boat review.

--
Skipper

When did CR begin evaluating boats? There is nothing to that effect in
their index of reviews. Are you drunk again?

déjà vu all over again :Subaru
 

"FREDO" wrote in message
.. .
Subaru's are designed to crumple in order to absorb impact. Also, they are
designed to push the engine and transmission downward under the passenger
compartment in a frontal crash via a "Pitching Stopper" to lessen the
possibility of the engine coming into the passenger compartment. They
consistently receive 5 star ratings from the U.S. government in crash
testing.

Saw that happen back in the 1970s with an Eldorado. The engine vacated its
compartment completely, and crushed & burned the driver. Not pretty.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Bert Robbins" wrote in message
...

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...
To those that read my "trip to hell" back in November where I spend 5
days in a hotel room in Georgia while they fixed my super duty Ford 350
.....

I just got back from my final trip to Florida - picked up the Scout
(another story) and started the trip back to MA. Got to Norfork and
visited Eisboch Jr. and his very pregnant wife, then headed north towing
the Scout. Got as far as Fredricksburg, VA and the new, heavy duty
diesel Ford 350 died again.

After all kinds of debates and decisions, I ended up hiring the tow
company to transport the dead Ford, with a 20' Scout in tow, all the way
from VA to MA.

We dropped off the boat in my driveway, then continued to Plymouth, MA
and dropped off the dead Ford in the dealer's lot. Gonna be a bit of
excitement down there on Monday when they open.

Eisboch (back from the last trip to hell)




FORD - Found On Road Dead

FORD = First On Race Day


It's silly to point to situations where cars are maintained by expert
mechanics and constantly tweaked.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Lord Reginald Smithers" The fastest and most accurate Gun in the World
wrote in message ...
Doug,
CR is a well intentioned group of individuals who don't seem to have a
clue.
The don't review boats, but they seem to miss the mark on all other
products. It seemed that they would always pick the product with the
worst quality.

For some products, they really are off base. Stereo equipment's a good
example. When I was in that biz back in the late 70s & 1980s, they'd always
recommend Japanese speakers, which sounded horrible. And, Sanyo car stereos,
which were an absolute joke at the time.

With cars, though, I think they're between a rock and a hard place. Some
people like to slam their reliability surveys because they primarily cover
very young cars. But, how long does the average buyer keep a car? Is it that
easy to find a large sample of people whose cars have reached 100,000 miles?

For things like appliances, I don't think it's possible to do any better.
But, the magazine *does* educate some readers about features they might not
have otherwise considered. This is important because considering the low
quality of most retail staff, you might never hear about these features in
the stores.

It ain't perfect, but I have yet to hear anyone come up with constructive
suggestions.

déjà vu all over again :Subaru
 

FREDO wrote:
Not to mention they do not get stuck in snow or ice!!!!!!!!
AWD the only way to drive!!!!


My sister bought the 2004 Forester 2.5X at my recommendation (against
her husband's wishes).
She loves it but he keeps calling it a 'piece of ****'. (base model)
What will she do...?
She has the same vehicle (2006 Premium model) on order but with the
leather seats...fancy interior etc. That might shut him up.
If not, I'll offer to buy it when she trades in a couple of years.

déjà vu all over again :Subaru
 

Don White wrote:
FREDO wrote:
Not to mention they do not get stuck in snow or ice!!!!!!!!
AWD the only way to drive!!!!


My sister bought the 2004 Forester 2.5X at my recommendation (against
her husband's wishes).
She loves it but he keeps calling it a 'piece of ****'. (base model)
What will she do...?
She has the same vehicle (2006 Premium model) on order but with the
leather seats...fancy interior etc. That might shut him up.
If not, I'll offer to buy it when she trades in a couple of years.

My wife drives a 2001 Subaru Forester. We have had no problem with it,
but it's an uncomfortable as can be. After about 150 miles in the front
seat (thinly upholstered slab of something), your butt is numb. After
300 non-stop miles I'm sure it would be permanently deformed.

We're in a position to upgrade her car. We live on the side of a very
steep hill, and really need at least 1 AWD car for the 3-5 days per
year it sometimes snows in Seattle, so we went out ot look at a new
Volvo XC90. Too big. We almost bought a leftover '05 XC70, but when the
smoke cleared we were about $2000 away from a "deal", and that was with
me writing a check for every last dime I thought the "difference"
should be and the sales manager pleading, almost on hands and knees,
for me to step up to his number. (might have, for an '06). Still
driving the Subaru.

Having sold Subarus and having owned Subarus for about 17 years, I have
formed an opinion that they are a very good car. (You want to see
something fold up in a wreck?
Try a Honda. We have owned a few and found them mechanically excellent,
but so lightly built that they are truly death traps in anything more
than a fender bender).

My little V40 contiues to scoot along without a hitch or hiccup. I'm
not sure what we'll replace her Subaru with, but it would be a Volvo
XC70 if we found the right deal on the right car and it's unlikely to
be another Subaru unless they have done something about
front seat comfort in the last few years. She keeps murmuring about
"Land Rover"...........
but I don't think so.

déjà vu all over again
 

Eisboch wrote:
"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

6 liter diesel?


Yup. After the first breakdown I did a bunch of internet searching and
found that this engine, introduced in 2003 to replace the 7.3 L, has had
some serious teething issues but the 2005's (mine) are supposed to have the
problems resolved. It is, however, scheduled to be replaced with yet another
engine in 2007. I also searched GMC and Dodge diesel forums and found both
of them are full of horror stories of problems with the GM Duromax engines
and, in the case of Dodge, transmissions as well. BTW, Ford sells as many
diesel powered trucks as GMC and Dodge combined on a yearly basis.

I suspect a problem again with the high pressure oil pump that was replaced
when it died last month in Savannah. I noticed that there was a small pool
of very clear oil-like fluid under the engine. I am guessing, but I think
it may be the oil used in the high pressure pump that actuates the fuel
injectors.

Surprisingly the salesman that sold me the truck showed up at the dealership
as we were unloading it, even though they were closed. He has promised to
make it right, including a full price credit for another truck if I want. He
acknowledged that some of the 6.0 L engines had problems and he wanted to
check and record the build date of my truck, which turned out to be January,
2005. He then said they may replace the whole engine, depending on the
build date.

I am going to wait and see what the problem is. It may be something like a
connection to the pump that was not tightened properly when it was installed
in Savannah - or something like that. If it is another pump failure - then
I have to think about a replacement truck or replacement engine. Or a
bicycle.

It's been a hell of a week. The day the movers were packing up the Florida
house Mrs. E's car got run over by a Federal Express semi-trailer truck
just as the auto transport company showed up to take it to MA. Mrs. E's
fine, but her little BMW has a hood that looks like an accordian. The next
day when I went to pick up the Scout at the storage place I found the gate
chained and locked and the telephone service disconnected. They had gone
bankrupt the day before and were apparently in court receivership. I got
into the yard by following a guy who opened the gate and drove in. Turns
out he was a mechanic who used to work there and was picking up his tools.
When he opened the gate, I pulled up right behind him and blocked the gate
so they couldn't close it. It was quite a scene as I hooked up the boat
trailer while people were yelling at me that I couldn't take it. I did, but
it's quite a story.

Eisboch


Sometimes I think the more material things you have...the more trouble
you take on.
I believe in keeping it simple. own what you can keep on your
property....or in the case of a large boat...at a yacht club with proven
history.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
"Skipper" wrote in message
...
Bert Robbins wrote:

Consumer Reports is a joke. They just do cursory evaluations of the
vehicles.
They're even worse with their boat reports. Many of the reports stoop to
the misleading superficial levels of a Chucky boat review.

--
Skipper

When did CR begin evaluating boats? There is nothing to that effect in
their index of reviews. Are you drunk again?
Many, many years ago, in the 1950s, CU used to evaluate outboard motors.
I'm not sure when that stopped. I don't recall any CU boat reviews, well,
maybe canoes.

No...nothing at all, at least as far back as their index goes, which is
quite a few years. It would be ridiculous anyway. Scupper's drunk again.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
"Skipper" wrote in message
...
Bert Robbins wrote:

Consumer Reports is a joke. They just do cursory evaluations of the
vehicles.
They're even worse with their boat reports. Many of the reports stoop
to
the misleading superficial levels of a Chucky boat review.

--
Skipper
When did CR begin evaluating boats? There is nothing to that effect in
their index of reviews. Are you drunk again?
Many, many years ago, in the 1950s, CU used to evaluate outboard motors.
I'm not sure when that stopped. I don't recall any CU boat reviews,
well, maybe canoes.

No...nothing at all, at least as far back as their index goes, which is
quite a few years. It would be ridiculous anyway. Scupper's drunk again.

Maybe he's got that laser light pointed in the wrong direction.
You oughta zip down here to try out a variety of handguns before you buy
one...One of the local ranges has about 40 you can borrow and try out.

Harry, I won't even drive to certain parts of this city because commercial
strips disgust me so much. No way I'd drive that far to look at a gun! A
$3000.00 Alembic bass guitar....maybe. But not a gun.

déjà vu all over again
 

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

6 liter diesel?

Yup. After the first breakdown I did a bunch of internet searching and
found that this engine, introduced in 2003 to replace the 7.3 L, has had
some serious teething issues but the 2005's (mine) are supposed to have
the problems resolved. It is, however, scheduled to be replaced with yet
another engine in 2007. I also searched GMC and Dodge diesel forums and
found both of them are full of horror stories of problems with the GM
Duromax engines and, in the case of Dodge, transmissions as well. BTW,
Ford sells as many diesel powered trucks as GMC and Dodge combined on a
yearly basis.


You sort of have to take what you read on the internet automotive forums
with a grain of salt. The number of people who take the time to praise
their vehicles on these forums is quite small when compared to the people
who are more than happy to take the time to bitch about whatever problems
they've had. In other words, it's hardly an unbiased sampling. I'm very
sorry to hear about the problems with your truck, Richard. I owned a 2000
7.3 F250 SuperDuty which was not a daily driver, but more of a tow vehicle
for the boat and weekend driver. In 5 years, I only put 50,000 miles on it,
but they were all trouble-free. In December 2004, I traded it for a 2005
model of the same truck with the 6.0 liter PowerStroke. Again, only about
10,000 miles since the trade, but they have all been trouble free. In fact,
the only work that's been done to it are oil and filter changes. As much as
I liked the 7.3, the 6.0 liter is so much more refined, as is the 2005 truck
over the 2000 model (both Lariats). The 6.0 liter behaves completely
different than the 7.3. It doesn't have near the low rpm grunt as the 7.3,
but get it above 1500 rpm and it's all there and then it winds almost like a
gasser. As a highway cruiser, the 6.0 is far superior. Much quieter and a
better powerband than the 7.3. As a stump puller, hard to beat the 7.3.
Much improved suspension on the 2005 model, as well as a much tighter
turning radius for the 4X4's. Point being, in spite of your troubles, it
might be premature to second-guess your purchase decision.

It was a smart move having the truck towed to the selling dealer. It sounds
like they will do whatever it takes to make things right and put your bad
luck behind you.

If you haven't found this place already, here's what I consider the best of
the Ford Truck forums:

http://forums.thedieselstop.com/ubbthreads/

And to a lesser extent:

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/index.php

déjà vu all over again
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:41:22 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
. ..

Actually, I had a ride in a Tundra the other day and was pleasantly
surprised - it seemed like a nice truck.

Not nice enough to replace my F-250 Super Duty 7.3 liter diesel 4x4,
but it was still nice.

I'm sure that if and when Toyota chooses to address that market niche,
they'll do so very nicely.

I'll tell you flat out - they build a truck the size of my F-250 with
a good solid diesel (that, I might add, they are fully capable of
making) with 4 wheel drive I would consider it. The only other
foreign car we've ever owned was a Corolla and that was a great little
car.

It's impossible to know why they haven't made such a truck. But, if I had to
take a guess, I'd say they think they cannot overcome the cultural inertia
that's still present in buyers for that type of vehicle. Cars are in a very
weird category of their own, compared with other products. I doubt many
people notice that their washing machine is made in Mexico, nor do they
really care. But cars occupy an almost religious place in the hearts of some
people.

déjà vu all over again :Subaru
 

On Mon, 12 Dec 2005 11:37:17 GMT, Shortwave Sportfishing
wrote:

Hey, it works for me, that's all that counts.

=================================

How do you know?

déjà vu all over again
 

Harry Krause wrote:

I wouldn't buy a $500 piece of gear without trying it first.

Not sure we remember you relating tales of test rides in fab 36'
Zimmermanlike lobsta boats. I'm sure you would have told of such
adventures. Perhaps you can refresh our memories...

--
Skipper

déjà vu all over again
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Dec 2005 06:35:09 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

When I was actually in the market for a diesel truck, I almost bought a
Ford with the six liter engine, but I kept encountering tales of minor
and serious horror stories about the motor

That 6 liter has had a series of problems that the 7.3 never had.
Personally, I think it's way too small for the kind of torque it
produces and that's the major reason why it's having these kind of
problems.

I would have purchased a new diesel a couple of years ago, but I
wanted to stick with the 7.3 because I didn't think the 6 liter was
going to hold up - call it intuition I guess.

I'm glad I didn't.

The turbo is the problem. The high pressure pump on Eisboch, is not the
major source of the problem. Same Turbo as GM, but I understand GM uses
hydraulics to control the turbo (variable vane) and Ford uses electronics,
and the programming suxs.