NFR Trucks?

[jasmillo]

You've either never owned one or fear the wrench unreasonably. And they were injected for the better part of that decade anyway and I've never heard of one packing up at 100k. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest mechanical is not your strong suit.

I am not very mechanically inclined but my dad very much is and he feels the same as you. Refuses to get anything newish because they are a PIA to fix and maintain compared to the the 80’a and 90’s Toyotas he owned. I think he’s driving a 2003 Tacoma now which he maintains himself.

Another Tundra owner here (2017). It’s been a great truck. Nothing but routine maintenance, just like every other Toyota and Honda I have ever owned. That said, I’ve never done in depth research on other brands outside of considering an F150 when I bought the Tundra. They seemed very comparable so in the end, I went with brand loyalty and bought the Toyota.

 

[RCF]

Just to mess things up there is an alternative not discussed yet. Toyota Landcruiser. True 4wd, larger cabin, more truck-like.... always trade-offs...

 

[Roper]

I love my simple 2008 F150 with 130k and now with a new fuel pump and modulator… 5.4L FWD, gets between 16 & 18 mpg.

 

[SSPey]

Being long legged (formerly 6'3 and slowly shrinking) driver seat legroom always an issue.
The Tundra I checked out felt a bit cramped at 41.2" of legroom, whereas both Ford and Chevy have 44".

Funny how shapes and fit differ. I’m 6’5” and the legroom seems just right - maxed out. I drive Ford and Chevy trucks at work and have to move the seat up just a hair.

 

[up2nogood]

You've either never owned one or fear the wrench unreasonably. And they were injected for the better part of that decade anyway and I've never heard of one packing up at 100k. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest mechanical is not your strong suit.

I was just being facetious, I’d give just about anything to have my 59 Corvette back , that “I “ pulled the engine , had bored , and balanced , solid lifters , two fours , etc . Been around a wrench a bit . My first overhaul was a 55 dodge . Beautiful car , pink , and white . But do I enjoy power windows , heated seats , defroster that actually works, yes I do .

 

[Divad]

I own an ecoboost. It's fine. However it gets shit mileage. Ford should be hung based on the over representation of the eco part. The boost they got right. The eco is non existent. If I were to buy a truck today of the f150 variety it would be a V8 and it would get better mileage than the 3.5.

As far as ultimate fishing rigs and cool work rigs go my current favourite is the 7.3 diesel ford excursion. It gets better mileage than the 3.5 and is indestructible. I find it completely ironic the Sierra club protested it while it's smaller and more efficient than the super crew 3.5 ecoboost. Plus there's no sketchy boards and quality issues with it's era of production. In fact they are increasing in value as folks are figuring out the hard way the total lack of quality control with COVID era production truck's.

We need to get back to making actual trucks. I don't need heated seats and luxury car finish. I want tough, dependable, servicable, and capable.

I too have a “turbo in the hull” style truck and I hope to heck I never have to service it. The idea of having to lift the entire cab to access the turbo is a horrible idea. Doing the downpipe and egr delete was bad enough getting my hands back there.

Plus if I knew Washington was going to pull the b.s. of hiking diesel prices I would have gone with the hemi.

 

[Buzzy]

But do I enjoy power windows , heated seats , defroster that actually works, yes I do .

Me too, no garage so the heated steering wheel is damn nice. (2016 Ram with the Hemi)

 

[Dustin Chromers]

I was just being facetious, I’d give just about anything to have my 59 Corvette back , that “I “ pulled the engine , had bored , and balanced , solid lifters , two fours , etc . Been around a wrench a bit . My first overhaul was a 55 dodge . Beautiful car , pink , and white . But do I enjoy power windows , heated seats , defroster that actually works, yes I do .

Thank you for the clarity. And for the record in glad we've advanced past points. I also love that era of vette.

 

[up2nogood]

Thank you for the clarity. And for the record in glad we've advanced past points. I also love that era of vette.

No problem. Yes , don’t miss those points . I remember in the 50’s as a kid , going from northern Montana to Idaho to see our grandparents in the summer , and my dads old Buick vapor locking , fun times Leaning over the hood with him many hours working on those old late 40’s , and 50’s cars . It seemed every week we were working on something. Learned how to wrench from my dad , and just diving in , and doing it . Not so much these days , you lift the hood , and look , and wonder . Mostly just the maintenance now , oil changes etc . My diesel truck requires a bit more maintenance.

 

[up2nogood]

Me too, no garage so the heated steering wheel is damn nice. (2016 Ram with the Hemi)

Yes , forgot the steering wheel, I too have that in my Ram truck . Very nice .

 

[VAGABOND]

Check out the forums for each brand of truck; they’ll give you a good idea of common problems/major issues. Chevrolet and GMC just stopped sales of all 2024 trucks due to roofs leaking at seams. Their transmissions have had issues since 2008. I wouldn’t want any turbocharged vehicle past warranty.
One reason I bought a Tundra:

Robert, begging your pardon, as far as the GM brand it was not “all 2024 trucks…” only approximately 3000 Silverados and Sierras, one plant, since corrected. My GM dealer can’t get cars, they’ve probably 150 trucks currently.
Why the turbo hate? Utilized properly and maintained correctly they last quite some time. Full disclosure, driven, and or owned, everything from a 238 Detroit up big boy large car V8 Cats w 18 speeds. Thank God I came to my senses in the 80s and sold everything and went to the logistics side.
During this current term, last 5-10years of engine efficiency transition so many changes in technology have taken place, a lot of which involves the use of turbos and smaller block motors. What’s not to like by using exhaust gases to increase more oxygen to the intake side of combustion. Granted, if you mash the gas as a daily habit you’re not doing justice to the setup and will probably have bearing and injector issues before term. Ride’s and Glide’n is the key by backing off the manifold pressure. Key to good mileage and engine life. This from someone who received a ticket in Montana for doing 82 at 2 AM one fine morning back in the dark ages of the national 55 mph rodeo. May have cost me $35 if I remember, $25 for wasting fuel and $12 county court cost, plus a stamp & envelope.
Then again, to your point about stop sales at GM and Ford, I just read about an issue with Toyota’s little brother Daihatsu who makes a lot of parts for Toyotas. Seems there might be an issue with emissions, which I find hard to believe after the previous seatbelt and air bag notifications, but who knows, right?
Happy & Safe Holidays out there.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Robert, begging your pardon, as far as the GM brand it was not “all 2024 trucks…” only approximately 3000 Silverados and Sierras, one plant, since corrected. My GM dealer can’t get cars, they’ve probably 150 trucks currently.
Why the turbo hate? Utilized properly and maintained correctly they last quite some time. Full disclosure, driven, and or owned, everything from a 238 Detroit up big boy large car V8 Cats w 18 speeds. Thank God I came to my senses in the 80s and sold everything and went to the logistics side.
During this current term, last 5-10years of engine efficiency transition so many changes in technology have taken place, a lot of which involves the use of turbos and smaller block motors. What’s not to like by using exhaust gases to increase more oxygen to the intake side of combustion. Granted, if you mash the gas as a daily habit you’re not doing justice to the setup and will probably have bearing and injector issues before term. Ride’s and Glide’n is the key by backing off the manifold pressure. Key to good mileage and engine life. This from someone who received a ticket in Montana for doing 82 at 2 AM one fine morning back in the dark ages of the national 55 mph rodeo. May have cost me $35 if I remember, $25 for wasting fuel and $12 county court cost, plus a stamp & envelope.
Then again, to your point about stop sales at GM and Ford, I just read about an issue with Toyota’s little brother Daihatsu who makes a lot of parts for Toyotas. Seems there might be an issue with emissions, which I find hard to believe after the previous seatbelt and air bag notifications, but who knows, right?
Happy & Safe Holidays out there.

Many of the new engine technologies are leading to premature failure. Trucks in general are being made with higher tech and cheaper components. How is it green to need to replace a vehicle sooner than later? I like looking lived vehicles. I have no vanity in what I drive and hate moving from one to the next.

 

[up2nogood]

Many of the new engine technologies are leading to premature failure. Trucks in general are being made with higher tech and cheaper components. How is it green to need to replace a vehicle sooner than later? I like looking lived vehicles. I have no vanity in what I drive and hate moving from one to the next.

I’m with you there , nearly 16 years with my previous truck a 1999 Ford Superduty 7.3 diesel . Most likely would still have it , but moved up to a bigger fifth wheel , and that old 7.3 just couldn’t get it done here in the mountain west . Bought a new 2014 Ram , now nearly 10 years old . Gets the job done nicely. Used mostly for just towing. Don’t see replacing it , as long as it holds up . With only 72k on it , it’s far from worn out .

 

[Chadk]

I'm a year or 2 away from a truck upgrade. My 2008 Silverado 1500 6.0L VortecMax LTZ quad-cab 4x4 has given me 330,000 miles so far. Various issues over the years, but generally a reliable, comfortable, and capable rig. Handles off-road (hunting and fishing trails) well for a stock truck. Great in the snow and ice compared to other rigs I've had. Still going strong, but time to start planning for the next rig.

Been taking my wife's jeep on a lot of my hunting and fishing trips lately. 2018 Rubicon Recon edition. Just hit 100K miles and immediately had to drop $2K for an oil leak and other issues.

I've been casually looking into options for the past few years and have done full circle a few times now. Toyota, chevy/gmc, ford, dodge - lather rinse repeat.

This time I want 2500 instead of the 1500. Full sized bed. But inventory and cost the past several years have slowed down my enthusiasm. So just waiting...

 

[MT_Flyfisher]

I owned 6 Ford trucks between 2000-2022, including 3 F-150’s, and a F-250, F-350 and a F-450. The last 2 F-150’s I had were 3.5L Ecoboosts. I had another 2022 3.5L Ecoboost F-150 on order for a year when Ford was not able to get the chips and other parts (the same as other manufacturers) to produce it so I canceled the order and bought a new Subaru Outback Wilderness. What a change from owning all of those trucks!

I‘ve gotten new vehicles for many years in part since I worked in the auto industry and have been able to get them for somewhat lower than retail prices. I generally do not keep them for a long period of time, or put lots of miles on them (over 100,000 miles), but with a financial background I know very little about automobile engines, etc.

Since the original poster asked about F-150 3.5L Ecoboosts, I will share a couple experiences I had with the 2 that I owned.

In 2012, I bought a new 3.5L King Ranch, 4x4, 6.5’bed with a crew cab, and I put a Leer canopy on it. I drove it between PA and MT every summer from 2012 to 2018, and then drove it all summer in MT. It was a very nice vehicle, with no problems whatsoever, until we arrived in MT in May 2018. Then, at 70,000+ miles on the odometer, the air conditioner stopped blowing cold air. I backed the truck into our storage building, and this happened:



That’s what’s left of the truck on the far right side of the picture. Our insurance company sent a private investigator from Seattle. Ford sent 2 engineers from Detroit. Other people came as well. The truck’s remains were taken to Billings, MT where it was examined by 2 separate forensic laboratories to determine the fire’s cause. They were not able to conclusively determine the cause, but my best guess is it involved an electrical issue related to the air conditioner’s blower motor.

After we returned to PA later in that same summer I bought another new 2018 F-150 3.5L Ecoboost, similar to the one that had burned, but with a Platinum trim level, with lots of computer chips and many of the latest technology features. I drove that truck until the middle of the summer in 2022 when, at about about 29,000 miles on the odometer, the truck mysteriously began slowing down and I got a series of messages on the dash that said, in essence, “Take your truck to the nearest Ford dealer for service as soon as possible. DO NOT DRIVE PAST GO, OR YOU WILL BE IMMEDIATELY BE SENT TO JAIL.”

It was a Sunday afternoon at the time and I was driving home from a weekend fishing get together with about a dozen other guys. I was about 100 miles from my home with no Ford dealers nearby. None would have been open on Sunday anyway. Somehow, I kept driving the truck and I made it home. I’ll save you the details, but in summary, it took 2 different Ford dealerships nearly 1 month, and numerous service technicians and contacts with Ford for technical assistance, to determine the cause and fix the problem. I couldn’t begin to tell you what the problem was, only that Forrd paid for the entire repair. WHEW! I sold the truck almost as soon as it was fixed, and bought the Subaru Outback that I have now.

My wife has had 5 Subaru Outbacks in the past 7 or so years, but this is my first. We’ve had virtually zero problems with them, except mine got a pinhole leak in the air conditioner coolant reservoir several months ago that was replaced under warranty. I do miss the truck’s larger size, however, but my wife keeps telling me I don’t really need a truck anymore. I‘ve always slept in the back of my trucks when I go fishing, and have slept in my Subaru a number of times since owning it. It’s big enough to do that, but just barely with all the stuff I take with me. The navigation system and cameras on the Subaru suck, but I guess it’s okay otherwise. I like the MPG that we get on the Subaru’s, especially when compared to the Ford trucks, but honestly, I‘m thinking of getting a slightly larger Japanese vehicle in the next year or two - maybe a new Toyota Land Cruiser or a Lexus GX 550 Off Trail (or whatever it’s called) when they come out next year.

p.s. I’ll never forget attending a large meeting in Detroit one time back in the early 1980’s. Many of the automobile companies had people there. One evening I went to a hospitality room hosted by GM, and I remember talking to several GM, Ford and Chrysler managers who were huddled around, drinking some of the finest liquor, and complaining about the high costs of UAW union wages, compared the lower costs paid by the Japanese. After listening to them complain, I went to a large room on the ground floor of the building where many vendors had stands set up to display and sell their products. The whole room was empty except for a small group of Japanese men who were going around looking at all of the vendor offerings.

That that might explain why Japanese vehicles have the reputation for quality that they do, and why they have obtained a significant market share, and why there may be only Japanese vehicles in my future.

 

[Guy Gregory]

My truck history after about 1995: I always buy used.
I had a 1988 F150 shorty for a long time. Always seemed to have one problem. If you could live with it, don't fix it. When it develops one you must fix, fix 'em both. Then, it'll have something else go wrong. Repeat. I miss the hand crank windows. I don't miss the flat spot on the flywheel that emitted a loud screech instead of engaging the starter, especially after some cold day duck hunting or way back in the woods at night working. In the end it went away for parts after 265K
I had a 2002 Silverado. Nice truck. Interior cheap and needed fixing a lot. Ujoints, shocks, all were a pita to change out when needed. Fuel pump left on I5 in tacoma one night. Otherwise treated me pretty well. It went away as a trade in at 210K. I miss the reliable 4WD and the color, silver, very servicable. I don't miss the non-rollup windows in the back seat. Towing was great until the tow mode went gunnybag due to a broken wire in the steering column, another known problem GM refused to recall. $2500 to fix. Ah, how about "no, thank you".
I have a 2003 Ford E250. Converted interior to camper 12 years ago, before the vanlife craze. Only trouble I've had is coilpacks. and drivers side window switches which fail after they get wet when you leave the window down in the rain. And the paint kinda sucks. No cruise, so I get tired on long drives. Upside: 4 wheel discs, driver and passenger airbags.
I have a 2014 Silverado. Really nice truck. Heated leather seats. I thought only pussies had heated leather seats. After a field goose hunt in sub-zero weather, turns out I'm a pussy. Has the traditional crappy GM paint, this one had a problem with the heating/cooling system, but otherwise treats me pretty well, mileage around 18 overall. I'll miss the stereo. The towing response is.....weird.
I got lotsa buds with Toyotas. I'm long waisted and 6'3", so I don't fit through the door very well. I can at least sit up in them. Mechanically they seem fine, power seems okay, and since they finally went to 4 wheel disc brakes, I might consider one for my next daily. But if I can't get in the door, it's no good to me. Which is why I never had an Audi or a Subaru.

I've owned hondas, chryslers, toyotas, what have you over the years. Each has taught me brand loyalty is not a good thing...it's about the vehicle you buy for the application you use, and you're ability to get service.

 

[SurfnFish]

telling ya, Toyota completely missing the boat with Sienna...if only

 

[flybill]

telling ya, Toyota completely missing the boat with Sienna...if only
View attachment 96890

I could do a lift on my Kia Soul and it would look a little like that!! HA! NOT!

 

[bobduck]

Considering a low mileage late model truck or SUV, so have question for those with experience or knowledge.
Been reading about lifter failure in the Chevy/GMC 5.3 engines due to their cylinder deactivation, any have personal experience with it?
And regarding the reliability of the Ford 3.5 Ecoboost, which apparently have issues once they start piling on the miles?
opinions welcomed

Your question of truck or SUV made me remember my personal experience. I had an Expedition for years and when it got really old I happened to find a great deal on a used Silverado pickup. I really like the pickup but what I really miss about the Expedition was the ability to crawl in back and sleep without worrying about rain and the ability to raise the tailgate and sit under it dry while putting on waders. I put a tonneau (sp?) on it instead of going the extra $ for a canopy which I consider to be a mistake which I might correct in the future. Now when I go fishing in shitty weather I have to find some cover or wader up real quick. Have fun whatever you decide.

 

[BCO]

I love my simple 2008 F150 with 130k and now with a new fuel pump and modulator… 5.4L FWD, gets between 16 & 18 mpg.View attachment 96809

Just curious, why is it on a flatbed tow truck ?