Truck Buyers Beware

jmen24 · 01-11-2010, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Jmen;

A local transmission shop in Manchester did the work. This was after pricing it out at a couple places. The local dealer wanted more!! At the current $95.00 per hour labor rate it does not take long for repair work to add up. More power to you if you have the time and ability to do it yourself. I do not have either...

Dan

Dan
I was not calling you out, I do not have the time or the desire to do these types of repairs anymore myself, so I would really be in the same boat as you. Even knowing how to do it, not having a place (garage) or the time. I no longer sink money into the money pits that are off road rigs so it has been some time. I just cannot believe that is the price they are getting for that kind of repair.

Jmen24

ishoot308 · 01-11-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmen24

Dan
I was not calling you out, I do not have the time or the desire to do these types of repairs anymore myself, so I would really be in the same boat as you. Even knowing how to do it, not having a place (garage) or the time. I no longer sink money into the money pits that are off road rigs so it has been some time. I just cannot believe that is the price they are getting for that kind of repair.

Jmen24

Jmen;

No problem, I didn't think you were calling me out.

It's very hard to find competent auto mechanic work these days. The dealerships just want to sell you new cars and the prices they charge for simple service work such as brakes and even oil changes are just ridiculous! Many local shops don't even have the equipment to properly repair many of today's computer related issues.

The good news is newer vehicles certainly last longer these days. We are getting close to 300,000 miles life expectancy on most of our (Chevy) gas vans and P.U. trucks.

Sorry to stray off topic...

Dan

fishon · 03-01-2010, 11:32 PM

Hi there Im quit new on this furm. And what I have read on this tread is a loght of good arguments about this. Firts off by the proper truck for the towing that you are going to do. I will try to be as frank as posable. There is aloght of auto trams out there ford,dodge and gm will all drag a boat around. 2x4's,4x4's 1/2 ton-1ton trucks. Gearing from 3.05-4.88 will work, standerd trans are what I pefore. From 4 cyl to the diesle power. Be smarter then the car dealer!!

I have 2 diesle trucks and 1 gaser, I drag every thing from my littel 14 ft jon to my 34 ft fifth wheel. My gaser has 3.55 so that truck only drags my small jon an my 18 ft smokercraft. The only truck of mine the have 4.11 is my 1997 ford F-350 power strok and the 97 dodge has a cummins with 3.55 gears. I,m not trying to seal disele over gas power. If you are consered about fuel milleg then just keep your older rig. I am speking from expperence. I bot a new chevy back in 2007 2500 with a 6.0L and a 5 speed the stecker sead 19 hy and this was with 3.73s gess what i got for mills! 14 hy not pulling a thing. I was not happy at all sold that gas bunr.

And for the ones hear having problems with your auto repair shop i would look for a shop that can do the work.

SIKSUKR · 03-02-2010, 10:19 AM

Tht waz sum very goud adfice.

jmen24 · 03-02-2010, 10:27 AM

SIK, my side hurts after that.

Who says texting is not bad for the English language.

BroadHopper · 03-02-2010, 11:22 AM

My son-in-law bought a 2009 3/4 ton club cab with trailer tow package. It has the flexfuel option. He is in Mass. and was able to fill the tank with E85. He felt a loss of power when towing and didn't think it was worth the extra price. He switch back to gas and the truck did not run right since. Just did not have the pep it had and it started up with a few more cranks. The dealer couldn't find the problem and it could not be fixed. Anyone had the same problem?

LIforrelaxin · 03-02-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

My son-in-law bought a 2009 3/4 ton club cab with trailer tow package. It has the flexfuel option. He is in Mass. and was able to fill the tank with E85. He felt a loss of power when towing and didn't think it was worth the extra price. He switch back to gas and the truck did not run right since. Just did not have the pep it had and it started up with a few more cranks. The dealer couldn't find the problem and it could not be fixed. Anyone had the same problem?

BH,

What exactly has the dealer done? I have been very skeptical of this whole flex fuel idea.... my guess, is that the plugs should all be replaced in the truck for starters, now that he is back to running regular gas and I assume has run through many tank fulls.... I would also run something like Star-tron through the fuel system as well.

After your son-in-law I know of no one that has tried E85......

robmac · 03-02-2010, 02:29 PM

You need to make sure when going from E85 to Ethanol enriched fuel that you run the tank down low enough that when you fill it up the PCM can verify the sample accurately. Having a brain cramp right now but I think depending on tank size run it down to 1/4 then fill.

BroadHopper · 03-03-2010, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

BH,

What exactly has the dealer done? I have been very skeptical of this whole flex fuel idea.... my guess, is that the plugs should all be replaced in the truck for starters, now that he is back to running regular gas and I assume has run through many tank fulls.... I would also run something like Star-tron through the fuel system as well.

After your son-in-law I know of no one that has tried E85......

Talk to my son-in-law and the dealer did a complete engine diagnosis after upgrading the ECM. They told him to make sure the tank is completely empty before changing fuel. Even if he has to 'run out of gas'. LOL! The dealer doesn't appear to have confidence in the flex fuel ability of the truck.

Most folks with flexfuel trucks pretty much stayed with gas because of the price and the rumors around that there is power loss with ethanol.

03-01-2010, 11:32 PM	#3
fishon Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Towing with a Truck Hi there Im quit new on this furm. And what I have read on this tread is a loght of good arguments about this. Firts off by the proper truck for the towing that you are going to do. I will try to be as frank as posable. There is aloght of auto trams out there ford,dodge and gm will all drag a boat around. 2x4's,4x4's 1/2 ton-1ton trucks. Gearing from 3.05-4.88 will work, standerd trans are what I pefore. From 4 cyl to the diesle power. Be smarter then the car dealer!! I have 2 diesle trucks and 1 gaser, I drag every thing from my littel 14 ft jon to my 34 ft fifth wheel. My gaser has 3.55 so that truck only drags my small jon an my 18 ft smokercraft. The only truck of mine the have 4.11 is my 1997 ford F-350 power strok and the 97 dodge has a cummins with 3.55 gears. I,m not trying to seal disele over gas power. If you are consered about fuel milleg then just keep your older rig. I am speking from expperence. I bot a new chevy back in 2007 2500 with a 6.0L and a 5 speed the stecker sead 19 hy and this was with 3.73s gess what i got for mills! 14 hy not pulling a thing. I was not happy at all sold that gas bunr. And for the ones hear having problems with your auto repair shop i would look for a shop that can do the work.

03-02-2010, 10:19 AM	#4
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Tht waz sum very goud adfice. __________________ SIKSUKR

03-02-2010, 11:22 AM	#6
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,594 Thanks: 3,236 Thanked 1,111 Times in 798 Posts	Chevy Siverado My son-in-law bought a 2009 3/4 ton club cab with trailer tow package. It has the flexfuel option. He is in Mass. and was able to fill the tank with E85. He felt a loss of power when towing and didn't think it was worth the extra price. He switch back to gas and the truck did not run right since. Just did not have the pep it had and it started up with a few more cranks. The dealer couldn't find the problem and it could not be fixed. Anyone had the same problem? __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

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The Following 13 Users Say Thank You to SIKSUKR For This Useful Post:
Blue Thunder (03-03-2010), CGI3 (03-02-2010), codeman671 (03-02-2010), EllyPoinster (03-02-2010), EricP (03-14-2010), ishoot308 (03-02-2010), LIforrelaxin (03-02-2010), Merrymeeting (03-02-2010), NoBozo (03-02-2010), robmac (03-02-2010), Ropetow (03-02-2010), Sue Doe-Nym (03-02-2010), trfour (03-02-2010)

03-02-2010, 10:27 AM	#5
jmen24 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,139 Thanks: 223 Thanked 319 Times in 181 Posts	SIK, my side hurts after that. Who says texting is not bad for the English language.

The Following User Says Thank You to jmen24 For This Useful Post:
LIforrelaxin (03-02-2010)

03-02-2010, 02:29 PM	#8
robmac Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Nashua,Meredith Posts: 951 Thanks: 213 Thanked 106 Times in 81 Posts	You need to make sure when going from E85 to Ethanol enriched fuel that you run the tank down low enough that when you fill it up the PCM can verify the sample accurately. Having a brain cramp right now but I think depending on tank size run it down to 1/4 then fill.