Greetings.

I just bought my first Ford Truck. A 1999, F250, Power Stroke Diesel, Full Cab, Long Bed... black. (Last vehicle I owned was my dad's '76 Olds Cutlass... in 1978. The engine block cracked after a couple of months and I haven't own a vehicle since i.e. lived in Manhattan.)

So - this is all news to me and I'd sure like to hear some comments, as I'm learning all about big trucks (like don't even bother to drive it into Manhattan, unless you wanna entertain parking attendants.)

First and foremost, any recommendations on a good Mechanic in the Jersey area, preferably Ridgefield Park and Mahwah as those are my main commuting points and I may need a tow in either direction in a worst case scenario.

I'm very comfortable, however, that I've got a good one. I first "meet" this Beamoth in Austin, TX. My friend buys trucks, has 'em fixed up in Juarez and drives 'em back to the Left Coast. On this trip, I tagged along and it was "luv" at first sight. I drove her back to Frisco. Then, later that year, my friend brought me back to Jersey, along I80, with most of my stuff tied up in the back, then picked up a boat from Miami and brought it back to Frisco, I just flew out, bought my Destiny, piled on the rest of my stuff and drove back to Jersey, this time along I40.

So, we can say that I've put a good 9,000 miles on this Baby myself. Consider it a "test drive."

Currently I'm trying to get it Inspected, re-Titled, re-Registered and put on some new tires before we get any serious snow. Only thing that may be a problem are a couple of small chips in the windshield which may thwart the inspection.

Other than that, we are on our way to a great trucking future.

g

 

*shrug* I've driven my 93 crewcab through the streets of manhattan before.

There's a ford dealer on franklin turnpike in Mahwah, almost on the border of suffern just before 202. They're pretty good for mechanical/electrical stuff. Don't let them paint. I've only seen signs for Ridgefield Park, so can't help you there.

Any auto glass place can replace the windshield. If the chips are small enough and haven't started to seperate the front glass from the back glass (safety glass is two piece of glass with a plastic film between), there is an epoxy that can fix it no problem. Auto glass companies do this too. If insured in NY or NYC, the state requires 100% glass coverage as part of your premium, so there is no cost to you.

 

Welcome to FTE and the NJ chapter!!!

Sounds like a nice rig, stop by our F-250 & PSD forums too, I'm sure they will have some good information.

 

Thanx for the responses...

I've seen that Dealership along Route 17 (right?) I'm just worried that a Ford Dealership will charge you double what an independent mechanic would - for the same work. We had that experience on the first trip from Reno to New Jersey, stopping in Cheyenne, WY. Had to get a couple of Fuel Injectors replaced and it cost double of what it owuld have - had we had time to shop around.

Yeah, I'm not sure about the glass chip deal. I can live with it (not in line of sight or anything) and they are very small... but I wouldn't be surprised if the New Jersey Inspection process has a problem with it - as I was told by an Inspector at a private garage that my "bullrack" welded onto the front grill would also be a problem were I to take it to a "state" inspection facility.

As for Manhattan, the driving wasn't the hard part - trying to park it on a Saturday afternoon on the Upper Eastside - I found impossible. I guess I could have taken it to the lots around the Copa in the 30s, but - at $6 just for the GW Bridge - I'm thinking the bus remains me best into the city transportation option. I'd still have to take the subway to get anywhere after I parked it!

Thanx

g

 

a little hint on a N.J.M.V.C. loophole. a diesel vehicle registered over 10,000 lbs and under i think it is 28,000 lbs is self inspecting, and does not need a windsheild sticker, or go through the yearly inspection. my 88 has never had a inspection sticker clutterin up the window.

 

Yes, I noticed that as I've been studying the Driver's Manual (for a test I haven't taken in 30 years...) but I'm not sure if the truck is 10,000lbs. The owner saind he didn't need an inspection sticker, but that was Nevada - not the Socialist Republic of Greater New Jersey.

I'm just taking it step-by-step. I'm gonna take the Road Test with a friend's car, get the registration and plates, then get the inspection. That way I can avoid the State passing any opinion of the truck's windshield or big "cow catcher" welded onto the front bumper.

Thanx

g

 

it is not what the truck weighs, but what you register it for as to the weight you want to carry. if you do not say anything to the idiots at the counter, they will give you a random weight. i have seen a few diesels registered at 5,000 lbs. when i commented to the owners, their reasoning for not saying anything was " but i am only paying $75". then i point out the fact that the truck weighs between 6 and 7 k lbs, and if they get stopped, there is a ticket, fine, and possible impounding and towing fees applied to that little savings.
i would rather have my 9,000lb truck registered for 11,000 lbs, this way i can put something in the bed and be legal, and not have to worry about going through the inspection line every year and having the idiots fail it for a loose finagin pin regulator, or maybe a defective muffler bearing.

 

You make an excellent point. I'm going to double check the MVC forms and register the truck at 10,000 (as you suggest)

Thanx!

g

 

On back of form BA-49 (R9/04) it specifies that Diesel "from 10,001 to 17,999" so I'm gonna register it as "11,000" (Heck, I'm toying with the idea of getting a 5th Wheel)

I see two places where I might document this weight:

Requested Registration Weight or Number of Passengers

(That's it, huh?)

or

Increase in Reg.Weight

(That's not it, right?)

Thanx

g

 

The dealer I'm refering too (Mahwah Ford) is off route 17 on Franklin Turnpike. If you're heading north on 17, just after the big light in Ramsay NJ, it's on the right. Huge signs, you can't miss it. I'd give you landmarks except I'm sure they're all replaced by burger kings by now

Stay on franklin turnpike almost to suffern NY. It's on the right just after the big food store, which used to be an A&P, not sure if it still is. Right opposite the A&P is "Coachworks" body shop... them you can't miss as they always have a plethora of 50's and 60's cars in primer outside. Good shop BTW if you ever need pristine, overpriced restoration work

Most dealers, and shops, charge "book rate" where a book they have says the job will be 11 hours, they charge 11 hours whether it takes them 7 or 15. Plus parts of course. Sometimes Ford has less costly parts, sometimes more expensive parts. I'm lucky since my local mechanic (Gulf station) prefers to use motorcraft (ford) parts where it makes sense, and will use "other" when that makes sense. Plus they don't mind taking in my 1/2 done projects. One time I started doing my front balljoints myself (on my F350 crewcab) and managed to get the floorjack buried into the asphalt (it sunk overnight as I didn't finish in one day) so I couldn't get the front end back on (also couldn't get the old ball joints out, but that's another story) and they had no problem coming over to pick up the crewcab with the front end in a pile in the bed.

Another possibility is to skip the free, sit in line all day, NJ state inspection stations. NJ also allows service stations and dealers to do the state inspection, and the going price seems to be 70-80 bucks. I have my truck inspected by my friendly aforementioned gulf station for $80 because 1) it's convienent - I don't have to waste an entire day sitting in line and 2) they are happy to let me slide on minor things. I have a cracked driver's mirror and no front plate, and they let me go through no problem, with a bi-annual reminder I need to fix both (I have the new mirror, just never get to it).

Only if it blocks your headlights in any way, or sticks out 12" past the grill, or has pointy protrusions on it.

I hear ya about the city parking issue. I've only found two spots in 10 years that pickups fit into - on the street. Unlike a car where you can "nudge" your way into tight spaces with no damage, a truck you can't do that - at least I can't - my truck has enough "rake" to it any nudging in the rear results in a broken headlight, grille, or fender ding/dent/scrap that I don't bother. There are parking garages that take trucks and vans, but they charge 20% over whatever the posted rate is. I usually expensed it back to the office so I didn't worry about it.

 

Yes - in addition to documenting my truck as 11,000 lbs - I am still gonna go thru a $50 Inspection at the Goodyear shop next to BJs (Route 17 & Union) because he looked over my rig and said it would pass - provided it passes emissions test and I get my Jersey plates - with the "cowcatches" and "windshield chips" (Probably because I agreed to put on $130 Dunlaps to replace the close to dime width treaded Coopers...)

Thanx for the tips!

g