Hey everybody,
I was about to buy an F250 SC 4x4 this summer but i heard they were changing some stuff for the 2002 model. I waited, but my stocks went down and i have no money for one now. While i'm waiting to get my f250 i've been paying attention to this message board and i'm starting to get a little worried. It appears that alot of these posts are about problems people have been having. Major engine problems, bent frames, and other little troubles that would decrease the satisfaction of owning such a truck. I guess what i'm trying to ask is, how likely am i to have trouble with an F250, how reliable is it? I'd love to own such a wonderful truck, but i'd like a little more reassurance before i spend a small fortune on one.


mark

 

Bulletin boards are great for posting problems, and that is what usually happens. I've bought my truck in March, 1998, and have been very happy with it. There have been some recalls on it, but everyting was handled to my satisfaction. I had the "piston slap" problem that the early 99's had, but my engine was changed at 24k miles with no hassle. There is no "perfect" vehicle, I've looked. I'm from a GM family, with GM discounts, but won't touch a GM truck. Dodge? From a story in the Detroit Free Press, written by Jim Suhr of the Associated Press: "Chrysler Group has spent $1.3 billion since 1993 buying back vehicles with chronic defects, then reselling the bulk of these so-called lemons to consumers..." Hmmm...sounds like I won't be buying a Dodge anytime soon. A guy I work with did buy a Dodge Ram and Chrysler bought it back 18 months later, with a lawyers persuasion. I firmly believe that the SD is the best heavy duty truck available right now.

 

I wouldn't even think of trading my 2000 F250. I have had a few little problems that were fixed under warranty with no hassle. There are no vehicles out there that don't have any problems. When compared to other brand trucks, Chevy and Dodge, owned by guys on my fire dept, most people are looking towards the Ford for their next purchase. My dad has a 1999 F250 SC, and has had the same experience as me. If you take care of these trucks, they'll take care of you.



2000 F-250 SD XLT CC 4x4 Shortbed; MAAP nerf bars, Rally/Lightbar combo, PIAA 1300 driving lights, Lund bugshield, Lund SunVisor, K&N airfilter, Access tonneau cover, Rhino Liner, custom built console, Cobra 29 ST/WX CB with a Wilson 1000 magnet mount antennae, Realistic 500 channel police scanner, Kenwood 10 disk CD changer, Compaq laptop, SVP 100 Watt siren, and 24 Strobe lights.

Upgrades for the near future include: Warn Rio Grande pushbar with a 12,000# winch, tinted windows, 4" lift kit, fender flares, and 35" BF Goodrich T/A KO tires.

 

I have had a 97 psd, and I now have a 99 psd. I had a power steering pump replaced, and recently had a new water pump installed (48,000 miles), but if I traded I would get another FORD PSD! :+

 

Blackbeauty has it right. This is a great place to get some help with problems. 1 day after I spent 3 hours replacing the heater core in my Bronco, someone posted a question about how to replace the heater core in Bronco's. It took me longer to type out the step by step directions then he spent doing the work.
There is a wealth if info on this site. And it's all yours for the asking

I don't think there is such a thing as a perfict vehicle. My company just purchased a Boeing 777. $168 Million. it showed up with a couple of AD's (recalls) and somethings were not quite right. It's the best out there and worth every penny when compaired to Airbus. I think you will find the same about the F-250.


01 F250 PSD 4x4

 

I think the guys are right about no manufacturer making a perfect vehicle. The important thing is if you have a problem how do dealers and the manufacturers deal with the customer to resolve the concern. One way of looking at Chrysler spending billions buying vehicles back is, at least they will take the vehicles back. If you buy a used vehicle it is buyer beware! It should not be buyer beware when buying a new vehicle. I work for Ford and I can verify all the serious problems that I have had with my truck if anyone is doubting me. Email me I'll send you the whole sob story and photo's. Currently I'm waiting for a decision on whether or not Ford is going to buy it back or not. I know my vehicle is not a typical representation of the kind of truck built in Kentuky but I got stuck with a lemon just the same. I love the way the truck drives and it performs well when it happens to be working. To each their own!

 

I bought a brand new f-250 4-by with v-10 auto, and 4.30. The first night I drove away from the dealer, with 95 miles on it. The truck did not seem to shift right, when merging or from a stoplight under heavy acceleration. It would kickdown to the lower gear, but it would not upshift to allow any further acceleration. At 650 miles I took it to the dealer closest to me, and they said they would need it for at least a week, and that I would have to rent a car until it was fixed. So then I drove it to the dealer where I bought it, and they said the same thing. But I did learn from one of their techs that my tranny was one of 50,000 bad ones that were to be replaced. By this time I am totally pissed, because I just spent 30,000 on a brand new truck that has a major defect. So they order me a new tranny and say they can install it in a few hours so I do not have to get a rental car. They call me and tell me they have the tranny in, so I drive the 40 miles back down there for the 2nd time, and tell them I'll wait for it. 5 minutes later the service guy finds me and tells me the tranny is not there, and is on back order. So I go to their customer service and I say I want a new truck, but the GM comes out and say's it is out of their hands it is up to FORD. So they did give me a comp rental car,[but if I had wantrd a Ford explorer I would have boughten one], and told me it would be done right away. I did not hear from them for 2 more days, and then I finally got a message saying my truck was ready, so I drove another 40 miles through rush hour to go get my new truck. When I get there the only service guy there could not find the paper work, and then I became a little ANGRY, until he found my paper work. WHICH SAID, that I could not take my BRAND NEW F-250, with less than 1,000 miles, home yet, because after installing the new tranny they dicovered that the catalytic converter was also clogged. So they had to order one of those too. By this time I am absolutely ballistic, and demanding a new truck, but to no avail. It has been a week now since I FINALLY!, got my truck back, and now it has a vibration that comes at about 73mph and above. My truck has only 1500 miles on it, AND I HATE IT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT IS A PIECE OF JUNK. So the bottom line is that my dealer, and FORD got 30,000 from me, and I got a piece of junk. THANK YOU FORD MOTOR COMPANY!!!

 

How can a cat clog in less than a thousand miles? Is ford putting on used parts or is your motor really screwed up too??

A sad day hoss, a sad day.
Best of luck!

 

My 2001 F-250 with only 2100 miles on it is in the shop as I type this because the engine has a cold start engine knock The dealer just called me and said they verified the problem and were speaking to Ford as what to do next I will keep you guys posted on what happends. I am very dissapointed with the purchase of my truck. I got rid of my old Bronco to get something more reliable so far I guess I should have kept my Bronco.

 

These posts are scary stuff. I bought a F-250 4x4 this year, after 16 months/17,000 miles of a Dodge with parts falling off (as soon as 3k miles). The fit and finnish of the Ford was not up to the level of of some off the cars I have experianced in the same price range. BUT, its a heavy truck and I have learned to accecpt this. Only problem with my truck in 6 months/4500miles is a recall for a selt belt buckle.

I tried to find out as much info before I went with this truck. It appears to me the Ford right now has the best rating after Toyota. Consumer info is mostly for 1/2 tons. The SuperDuty had some teething pains in '99 and '00. From what I could tell they were, for the most part, over. Before I bnought I walked up to as many owners (20 +/-) as I could over a period of time. Twenty is not a statisicaly significant number, but I never got anything less than an enthusiastic response. So the verdic - I am happy so far.


Good Luck

 

Quoting the article by Jim Suhr about Chrysler repurchasing 50,000 vehicles as proof that Dodges are worse than Fords is misleading. First, it was 50,000 over a seven year period or about 7,100 per year. Second, this figure includes all models, not just trucks. And, third, this is far less than 1% of the new vehicles they sold this past year (same thing the Ford spokesman was quoted as saying about Ford vehicles this past year).

I can't objectively say which is better, Ford or Dodge, but I do take exception to misused statistics.

 

Just heard from the dealer about the engine knock in my Super Duty and I'm shocked as to what they said. They told me that the engine knock is a characteristic of the 5.4 motor, you got to be kidding how can you tell me that a sloppy rod bearing is a characteristic of the motor it sounds to me like it is a characteristic of Fords craftsmanship and the way they stand behind their vehicles. Oh yeah they are not going to replace it but did offer me a 5 year 75,000 mile warranty.

 

Keep trying!!! Everybody has a boss. You haven't found the right person yet.
5 Years and 75,000 mile warranty?
You've got that long to fight it.
All the best.

 

That's a ridiculous response...so what use is the warranty if they just ignore you??? This is really starting to worry me now. If i happen to get a trouble free F250 that would be great. But if i end up with a lemon, it seems like Ford turns a cold shoulder. Just out of curiosity, is the trouble mainly with the 5.4 or the v10???

thanks for all the responses everybody!