ken - those are nice sentiments, but when you spend 30k on a truck that breaks as soon as its off warranty, has a high incidence of tran failures that neither ford nor the feds will recall, its hard to "don't worry, be happy". now if i bought a 5 or 10 year old truck, i'd agree with you totally, if it breaks, i'll fix it.
just my two cents (or $2000 depending on who's counting)

 

For the first time ever on a non-leased vehicle I did not buy the Ford extended warranty. At aprox. 34K went with an on-line company to save a few bucks. BOY AM I A DUMAS!!! AT 40K tranny blows and warranty company who takes my money, issues policy, and issues fancy looking warranty card denies claim!!!! Apparently on page 78 in small print all vehicles with motors larger than 8 cylinders are not covered.

Ford fixed trans and issued 100k powertrain warranty for $1000. I was more worried about pw/pdl/ac/cruise etc... but Ford could have done nothing and at least for a couple years I have some piece of mind.

Even though I still like the truck, I'm spooked now and will sell/trade truck before 100k.

This is the first Ford ever to fail me (even though I was able to limp to the next town and rent a Maxi-van.) But it does open doors again to look at other makes.

 

Well little buckaroo, I can only relate my own personal experiences. I've owned a kajillion Fords, and never had a bad one. That doesn't mean there aren't bad ones, I just haven't had one nor do I know personally anyone who's had a problem. I guess what I was trying to say was worrying about whether or not your truck will break has never sped up, nor delayed said vehicles demise. It's my opinion that alot of problems get way, way overblown by posters. Someone reads about someone having a sparkplug blow out and all of a sudden it's a national epidemic, know what I mean ? Believe me, if I was having a problem with a $30K truck I had just bought I'd be all over Ford, or whoever. It just struck me as odd that someone would say "I bought a new truck, it's ran perfectly but I know someone who had a problem, so now I'm worried and I'm going to sell mine". Peace, Ken

 

having a little hissy fit if someone doesn't share your opinion?
or was that a typo?

 

I've got a 181,000 on mine and she is still going strong. 99 F-250 CC V10.
But I have had friends have big issues with them.

 

Was not a typo, nor a hissy fit. It was not however any kind of demeaning comment, why would you take it that way ? I don't expect anyone to share my opinion, then it wouldn't be mine right ? Read the rest of the post, then determine for yourself if I'm being nasty, or trying to be helpful. You must not be old enough to remember the "little buckaroo" comment and where it came from. My apologies, Ken

 

Cool for you, what kind of issues are your friends having ? Are they with V-10's, or with the trannys ? Or something else ? Ken

 

The problems some of my friends have had are with the transmissions. I'm the only one with the v-10. Most of them just say those transmissions are weak, but like I said, 181,000 and still going strong. The filter and fluid was only changed once at 40,000 miles.

 

Ken O4

Love your comments and agree to a point, but like death, when that meteor hits your truck you will have a few choice words to say! LOL over the years I have owned both Ford Chevy, Dodge and several imports. The imports were small, but neve quit! The Biggies, all of them had all sorts of issues at times. I ran a farm implement business. Ford was the worse with darn twin I Beam front end you could not keep aligned. Chevy with transmission troubles and that sorry thing in the late 70's they called a "Diesel" and the Dodge bodys were just plain junk. Drive trains were good. I read your comment "if this ever happened to me I would be all over Ford" Well my friend been there done that myself! They could care less. Fortunately mine was still under warranty and they still tried to shaft me.! Go figure. They love playing the blame game!

Now having said that I loved my Super Duty Powerstroke 350, just hated that darn sorry 4R100 thing they called a automatic transmission! LOL

 

The point is, and you seem to agree, is that every manufacturer has good ideas, and bad ideas. That 5.7 diesel, OHMIGAWD, I worked for a Pontiac dealership in those days. I finally got to where I just couldn't in good conscience recommend that motor, and we had huge spiffs to sell them. I went to Hawaii twice for selling the Parisienne (Impala) with the diesel. But I also remember people lining up and actually fist fighting when trucks of VW Rabbit diesels came in, we were getting $3,000 over window, unbelievable.

Ford's twin I-beam, twin-traction beam; hate it. I've always hated it, but overall the pluses outweighed the minus's for what else you got with a Ford truck, so I lived with some of them. Ford trucks and Toyota cars always got over bluebook come trade in time, for good reason.

I love Fords, always have. But I don't love Ford Motor Company. I would go to the ends of the earth with a warranty claim, and have a couple times. Once with my 89 F-250 with the 460, and again with my wife's 99 Contour. We went round and round and round.

My comment about the meteor was just my analogy of why worry about things you can't do anything about ? No motor has ever lasted longer because we worried about it. Nor has anyone ever avoided being hit by a meteor by spending their whole life looking up at the sky.

I've owned every make of domestic and foreign car (almost), all had good and bad points, just as you said. I spent big bucks on a Mercedes and had so many problems I finally had to invoke the lemon law. But the next Benz I drove to 250,000+ miles and it was running like a top when I sold it. $1500 for a Mercedes water pump installed ? Come on, that's ludicrous. Life is life, what happens to us is gonna happen. We can enjoy the ride, or be mad at everything we think is unfair. I try (and I stress the TRY) to be happy every day, peace bro, Ken

 

Ken 04

I agree that Ford does hold a good resale value at trade in, but Chevy is right in the there too! I recently bought my wife a new Chevy Silverado 1500 crew. Very nice truck and she won't let me drive it LOL I took a look at the Ford, crew but didn't like it as well as the Chevy. Chevy Cab room is much nicer. Like the Dodge styling, but just can't bring my self to buy another one! LOL Not slaming Dodge for you Dodge lovers, just like the Ford and Chevy better. Dodge has come a long way with their trucks. And to think this conversation started over Ammon's comments on bad transmissions. LOL

Peace Back at you Bro.

 

Speaking of bad transmissions, I think that all the manufacturers make a pretty comparable product nowadays. Sure one co may have a bad trans design, or an engine design with cold start piston slap, but all the makers have come up to about the same level. It's styling and features that draw folks into the dealership. Dodge, Chevy, Ford, they all have plusses and minuses. What do ya like, what configuration fits you best and what will you pay for month to month ? I've always been a Mopar fan, I've always preferred Ford trucks and Mercedes Benz cars. My brother drives BMWs, my dad has always had Chryslers. My mom drives Toyotas. What's good ? What you like. Ken

 

Ken 04

BTW read recently some where where Ford And GM were going together believe it or not to design a truck automatic transmission. Yep, you heard right Ford and GM in the same bed. Can you imagine?

KL

 

Dogs and cats sleeping together,,,, yea, I have heard that. I think it's smart, Ford can't build an automatic, and GM owns part of Allison, which is the best automatic, heavy duty trans. The torqshift is basically a rip-off copy of the Allison is it not ? Besides, as much as someone may hate Chevy, what's more beautiful than a 69 Camaro. What is prettier than a 70 Hemi Cuda ? We all bluff a good "I hate Chevy" game, but every manufacturer has some great cars and some great, and not so great ideas and parts. Ken

 

If your tranny does go, don't replace it with another Ford rebuild with all the same weak parts. There are a number of relatively inexpensive upgrades that can be added when rebuilding to make this tranny near bullet proof. Best upgrade for us gassers is the 6 pinion planetary from the diesel version. Lot's of good aftermarket stuff.

For the guys that wrench at home, they aren't really super difficult to rebuild either. I rebuilt a E4OD for a 65 F500 and it was actually easier than the old AOD's. Not much more difficult than a c6. Go to a junkyard with snap ring pliers and a slide hammer and pull one apart. Not really that scary once you've done it.

The biggest difference between the E4OD and the 4R100 is the 4R100 has a wide ratio gear set that gives it a lower first geaer. Virtually every part is interchangeable.

http://www.becontrols.com/products/e4odcat.htm

Eric