New Cars/Trucks

BBFarmer

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This continues to be a great discussion.

Much appreciated.

I might still look at both a truck and an Equinox as a package deal while some of their incentives are going.

Equinox AWD LT is probably the more important replacement and will likely look to replace her car in-kind. She's been happy with it.

Been a good car (knocking on wood) as @BBFarmer said a while back. That's a 1.5l I-4 turbo. First turbo I've had.

Trucks are just so difficult - - - I see BIG $$ GMC 1500 with the 3.0 diesels. Same with other Chevies with the 2.7L I-4 gas. Lot of options for not that much truck. Not a fan of the engines. Have many incentives on 1500 trucks right now.

Still get back to that 2500 Work Truck......has all I need and is a time-proven engine and transmission (although 6.6l replaced the 6.0 years ago). No incentives, which is a tough nut.
I will say this for the newer 1500s, they got the safety part down.

The neighbor I was helping this weekend totaled his brand new GMC yesterday. Almost 6k miles on her. His was the 3.0. '24 model I think.

A nice T boning at an estimated 55mph.

We got 2 roads with stop signs that intersect our main road that comes from the shop towards our homes. Once a month it seems a distracted moron will blow through one of them and about kill somebody.

How bout that front end though! His ole lady got a couple stitches in the leg, and he's got some cracked ribs and sternum but they're alive with nothing life threatening. Good job GM!

image.jpg
 
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WFM

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My 2014 ranger xp 900 question for you sir. Ive owned it since new. It shifts hard. Last year i bought a new oem cable. Replaced that. Did it make a difference . Not really. You can stand on the break peddle, wont shift. Move slightly forward or reverse, the shiftrer will move. I just wish it worked alot better, easier.


QUOTE="lugbolt, post: 804576, member: 25215"]
a mechanic that is worth anything has a reputation

for instance I do a lot of polaris stuff, many Rangers

it would be easy to say that all I see every day, 5 days a week, is broken rangers and that would be truthful. However lets look at the real story here. I might see 5 or 6 a day. out of those, 2 or 3 are oil changes, 1 might need a belt or clutch. The other one may need a bushing or to fix a rat chewed wire. So it's not all gloom and doom, but because I see them daily I could aways say "they spend a lot of time in the shop". The other side of this is that the dealer sold 400 and some Rangers last year, and 500+ the year before, so if 10% of them show up at the shop, that's 40-50 of them. OMG they should NOT be in the shop, certainly not that many. But they do, and it pays my bills for which I am thankful for. Kubota paid my bills for a LONG time the same way. I saw orange stuff daily 6 sometimes 7 days a week for 29 1/2 years so it'd be easy to say that they spend a lot of time in the shop too.

On the 3.5's I know some owners who have 240-250,000 miles on them without major issues. And I know guys who have had issues at 20,000. And I know at least one owner who don't know how to maintain anything, his has 64,000 on it-and probably on the original oil and filter and air filter. Maintenance is not in his vocabulary, never has been. He's looking for a new truck as we speak. No problem that I know of, but that is one truck that I would NOT want to buy!

turbo engines do need slightly different maintanence but most people won't do it any differently. Also when you start the engine let it warm up a little, and when you get to your destination, let it idle a while before you cut it off. This helps. Minimum 1 minute with no load on it. Most won't do it, and I catch myself "forgetting" too.

but just because it's turbocharged doesn't in itself make it less reliable! If that were the case every single big truck out there and almost every diesel engine out there would be considered unreliable too and that is not the case. THe greatest challenge with the gas turbo engines is fuel system and air intake. Run good fuel (and quit depending on the knock sensor by using 87 gas), keep the air filter clean, and keep the engine oil clean, it'll last a LONG time. But everyone wants to run 10,000 mi oil changes and nobody checks air filters anymore so what do you expect? Same things I see on Polaris, lack of proper maintenance. It kills them but nothing I can say or do changes anyone's mind when they're stubborn.
[/QUOTE]
 
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RCW

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I will say this for the newer 1500s, they got the safety part down.

The neighbor I was helping this weekend totaled his brand new GMC yesterday. Almost 6k miles on her. His was the 3.0. '24 model I think.

A nice T boning at an estimated 55mph.

We got 2 roads with stop signs that intersect our main road that comes from the shop towards our homes. Once a month it seems a distracted moron will blow through one of them and about kill somebody.

How bout that front end though! His ole lady got a couple stitches in the leg, and he's got some cracked ribs and sternum but they're alive with nothing life threatening. Good job GM!

View attachment 159267
Wow - - just WOW!!! 😲

That is indeed impressive.
 
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NvRudder

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Great thread...
I'm looking to replace my '15 Suburban (210k on the 5.3), with a 3.0 Duramax Tahoe or Yukon.

I wanted to ask if any of you use or have an opinion on installing an oil separator Catch Can to help keep the intake & turbo clean.
 

RCW

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I kicked a couple tires on trucks this morning.

No Equinox in inventory for sale - all sold. More coming shortly. Apparently are getting hard to come by.

I sat in couple GMC's; 1500 Elevation (?) with a 5.3l and a 2500 Pro/WT Crew w/6.6l.

Didn't drive anything or get into $$$'s.

Stayed away from 2.7l and 3.0l diesel.

It's just amazing the options some of these trucks are fitted up with.

Options = $$$. This guy doesn't need or want most of them.

I haven't figured out how to save a Radio Station in 8 years with this truck....😲 ;)

Some of the "plain" 2500's are less than the "fancy" 1500's, but rebates/incentives bring the 1500's (esp. 2.7l turbos) cost down to/below the 2500 prices.

Not sure I can/want to swing it, but a GMC 2500 Pro Crew cab w/ 6.6, Allison, 6.5' box started to trip my trigger. ;)

Plain vinyl floors, OEM sprayed bedliner, Locking Rear Differential, and plenty of features for me, etc.

Lot more truck for the money. Probably more truck than I need, but I do overload my truck quite often. Extra payload can't hurt.
 
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McMXi

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That 6.7 is my dream engine. I've talked to many customers of mine that own them. My favorite story is a Vermont customer that went from the Duramax to the F350 with the 6.7 turbo diesel to haul his fifth wheel. He told me "It just has to much power"...that is the engine I want in my F150 I thought. I've never needed to haul that much. So never ever went for the superduty. But I can dream.
I recently bought a 2024 F-450 Lariat 6.7L HO (used with 17k miles) and it's nothing short of superb. I took it on a 3,500 mile roadtrip in late May, early June and I was really impressed by it. The engine, the transmission, the power, the comfort, the safety features, the interior, exterior etc. It's an amazing truck that is set up incredibly well for towing, but also makes for a really nice road trip vehicle. I should have set the driving mode to Eco for the trip out to Illinois, but had it set to Normal so my fuel consumption could have been a little or a lot better than the 15 mpg I was getting running between 70 and 85 mph. One of my best friends in Hawaii has an F-450 with the same 4.30 rear end, and runs a slightly larger tire so that's something I could look at when I need new tires. He claims a better ride and better fuel mileage.

I owned a new 2002 F-350 XLT 7.3L dually 6-speed for a few years, and still have an '02 F250 Lariat 7.3L which is a good truck with 180k trouble-free miles on the engine based on my friend's 117k miles and my 63k miles. I've owned/own ten vehicles with turbos and have never had any turbo issues. My experience is with two Audi Allroads 2.7L that had twin turbos, a Subaru Forester 2.0 turbo, three tractors with turbos, three Super Duty trucks with turbos and an M-1078 with a Caterpillar engine. I covered a lot of miles with both Audis, the Subaru and both 7.3L Super Duties and turbos where simply not a problem.

My neighbor has a '06 or thereabouts Chevy with the Duramax/Allison combination with around 170k miles on it. Last week I saw a newer (2019) Chevy Duramax/Allison heading up the driveway. I called my neighbor and it turns out that the head gasket on his '06 failed a few weeks ago and he was losing coolant. Given the time frame to repair his truck and his need for a truck for his business (carpenter), he bought the 2019. It has a little over 100k miles on it and appears to be in decent condition. He bought it locally but it came out of Texas a few years ago. It's a nice truck but it sure isn't as nice as mine! Those are his words by the way. 😂
 
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jimh406

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I kicked a couple tires on trucks this morning.
If you don't need a big truck and aren't a large human, consider the Ford Maverick. They have a hybrid version, and it has a good amount of payload.
 

McMXi

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That 6.7 is my dream engine. I've talked to many customers of mine that own them.
I've thought about a 6.7L Super Duty for a few years and am pleased that I waited for the Gen 3 version. Anonymous internet recommendations, reviews, or even naysayers are just about meaningless to me. It's the anecdotal evidence from friends, coworkers and neighbors that matter most, particularly if I know something of the capabilities and experience of the owner. Some good friends who moved away had a couple of Gen 2 6.7L Super Duty trucks and I rode in them many times and was always a little envious. I've yet to speak with or hear of an owner of a late model 6.7L in my circle (which includes friends, co-workers or co-workers/friends of friends) who doesn't love the engine and transmission and I can see why.

One of my neighbors has three late model 6.7L Super Duty trucks and he has nothing but great things to say about them. He and his wife both drive F-350s and the F-450 is a bare bones model that he only uses in the winter to plow snow and spread sand/salt on his driveway. One of my best friends in Hawaii who I've known for decades owns a recovery/towing business and he raves about the 6.7L in his F-350 and F-450. Then there's a friend here who's a pilot who has a '23 Chevy Duramax/Allison and four of the other pilots on his team own late model 6.7L Super Duty trucks and they tell him how awesome their trucks are.

Now I have something good to report but admittedly only a few months of ownership and a little over 4,000 miles. I have zero regrets re the 2024 F-450 and really enjoy it.
 
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WFM

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When ford went to the 10 speed tranny anyone who tows or hauls are amazed compared to the 6 speed.
I've owed both and the 10 speed is always 'on' when it comes to towing. Its Always pulling when your hauling anything.
 
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The Evil Twin

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I've thought about a 6.7L Super Duty for a few years and am pleased that I waited for the Gen 3 version. Internet recommendations are just about meaningless to me, and it's the anecdotal evidence from friends, coworkers and neighbors that matter. I've yet to speak with or hear about an owner of a late model 6.7L who doesn't love the engine and transmission and I can see why.

One of my neighbors has three late model 6.7L Super Duty trucks and he has nothing but great things to say about them. He and his wife both drive F-350s and the F-450 is a bare bones model that he only uses in the winter to plow snow and spread sand/salt on his driveway. One of my best friends in Hawaii who I've known for decades owns a recovery/towing business and he raves about the 6.7L in his F-350 and F-450. Then there's a friend here who's a pilot who has a '23 Chevy Duramax/Allison and four of the other pilots on his team own late model 6.7L Super Duty trucks and they tell him how awesome there trucks are.

Now I have something good to report but admittedly only a few months of ownership and a little over 4,000 miles. I have zero regrets re the 2024 F-450 and really enjoy it.
If you are going to keep it a while and keep it "intact" then at least reroute the CCV line. Then you won't have soot AND oil throughout your intake.
 
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McMXi

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When ford went to the 10 speed tranny anyone who tows or hauls are amazed compared to the 6 speed.
I've owed both and the 10 speed is always 'on' when it comes to towing. Its Always pulling when your hauling anything.
When I was driving back home with the new trailer, I went through a few mountain passes, and the adaptive cruise control in combination with the automatic exhaust brake was a game-changer for me, as well as all the information in the HUD and dash display available to the driver. Just a brilliant driving/towing experience that exceeded all expectations.
 

McMXi

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If you are going to keep it a while and keep it "intact" then at least reroute the CCV line. Then you won't have soot AND oil throughout your intake.
EGR and CCV products bother me more than DPF and DEF. I'll look into rerouting the CCV line. Keeping it to the end is my plan, as well as upgrading once the 4-year warranty is up. Thanks.
 

The Evil Twin

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EGR and CCV products bother me more than DPF and DEF. I'll look into rerouting the CCV line. Keeping it to the end is my plan, as well as upgrading once the 4-year warranty is up. Thanks.
Just remember- Ford doesn't deny warranty work. The dealer tells Ford it shouldn't get covered
If you have a solid dealer shop, they'll work with you. Don't get silly with 150 hp tunes and warranty work won't be an issue. My 2015 had several problems all taken care of no questions asked. When my 2026 hmgets here, it will likely lose all that junk before Christmas
 
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BBFarmer

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L3560HSTC-LE LA555 FDR1672 BB1272 SoldL3301HST
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Terry, MS
I recently bought a 2024 F-450 Lariat 6.7L HO (used with 17k miles) and it's nothing short of superb. I took it on a 3,500 mile roadtrip in late May, early June and I was really impressed by it. The engine, the transmission, the power, the comfort, the safety features, the interior, exterior etc. It's an amazing truck that is set up incredibly well for towing, but also makes for a really nice road trip vehicle. I should have set the driving mode to Eco for the trip out to Illinois, but had it set to Normal so my fuel consumption could have been a little or a lot better than the 15 mpg I was getting running between 70 and 85 mph. One of my best friends in Hawaii has an F-450 with the same 4.30 rear end, and runs a slightly larger tire so that's something I could look at when I need new tires. He claims a better ride and better fuel mileage.

I owned a new 2002 F-350 XLT 7.3L dually 6-speed for a few years, and still have an '02 F250 Lariat 7.3L which is a good truck with 180k trouble-free miles on the engine based on my friend's 117k miles and my 63k miles. I've owned/own ten vehicles with turbos and have never had any turbo issues. My experience is with two Audi Allroads 2.7L that had twin turbos, a Subaru Forester 2.0 turbo, three tractors with turbos, three Super Duty trucks with turbos and an M-1078 with a Caterpillar engine. I covered a lot of miles with both Audis, the Subaru and both 7.3L Super Duties and turbos where simply not a problem.

My neighbor has a '06 or thereabouts Chevy with the Duramax/Allison combination with around 170k miles on it. Last week I saw a newer (2019) Chevy Duramax/Allison heading up the driveway. I called my neighbor and it turns out that the head gasket on his '06 failed a few weeks ago and he was losing coolant. Given the time frame to repair his truck and his need for a truck for his business (carpenter), he bought the 2019. It has a little over 100k miles on it and appears to be in decent condition. He bought it locally but it came out of Texas a few years ago. It's a nice truck but it sure isn't as nice as mine! Those are his words by the way. 😂
The new gen 350s are an absolute hell of a truck. And of course the 450s only being that much better. And I bet that newest gen 6.7 is gonna do what it needs to for you.

The 7.3 is always gonna be an all time favorite for most. And I would agree turbos were not a problem with them as well. Can probably count on one hand how many we've done since i've been at the shop.

And we stopped bustin' up the good ole frozen unison ring long ago in the vgt style turbos the beloved 6.0s had. They'll just get replaced now as an assembly same way we do the 6.7s.

Don't know nothin about the twins on the 6.4 except they're HEAVY. We see maybe one 6.4 a year I bet.

I am FAR too much of a broke@$%& to own really any of these trucks. Or any diesel truck for that matter. Even being able to cover the labor, the part prices of the majority of diesel stuff just lays me flat out.

From a small example like an oil change to an extreme example being the infamous cp4 pump failure....which in my area is mostly self caused. 95% of the time its a farm truck gettin a hold of either nasty fuel out the farm tank or an on truck tank.

We encounter these often enough though that upstairs at the shop I have one of the most expensive part boxes that has ever been in our inventory. At just over $3k its the legendary ford contamination kit. When we first started doing these (i think first one was around 2013 or 14) it was $10k out the door. Most of the time insurance was getting involved.

But after hearing all of y'alls friggin 6.7 testimonies, y'all got me wondering if it aint just a southern thing LOL.

Either way, still an amazing truck.
 
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McMXi

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When ford went to the 10 speed tranny anyone who tows or hauls are amazed compared to the 6 speed.
I've owed both and the 10 speed is always 'on' when it comes to towing. Its Always pulling when your hauling anything.
I really like my '02 F-250 7.3L, and the chip/programmer from DP-Tuner makes for a huge improvement over stock, but the transmission is definitely the weak spot. It's a four speed automatic and the TC only locks up in third, and very late into third at that. Once the TC locks up the truck pulls well but it has a 3.73 rear end and only 330 hp or so with the tuner/programmer in +80 hp mode, so it's never going to win any races. With the DP-Tuner upgrade I would say that the truck does well pulling the boat (maybe 6,500 lb all in) in any terrain, but just ok near the max trailer weight of 12,000 lb in any kind of hilly or mountainous terrain. It's borderline ludicrous that Ford rates the F-250 for a 12,500 lb trailer in stock form. Maybe in Kansas, but certainly not in Montana!

I know there are some programmers out there that can help with the tuning of the transmission, but if I ever decide to do a complete overhaul of the 7.3L, a much better transmission will have to be one of the first upgrades.

By the way, the F-250 is a great road trip truck that offers a lot of storage space, decent fuel economy, decent comfort, excellent utility and very good all-weather performance and it's why I have no intention of selling it. I drive my '98 Jeep TJ most of the summer, the '02 F-250 7.3L most of the winter, and the new F-450 will be reserved for pulling heavy loads in the nicer months along with some road trips.
 
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