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Silvertwinkie · 10-14-2005, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimGolden

I had a 2001 Ford Excursion with the Triton V10 gas engine. It towed excellently. However, at 36,348 miles it spit a spark plug out of the head, blew threw the coil-on-plug ignition module on that plug, and ruined my trip.

...friends, don't let friends drive Fords.

LowellN · 10-14-2005, 04:22 PM

From Jim Golden's post:
We bent the frame on his trailer hauling the 7000lb Excursion on it but got it home with my dad's Dodge diesel.
Is there any other tow vehicle than a Cummins Dodge diesel???

Lowell Newcomer
2002 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins 24 Valve Turbo
Diesel, Quad Cab

bilby05 · 10-14-2005, 05:41 PM

RE:They had some "weasle wording" in there that said it would cover any damage to the powertrain resulting from the failure of an internally lubricated part. ..if the head itself is bad, not being an internally lubricated part, it's not covered. The guy on the phone said he didn't think they'd cover it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I am not familiar with the V10, but the head on every other overhead valve engine I have seen so far is a lubricated part. By "internal" lubricated part I guess they are defining that as, "you know, internal, like way down inside there." I am thinking a lawyer would be in order or at least some sort of arbitration. I just bought a, '01 F250 diesel(from the Chevy dealer) and bought the extended GM warranty, so they say. I hope I never have to use it, but it looks like the weasels are gaining on us.

cheers, bill b.

Silvertwinkie · 10-14-2005, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowellN

Is there any other tow vehicle than a Cummins Dodge diesel???

Many that I can think of......

I kind of agree with Bill. It does seem kind of snake in the grassish to blow you off totally.

85MH325 · 10-14-2005, 05:56 PM

I don't know how to break this to you folks, but all of the major manufacturers read out of the same book when it comes to this stuff. I've had both Toyota and Chrysler screw me around just as bad as you were treated by Ford on similar design failures. The one Chevy Astro I owned was a solid van, except for the suspension. I can't say as I've had enough other experience with GM to comment on their handling of similar issues though.

Roger

Silvertwinkie · 10-14-2005, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 85MH325

I don't know how to break this to you folks, but all of the major manufacturers read out of the same book when it comes to this stuff. I've had both Toyota and Chrysler screw me around just as bad as you were treated by Ford on similar design failures. The one Chevy Astro I owned was a solid van, except for the suspension. I can't say as I've had enough other experience with GM to comment on their handling of similar issues though.

Roger

Fer me, I wasn't referring to the way it's being handled....just that it it's a Ford issue (again) could be why their stock is the single digits.

But I did give you some karma for the post though.

85MH325 · 10-14-2005, 07:00 PM

Too funny Eric! I read the Karma comment... Ford guy indeed... that must be why, in the garage next to my Excursion, sits a '92 Mitsu 3kGT VR-4, and a Honda tractor; and behind that in the driveway is a Nissan Altima, and next to that a Tundra and an '87 Toyota pickup!

Rog

the ponz · 10-14-2005, 07:07 PM

I saw a silver 2003 3/4 ton gmc ext cab (the extended cab has doors on both sides) on the Toyota dealer's used truck lot in Clarksville, TN last week. 30,000 miles on the 8.1 liter gas engine. $15,700 plus tax.

The silver color is the best selling point to me.

Silvertwinkie · 10-14-2005, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 85MH325

Too funny Eric! I read the Karma comment... Ford guy indeed... that must be why, in the garage next to my Excursion, sits a '92 Mitsu 3kGT VR-4, and a Honda tractor; and behind that in the driveway is a Nissan Altima, and next to that a Tundra and an '87 Toyota pickup!

Rog

Well one out of 6 ain't bad....the Honda is a great product.

vajeep · 10-14-2005, 07:13 PM

Still think that a 2500 Suburban is the max. We have had ours for over a year now and still look forward to driving or towing. I was worried about the 3.73 rear end, but it does fine with our 27' Overlander (6000# loaded)
just my .02..

wingfoot321 · 10-14-2005, 08:16 PM

Jim Golden,

I sympathize with you on Ford. They started to lose their way around 1992. I could tell you my car stories but, won't. Suffice to say, I will never purchase another Ford product.

I didn't buy a GM from 1978 to 2003 because of lousy buick quality; short memory

I could care less what marque is on the vehicle, only how well it works against my own 100,000 mile standard of nothing but,bulbs, brakes, wipers,
tires, & lube.

I would love to be able to buy a truck with a Cummings/Allison combination! Both guys are selling everything they can produce so I guess it is not to be.

j54mark · 10-14-2005, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 85MH325

The one Chevy Astro I owned was a solid van, except for the suspension. Roger

I had two, and my sister had two. I would buy another in a heartbeat, if it still fit my needs. Both of us drove ours hard for many hundreds of thousands of miles. I assume the reference to suspension problems was the idler arm problem. The factory units appear to be good for 50-80,000 miles. Moog replacements took me to 300,000, and may well be good yet. I doubt I will ever find anything that was as cheap to run. I finally sold my last one when I determined it just was not adeqate for a '85 25' Airstream.

My current 2004 K2500 Duramax has needed only fluids and filters these first 33,000 miles. So far, not so much as a burned out bulb. Although a 40+ year Nissan fan (Datsun, in those days), I am at a loss to see how they could provide better service than that.

It is my opinion that there are no really "bad" tow vehicles out there built these last five years or so -although I will defer to the gentleman above with the Ford V10 problems. You want bad? Let's go back to the mid 70's Chevy trucks - possibly the first truck ever to rust while still on the showroom floor. Or how about any Dodge truck w/automatic up to and through the 90's. There are bad combinations of vehicle/trailer, however. A look through the archives will show problems with any brand commonly available when pushed to the limits (or beyond) of their load capacity.

Mark

LowellN · 10-16-2005, 09:21 AM

A few months ago I bought the other half a Volvo S80. One of the first questions I asked the salesman was, "I know Volvo has had a great reputation for quality and durability in the past, but, I know you were recently bought by Ford. So whats the story now?" He assured me that Ford has had no effect on the Volvo line, and that Volvo still designs and builds all of their cars. So I trusted the guy and dropped the $$$ for the car. Two months of ownership and two blown bulbs later.....but, still a nice car though. The bulbs are even covered through the regular and extended warranty.

JimGolden · 10-16-2005, 03:48 PM

Well, in all honesty on the Tritons, I think if you got into the habit of retorquing the plugs every time you change the oil, you'd probably be alright.

I really did like the Excursion. I towed a 26' Terry with it (perish the thought...) that had been double insulated in the walls and was quite heavy compared to my Excella. The Excursion pulled that trailer very well.

I didn't post all the details of my misadventure with them (it would have been twice as long and the post was too long already), but I got strung around pretty badly.

My biggest beef was being sold this extended powertrain warranty that then turned out to not cover a major powertrain failure. I was taking my four year old daughter to Disney World when this all happened. My wife, who was pregnant with my son at the time, was more upset than I'd ever seen her. Who wants to ruin a little kid's trip to meet Mickey Mouse? The Ford dealer in Richmond told me that this should be covered, and that any reputable place would cover it. However, to my dismay, I realized too late that this warranty wasn't affiliated with Ford at all, and I was led to believe that indirectly, if not directly.

We did make it down to FL about two weeks later, but had to take the car and stay in a motel. As well we didn't make it over to Orlando, but only Daytona. What I blew fixing the Excursion pretty much wiped out the possiblities of seeing Mickey and Goofy for that vacation. Still haven't made it to Disney World... maybe this summer. Any recommendations on a good campground in the area? I like the beach; wife and kids want to go to see The Mouse. Maybe two campgrounds; one near Mickey and one near the Atlantic?

Anyway, if anybody out there really wants a vehicle with a Triton, keep an eye on your spark plugs. I never even thought to, as they were supposed to be 100,000 mile plugs. I'd never heard of a plug spitting out of a head like that. Keep 'em torqued and you should be OK. The rest of the vehicle was sure nice.

A plus for me now: the hum of the Cummins puts my kid right to sleep. Makes travel easier

davidz71 · 10-19-2005, 09:20 PM

I now fully understand why my buddy and manager at a local tire shop/Budget Rental place was saying about Ford engines in some of their trucks spitting out plugs. I thought it was strange but he said that they had a number of their rentals do this. I'm a little over 49,000 miles on my '01 Chevy 2500hd with 8.1/Allison combination and I'm happy with no problems (knock on wood).