I can't say I've had a bad experience with any. The closest to bad experiences would be Jeep, they have all required more maintenance then any other. Owned three and still have one. Parts are cheap and they've never been difficult to repair, but if I had to pay a mechanic for labor I'd be broke!
Toyota 4runner
- Thread starter bobpbx
- Start date
Ford continues to soldier on as most dependable. Wanted 345678.9 pic but my wife took it for a ride...
No fair, that's a diesel!
I've had two Fords; a 92 explorer and a 95(?) F150. The 95 needed a transmission rebuild at $2,200. Although, that repair job may have been a ripoff. I had some trouble with transmission hesitation so took it to a recommended transmission repair place. They called me the next day and said "I have a pan with your transmission oil, and it's full of metal shavings". Have you ever had that happen and felt helpless because you don't know crap about transmissions?
I've had two Fords; a 92 explorer and a 95(?) F150. The 95 needed a transmission rebuild at $2,200. Although, that repair job may have been a ripoff. I had some trouble with transmission hesitation so took it to a recommended transmission repair place. They called me the next day and said "I have a pan with your transmission oil, and it's full of metal shavings". Have you ever had that happen and felt helpless because you don't know crap about transmissions?
I saw a photo and article online where a man each time his odometer turns over stops wherever he is and pulls out a table and chair and has a drink and takes a photo. One was right along a busy highway.
My 7.3 is just getting broken in at 19 years and 256,000 miles on the clock. They don't call it the Million Mile Motor for nothing !
As for running gear, a Ford 10.5" rear diff and a Dana 60 front diff with a massive solid axle tube in the front will also last forever. No crappy CV joints and rubber boots to be found on the Ford heavy duty trucks.
One of my work trucks has a 7.3. It only has 36k miles!
My friend has a 7.3 F 450 daily driver with 500K and his brother had a 6.0 diesel that made it to 868,000 miles! And he did it towing a 44 foot car trailer the majority of the time.
One month he put 30,000 miles on it driving up and down to Florida.
My friend has a 7.3 F 450 daily driver with 500K and his brother had a 6.0 diesel that made it to 868,000 miles! And he did it towing a 44 foot car trailer the majority of the time.
One month he put 30,000 miles on it driving up and down to Florida.
The 7.3 motor with 36K on it is probably worth more to the right person than the entire truck cost when it was new.
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Since the Cummins was picked by the other guys, the 7.3 is hands down the best diesel engine Ford could have picked in my opinion, even the earlier 6.9 was like a Timex. I am surprised that 6.0 stayed together for that many miles, or did it have some work done to it in its lifetime? I have had many of those apart, most times lifting the cab off the frame to do what is needed.
My friend, a Ford diesel tech., did all the work to it. Just injectors and two transmissions. Nothing major on the motor.
The owner was fanatical about maintenance.
I think the truck was a 2006. He put all these miles in a span of around 7 years. He drove it continuously.
The owner was fanatical about maintenance.
I think the truck was a 2006. He put all these miles in a span of around 7 years. He drove it continuously.
That is a rarity on the 6.0! they usually have some type of implosion or explosion early in life!
The 6.0s we have at work are mostly garbage.
I just think he racked the miles on it so fast it was able to get to that mileage since it was relatively new.
He had an interesting job where he would move really expensive cars for collectors basically between NYC and Florida.
I just think he racked the miles on it so fast it was able to get to that mileage since it was relatively new.
He had an interesting job where he would move really expensive cars for collectors basically between NYC and Florida.
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Diesel yes, but my only repairs were motor related. Injector cups and a chaffed sensor wire.
I'm just as impressed that everything else is trouble free.
I am paranoid of automatics, that's why before my current commuter (March) it's been roughly 800,000 miles of manual transmissions (BMW, VW, Mazda, Mitsubishi)
Since my Solara and Camry, I've warmed up some to automatics. I do like a manual though.
I think I found my 4runner. I'm negotiating now. Frame is pretty good, but he likely had a boat, because the back bumper and the spare tire retraction device are pretty rusty. In fact, the retraction device is toast.
I think I found my 4runner. I'm negotiating now. Frame is pretty good, but he likely had a boat, because the back bumper and the spare tire retraction device are pretty rusty. In fact, the retraction device is toast.
I never thought I'd own an automatic either, but my current truck is, and it hasn't given me any trouble. I still catch myself reaching for a pedal that isn't there with my left foot when I'm coming to a stop, so as not to stall.
Glad you found a 4runner. Clean all that rust up and coat it with a product like Fluid Film. Also change out the gear oil in the rear axle asap if he's been launching a boat with it. There's a small axle breather on top of the axle tube, with 12 or 14mm hex on it and a little jiggly cap-- it's almost certainly plugged with rust and dirt. You don't need to replace it but definitely clean it, it's critical to prevent the axle seals from leaking.
Glad you found a 4runner. Clean all that rust up and coat it with a product like Fluid Film. Also change out the gear oil in the rear axle asap if he's been launching a boat with it. There's a small axle breather on top of the axle tube, with 12 or 14mm hex on it and a little jiggly cap-- it's almost certainly plugged with rust and dirt. You don't need to replace it but definitely clean it, it's critical to prevent the axle seals from leaking.
Ha, lifetime fluid is just marketing. Yes, change it, every 30k. You can do it yourself without too much trouble, you just need a fluid pump since there is no dipstick tube, and an IR thermometer to measure the pan temp.
I don't know if it would be worth the drive down here for it, but I have at least 25 quarts of the specified Type-WS fluid that I'd be happy to give you.
I don't know if it would be worth the drive down here for it, but I have at least 25 quarts of the specified Type-WS fluid that I'd be happy to give you.
Thanks for that offer Zach. It's kind of you. I'm putting it in the shop for other reasons, so they can do it for me. Here is the one I purchased yesterday. I got it at a used dealer in Millville. It spent its entire life in Maryland, so aside from the bumper in the back, it's halfway decent for a 13 year old.
Regarding that fluid film you mentioned, I've seen some good things about it. When I first encountered this frame issue, I watched a bunch of videos on the subject. Another one that comes in highly recommended and passes the test is this crc cosmoline product.
Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor, 10 Wt Oz - 06026 (crcindustries.com)
The question in my mind is coverage on already painted frame components. I have no plans to take the frame off and sandblast, so there will be overspray onto the painted part of the frame.
Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor, 10 Wt Oz - 06026 (crcindustries.com)
The question in my mind is coverage on already painted frame components. I have no plans to take the frame off and sandblast, so there will be overspray onto the painted part of the frame.