From: alan@lancaster.nsc.com (The Hepburn)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: Experiences with Pickups
Date: 18 Nov 92 19:02:45 GMT
Organization: National Semiconductor Corporation

In article <1992Nov17.210851.7324@medtron.medtronic.com>, barham@medtronic.COM (Bill Barham) writes:
|> I am planning to buy a used full-size pickup.  I am thinking about going with
|> a diesel engine.  I would like to here about good and bad experiences with
|> full-size pickups, gas and diesel.
|> 
|> 

Okay:  Bad experience - 1984 Chevy C30 Crew Cab  454cid gas, TH400 auto

I bought this vehicle almost right off the delivery truck, it had 5 miles on
the clock when I took delivery.  It was used as a family transporter.  It
carried an 11 ft cabover camper for about a year, then we sold that and 
bought a 24 ft travel trailer.  With a manufacturer's GVWR of 10,000 lb
it was never overloaded.  At 1000 miles the "control stalk" (turn signal, 
cruise control, headlight dimmer, wiper/washer control) fell off and was
replaced under warranty.  At 8k miles the gas tank selector valve froze
and was replaced under warranty.  At 15K miles the gas tank selector valve
froze again, no warranty.  The dealer wanted $85 for the valve.  I opened
up the bad valve and replaced the buna-N O-rings with Viton rings for $2 
and had no more problems with it.  At 57,109 miles (that number is etched
forever in my memory) the transmission refused to shift out of first gear.
A new vacuum modulator did not help so I rebuilt the tranny.  I replaced
the clutch packs with heavy duty clutches; replaced all the PLASTIC (in a
heavy duty unit?) rings and other parts with real parts, replaced the
torque convertor with a heavy duty Allison convertor, added a Shift Kit (tm)
and an external cooler.  One week after putting the tranny back in, the
engine spun a rod bearing (number 5 cylinder).  After spending almost $2k
building the engine to RV specs I went to GM with a complaint about the
lack of longevity of the vehicle.  Their response was:  it only came with a
12K/12 mo warranty and there was nothing they could do.  They suggested I
contact the BBB Auto-Line program if I was dissatisfied.  At the arbitration
hearing, I was accused of abusing the truck by pulling a trailer.  The
arbitrator, trying to keep a straight face, disagreed.  Since GM stated
that the average life of an engine should be over 100k miles, and we only got
57% of that, the arbitrator decided that GM owed us 43% of what it cost us
to rebuild the engine.  We later traded it in on a Ford.

Good experience - 1990 Ford F350 Crew Cab  7.3l diesel, E4OD auto

This truck has also been used as a family transporter.  We traded our 24 ft
travel trailer in on a 34 ft fifth wheel and have used this truck to pull
the trailer up and down the west coast several times.  The truck right now has
over 30K miles and has had the thermostat replaced under warranty, and the
Rear ABS valve replaced under warranty.  The total combined weight of the
truck and the trailer is 16k lb and the truck has absolutely no problem
pulling that weight.  We won't win any speed contests climbing grades, but
then we're usually not in that big a hurry anyway.  And we get to pass up
all those gas burners when they stop to refill their tanks.  The Chevy never
got better than 6 mpg whether we were driving empty or pulling a trailer.
The Ford gets 18 mpg empty (around town) and 12 mpg pulling the trailer.
For serious pulling a diesel is the only way to go.  Sure you can find a
gas engine with more hp, and comparable torque, but my diesel develops it's
torque at 1400 rpm, not 2800 like the gas burners.  And the difference in
mileage, and all maintenance costs, make it a much more economical option.


-- 
Alan Hepburn           "An ignorant person is one who doesn't know
National Semiconductor       what you have just found out."
Santa Clara, Ca              
alan@berlioz.nsc.com                              Will Rogers
Newsgroups: rec.autos