Disheartening Start

iStalvey · 05-28-2014, 08:07 PM

Well this is going to be a long one... I apologize up front.

We are a military family therefore we move and travel a lot. It has always been a pain to hurry and find places to live and live out of hotels while in transit to different places so we decided to buy a RV.

We took everyones advice and found the camper first before searching for the TV.
So after searching and looking at what I'm pretty sure is every RV made today and visiting several dealers we finally decided on the Cruiser CF345BH. We liked the traditional bunk houses but fell in love with this one because of the living and kitchen space. Anyways, we shopped around and feel like we got a pretty good deal and got the RV warranty forever included which still eludes me on how good that is going to be but thats another thread for later. Only downside about the deal is that the dealer is located 7 hours north.

So then it was time for the truck. I knew I wanted a diesel even though I've never owned one before. This was a nervous decision as I am a decent mechanic but have never toyed with a diesel engine before. So after searching for what seemed like way too long I finally found a winner. It's a 2008 Ford F-250 Lariat SRW Powerstroke standard bed. The truck looks brand spanking new, I mean who ever had it before REALLY took good care of it. It had just over 77,000 miles on it which from what I have read is just getting broken in good for a diesel.

So two weekends before Memorial Day weekend I drive down and buy the truck which is 4 hours south BTW. In the mean time, our RV dealer is ordering and adding all of the accessories like slide toppers, vent covers, etc. We were really pressing them to hurry and finish so we could receive the camper and camp in it for Memorial Day weekend which would have been our first night ever in a RV. Well the dealer was more than accommodating and assured us it would be ready for pickup on that Friday.

Low and behold, 5 days after getting the truck I notice it was leaking coolant! So I crawl under it to investigate and also note that there is a drop of oil forming on the bottom of the transmission housing! At this point I wasn't too worried because the truck came with a 1yr/6000 mile 50/50 warranty. It also came with a 15day/500 mile exchange and/or return policy. So I called the service manager of the dealership and to my surprise was very accommodating as well. He told me to bring it back and they will make it right on their dime and pay for me a rental car. So minus the fact that it was 4 hours south I was a happy camper.

Well they replaced the rear main seal on the truck and tested the coolant system and said that it held constant pressure for over an hour so didn't do anything about the coolant leak. I was satisfied with that. So I start heading home. I get 100 miles into the trip and stop for gas. For whatever reason I decide to just peak under the truck to see how things are holding up and to my horror it is now pouring oil. It was dripping a drop every couple of seconds now!

Well by this time the dealership was closed and I had no way of contacting the guys. Worried about messing something up even worse I finagle my way out of work the next day and get a hotel on the spot. The next morning I call them and they say to just drive it back making sure to check the oil every so often. So I get it back to them and this is on Wednesday, 2 days before we were to go pick up the camper.

The owner of the dealership was pretty frazzled by the whole situation and wasn't willing to give his mechanic another shot on it and said that he would send it to ford, again on their dime. At this point you are probably thinking, "well just trade the dang thing for another one". Believe me, I was thinking that too. But it wasn't that simple. The truck must have been used for towing a fiver before because it already had the universal bed mount rails installed for the hitch and I had already ordered a Superglide to sit on them. The truck also already had the bed plug for the hookup, airbags with compressor, the works. So besides the fact that it looked brand-new, it already had everything I needed to make our transition into RV towing so I wasn't ready to give up on it just yet.

Of course Ford doesn't get in a hurry for anyone, especially over Memorial Day weekend so you guessed it... we missed the camper pickup date and our first weekend in our camper.

Here it is Wednesday night now still with no truck. Last update from the dealer was that the cab was coming off of the truck so they could replace the high pressure oil pump seal.

My patience is wearing thin at this point. I can only hope that the camper is in better shape than the truck was and after reading all of the new owner problems on here I am not getting my hopes up.

anaro · 05-28-2014, 09:15 PM

Sorry to hear about your truck. If you haven't already, you might want to visit Ford truck enthusiasts and the diesel stop forums. Both are well versed in Ford issues. Sadly, I too am well versed in issues with the 6.4, so much so I dumped my truck after 2 yrs of ownership (bought used with 32,000 miles on it looking brand new, sold with 72,000 miles on it). Good luck with yours.

**Lloyd** · 05-29-2014, 06:44 AM

You might want to think real seriously about that 15 day/500 mi. warranty about this time.

iStalvey · 05-29-2014, 04:53 PM

Yea I hope it works out. I really like the truck. I hear ya Lloyd. That period is already passed though at this point. But lucky for me there is a lemon law in Florida. They get three strikes, and are on two already so one more big incident and I will be moving on.

SJEagles609 · 05-29-2014, 05:08 PM

Very sorry to hear about the TV issues, hope it all works out for you! Absolutely love the floorplan of the Cruiser CF345BH, love to hear your comments on it and see some pics when you get it!

Chateau Duke To Go · 05-29-2014, 05:50 PM

Are you sure it only had 77000 miles on it. Check out this video.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gjtrrSgABnc

http://www.powerstrokehelp.com/6-4liter/6-4_main.asp

I see you are in Georgia. This place is in Atlanta.

iStalvey · 05-30-2014, 09:03 PM

Man where was that video a few weeks ago?!? Lol. I don't think my situation is that bad. When I said the truck was really taken care of I mean REALLY taken care off. Top, bottom, inside, outside, engine, tranny, everything looks new on it. Thanks for the link to the vid. Now to waste an hour on their website!

anaro · 05-31-2014, 07:30 AM

So did mine. My 6.4 was always going in the shop for something wrong with it. When I bought it, it had 2 or 3 scratches and even still smelled new. Engine was beautiful. It smoked like a wet campfire every time it went into regen. It had periodic losses of power. It had strange whirring noises sometimes when cold at low speeds. It had vibration in the accelerator under a load. None of this could be replicated or determined to be a problem by 3 different dealerships. It developed a leaking rear axle seal (fixed under extended warranty). It also developed what dealership thought was an oil leak but could never find the source. All of this in the 2 yrs, 40,000 miles we owned our truck. That was in addition to the little things like the seatbelt that broke etc. When we traded it, we did a vin search and found it at a used car dealership. They advertised it as "have years of trouble free ownership with this low mileage truck". We couldn't stop laughing at tha one. They have since sold it to some other poor person. I hope you have better luck then I did. ..... one thing, look at your tailpipe and tell me if it is soot colored on the inside. If it is then you likely will have a truck that smoked like a chimney during regeneration in cold weather.

**mark5w** · 05-31-2014, 11:24 AM

Aileen, Looks like you had one of the rip off trucks. That was a very informative video. Friends I know who bought 6.4 new (about 5) have zero complaints with the truck and engine. A couple haul their backhoe and small excavators with them. The others tow 5ers.
I guess your better to buy only local trades from the dealer.
BUYER BEWARE!!!!

mike06081969 · 05-31-2014, 05:18 PM

I bought my 2008 F-250 6.4 powerstroke in 2009 with 19,000 miles on it. I've never had a second's worth of trouble with it, other replacing the pigtail for the trailer lights under warranty. That turned out to be a poor installation of the fifth wheel plug in the bed by the previous owner, and Ford still covered it under warranty. Can't beat that. Sounds like you had a lemon, Aileen, but I couldn't be happier with mine. I've only got 58,000 on it, but most of them have been pulling a fifth wheel. It stays in the garage otherwise and I drive my old Maxima that gets 30 mpg.

iStalvey · 05-31-2014, 05:32 PM

Those first few replies were scaring me. Glad to hear that there a few out there that have had good luck with the 6.4. I feel good about it. Hell it's only cost me a little gas and time thus far. It'll have a bunch of new seals on it soon. Hoping for a bunch of trouble free miles as well.

anaro · 05-31-2014, 08:32 PM

I know the smoking is a known problem with the 6.4. I will say, I have heard once you bulletproof it they tend to be problem free. I wasn't willing to spend that much money taking a chance on truck that also had a very low payload. 2 months into the new chevy and I couldn't be happier. I hope you are done the troubles with your 6.4

RADMiller · 06-01-2014, 11:56 AM

The link to "powerstrokehelp.com" will be lifesaver. having a 2011 6.7 PSD myself, this site was a Godsend from the gitgo. I, too, have heard of horror stories from PSD owners, but have also heard outstanding performance comments as well. The gentleman in the "help" video is a proponent of Ford, but he also knows his stuff.
Sorry to hear of your dilemma. Stick with it, the diesel is the right choice.

iStalvey · 06-06-2014, 10:05 PM

So I went and picked up my truck today. I was pretty excited. The service manager handed me the keys and said he would meet me at the truck. So I walk to the truck and start it up. While waiting for the service manager to come over I do a walk around. Everything looked good: no dents, dings, or scratches. Then the moment of truth... I peek under it. OMFG there is a drop of oil formed on the transmission housing. You have got to be kidding me! The service manager walked up and I tell him what I found. He looked like someone just punched him in the stomach. "Not possible!" So he calls a mechanic over who checked it out. When asked if it is a new leak or possibly residual as they can't wash the engine, the mechanic scratched his head for a moment then said that it is highly unlikely to be residual. So here we go again. He offered me a hotel room on their dime and a loaner. I am already 3 weeks late on picking up my new fiver so I told him I need it now or another truck that can pull it. He said that I could take it and get the camper just keep an eye on the oil and as soon as I was done to give him a call and he would send runners to pick the truck up (8hr round trip) and fix it again.

At this point I have to laugh to keep from crying. I mentioned just choosing another truck on lot and he entertained it for a second. Honestly at this point I might as well stick it out. The engine will be completely resealed if this keeps up. Guess I know now why the previous owner got rid of it :/

The only reason I haven't flipped out this far is because of how overwhelmingly accommodating this dealership is. I haven't kept an auto for more than a couple years over the last decade so have have bought many used and new. No one has even come close to the level of customer service these guys have.

Anyway, I have the truck and am going to pick up the fiver on Monday. I can only hope and wish that the fiver is in tip top shape. I can't handle going through this same ordeal with it as well.

**mark5w** · 06-06-2014, 10:23 PM

Sounds like the Never Ending story. You do have a lot of patience. But good luck. It's hard to find a good dealer like you found.
Fill us in on the ending of the story.

anaro · 06-07-2014, 09:22 AM

Glad you have a dealer working with you. I personally would have given the truck back and insisted on a new truck by now. I also hope you got that in writing from them. Good luck.

mike06081969 · 06-07-2014, 12:13 PM

Good luck with your new camper. Maybe it won't be as much of a source of frustration. A word of warning, as I'm sure you've already been told, is that you WILL have problems with your new camper. They may be minor in nature, and hopefully they will be, but it won't be perfect. If I were you, I would fix as many of the smalls things as you can yourself and only worry about the dealer for the big things if they occur. You will be much happier if you take that approach.

avvidclif · 06-07-2014, 01:17 PM

I have a 2009 F350 6.4. It has 42,000 trouble free miles on it. Excuse me I had to replace the windshield wipers and the calibration fob for the TPMS had to be replaced. Fob under warranty. Probably abt 12,000 of that is towing my 5er. The rest running around. As for the tailpipe, it's gray on the inside, about the same as the outside. No black soot.

The oil and filter is changed every 5000.

Bert · 06-07-2014, 02:58 PM

You are a better man than I am. I would have lost my mind. God bless you for your patience and your service to God and Country. I'm sending positive thoughts and prayers your way. You and your family deserve it.

iStalvey · 06-07-2014, 06:18 PM

I appreciate the kind words and motivation guys. C&M I am glad to hear that you guys have had luck with the 6.4. I am holding out for that day lol. Also discovered last night that my airbag system wasn't holding air anymore so spent this morning fixing that. Guess they have to snip the lines to pull the cab and the joints where reconnected were leaking. No biggie. Want something done right? Do it yourself.

I am fully expecting some stuff to be wrong with the camper and am prepared for that. I packed a toolkit to take with me for the first nights stay. Also we are staying overnight the first night on the dealership grounds. I'll have a pad ready and be waiting for them the next morning with a list of anything that went wrong. Lol.

Even though all this crap has happened I am giddy like a high school girl on prom night about Monday. Can't wait to get into our new home away from home.

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