Requiem for a pickup

[Sludgy]

The Blue Beast is on life support. The EGR cooler sprung a leak, and Quirk Ford wants $3-4K to fix it and the rest of the components damaged by coolant.

I may have to pull the pug on it, the cost of a transplant is just too high. Maybe the US goverment should take over carcare in addition to healthcare.

[Jay2TheRescue]

That's sad. It was so young.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by Sludgy

The Blue Beast is on life support. The EGR cooler sprung a leak, and Quirk Ford wants $3-4K to fix it and the rest of the components damaged by coolant.

I may have to pull the pug on it, the cost of a transplant is just too high. Maybe the US goverment should take over carcare in addition to healthcare.

Hmmm....worst case...the dealer wants $3-4k to fix it. And how much does a new truck cost...$30-40k? And a local garage can't give you a better deal? Or ya get a Haynes manual and try fixing it yourself?

It's nearly always cheaper to fix the truck (or car) you've got rather than replacing it. Unless it's completely rusted out, or, like me, you drive ancient cars...

[imzjustplayin]

Maybe you can find another shop to work on it for less? Or maybe you could try to figure out where most of the costs are, like is there something that is mindless and laborious that you could do in place of the technician or something? Nothing is worse than paying a highly skilled technician his rates just to do something that your 10 year old daughter could do in a day's time..

[Sludgy]

UPDATE:

Curiouser and curiouser. I took the truck to a local diesel shop, Gorham Diesel, and they say there's nothing wrong with the EGR cooler, just a nick in a coolant hose and a loose clamp. Theoretically, it will be fixed and tested by this afternoon.

Now, if this fixes the problem, what in hell is going on with Fomoco, Quirk Ford, and/or the QF mechanic (who subsequently offered to buy the truck)?

[Jay2TheRescue]

I've had shops give me a long list of stuff that "had" to be done, and when I examined it myself very little of it was actually needed. Sounds like the mechanic really liked your truck, and figured if he slid in a big estimate you might be willing to part with it.

[theholycow]

That's a good reminder to all of us: When the mechanic says it's something major, get a second opinion just like you would with a doctor. They could have missed something like a nicked hose and a loose clamp.

That is a regrettable human mistake that can happen anywhere, but I often have doubts about dealer mechanics.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Yeah, like when the dealer told me I needed a new transfer case in The Beast a few weeks ago. I'm getting a few 2nd opinions before I replace a transfer case.

[theholycow]

Forget 4x4. Take out your front diff and send it to me, mine is bad. You don't need it in VA most years anyway...

[Jay2TheRescue]

I sure needed it this year though... I really don't think its the transfer case. Just something stupid like U Joints or something like that. The dealer recommended a new (used) transfer case ($1,300 installed) and suggested new U Joints ($800) while they were in there. Oh, and one of the blower fan speeds is intermittent. ($500) to replace the fan switch. I'm sure if I shop around I can probably get everything taken care of for under $1,000. I hate that dealer, but they were the only shop open during the snowstorm.