Tim's Truck? *56K Beware!

[tguil]

Tim,

Perhaps you could tell us a little bit about your truck -- year, number of miles, how you use it, how you maintain it, etc. With all the detailing you do on it, how can it still have any paint left at all?

Tom

[Tim Lingor]

Hi Tom,

There is lots of paint left!

I will see what I can put together!

Tim

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by 2hotford
Hi Tom,

There is lots of paint left!

I will see what I can put together!

Tim

And, perhaps most importantly, how does that V10 treat you, gas mileage (and re-fill bill) wise?

[Tim Lingor]

Hey Tom (Tguil),

Since my truck has been used for a “few” write-ups and product testing/reviews, I guess it would be an interesting idea to know a little more about the truck and how it gets used.

Firstly, the truck is a 1999 Ford F250 Super Duty XLT, 4x4, V10 engine, auto, and 4.30 gears. It is rated to tow a 13,800 lbs trailer with a GCWR of 20,000 lbs. I bought it new in 1999, as I needed a heavy-duty truck to pull a travel trailer.

The truck currently has 51,000 KM or ~ 30,000 Miles; the V10 runs just as smooth today as the day I bought it! The truck sits outside 24/7, in all types of conditions from 100*F to –25*F.

As I said above, I bought the truck to tow a fairly heavy travel trailer, as the truck I had at the time (Dodge Ram) just could not handle the trailer. The truck is also used for taking my wife and I up to the various mountain lakes to go fishing. I love to keep my truck’s paint flawless, but that does not stop me from using it for what it was intended. There is nothing worse, IMHO, than buying a truck/car and not get the enjoyment out of driving it. True, I do not take this truck mud bogging, nor do I go down tight, brush filled dirt roads that can cause the dreaded, “brush racing stripes”! However, I do go in many areas that require four-wheel drive and often, low range four-wheel drive!

My truck will get muddy, extremely dusty and very dirty. But if you practice a detailing maintenance routine, the paint will stay in top condition. The first day I brought the truck home, I used Clay, Meguiar’s #9 with a rotary to remove the dealer installed swirls, #20 Polymer Sealant as the LSP and topped it with #26 Hi Tech Yellow Wax. That was only the beginning!

Over the years I have tried so many products on the truck, I have lost count. When testing products, I believe that a person should use a particular paint finish that he/she is extremely familiar with in order to give an accurate description of product differences. It is easy to test a product on someone else’s car, but then, the most recently applied product always looks great. Therefore one has to use their memory of what the product looked like on a different paint finish; an apples to oranges comparison. So in my opinion, it is better to use the same test platform. In my case, my truck, for which I have spent hundreds of hours working on the paint finish!

My truck usually gets what Mike calls a “complete” detail usually 2-3 times per year. A “complete” per my definition, includes claying, and a complete rotary buff out. Throughout the year, I will then maintain the finish 3-4 more times with either #80 Speed Glaze or #82 Swirl Free Polish and top it with whatever product I may be testing at the time, currently #21 Synthetic Sealant. If I am doing a review/write-up of a specific product where I am testing both looks and durability, I usually choose the hood for the “control” application of the product, as the hood will see the most abuse due to the environment. As for the other products, I have tried far too many to even think about listing them all. Needless to say, I do not think there too many products I have not tried on the truck!

Anyway…rather than talk about it, perhaps showing the truck would make better sense.

Going camping…








It even likes to pull out stumps!



It does get a “little” dusty at times!



After cleaning….



And dirty…



After cleaning….



It gets pretty cold and snowed on…



But cleans right back up!







In the end, the truck still looks great. With a little TLC, I am hoping the truck with continue to look the same for years to come!

Tim

[gb387]

It does get dirty!!!

Very nice info, the truck still looks brand new, if not better than new!

2hotford: When testing products, I believe that a person should use a particular paint finish that he/she is extremely familiar with in order to give an accurate description of product differences. It is easy to test a product on someone else’s car, but then, the most recently applied product always looks great. Therefore one has to use their memory of what the product looked like on a different paint finish; an apples to oranges comparison. So in my opinion, it is better to use the same test platform.

[sneek]

can really identity with the snowed in pic
lol most cars in calgary 8 months of the year and about 5 days a month we get warm temps but then we freeze again !
truck looks great
where do you go camping if u live in the Okanagan??? thats like one of the greates places to go camping :p and plus mission hill wines about the same price as water!

[Tim Lingor]

Originally posted by sneek
can really identity with the snowed in pic
lol most cars in calgary 8 months of the year and about 5 days a month we get warm temps but then we freeze again !
truck looks great
where do you go camping if u live in the Okanagan??? thats like one of the greates places to go camping :p and plus mission hill wines about the same price as water!

Hey Sneek,

I spend most of my time fishing in the Kelowna, Kamloops and Revelstoke areas. I am lucky as there over a 1000 lakes in the Okanagan area!!! Beautiful place to live!!!

Tim

[Wayfarerwalk]

Quote: "....using it for what it was intended. There is nothing worse, IMHO, than buying a truck/car and not get the enjoyment out of driving it."

I couldn't agree more. The pic of you pulling stumps brought back memories of my own. I have a 98 Expedition 4x4 with the 5.4, two weeks after I drove it home I was pulling stumps. That was alot of fun. It has been in the mud a few times and other off road jaunts. It still looks good, I just wish my paint looked as good as yours.

[Tim Lingor]

Originally posted by Wayfarerwalk
Quote: "....using it for what it was intended. There is nothing worse, IMHO, than buying a truck/car and not get the enjoyment out of driving it."

I couldn't agree more. The pic of you pulling stumps brought back memories of my own. I have a 98 Expedition 4x4 with the 5.4, two weeks after I drove it home I was pulling stumps. That was alot of fun. It has been in the mud a few times and other off road jaunts. It still looks good, I just wish my paint looked as good as yours.

Thanks for the comment!

Like I said, you can have your cake and eat it too. It just takes a little extra care to avoid a major oops, and a detailing maintenance schedule!

A couple more shots I found....



Though it sees dirt...NO swirls!



Tim

[Tim Lingor]

Originally posted by Shiny Lil Detlr
And, perhaps most importantly, how does that V10 treat you, gas mileage (and re-fill bill) wise?

I would rather not go there....

The weird thing is, it does not matter how much weight is on back, or how much I am towing, I get the same gas mileage, which is around 10.5 MPG, fully loaded and towing in the mountains! Since the gross weight of the truck and trailer is pushing 16,000 lbs, I am quite happy with that fuel mileage!!

Tim

[Shiny Lil Detlr]

Originally posted by 2hotford
I would rather not go there....

The weird thing is, it does not matter how much weight is on back, or how much I am towing, I get the same gas mileage, which is around 10.5 MPG, fully loaded and towing in the mountains! Since the gross weight of the truck and trailer is pushing 16,000 lbs, I am quite happy with that fuel mileage!!

Tim

Ouch! 10.5 regardless of payload; that doesn't sound too good. I've known a few people with F250 and F350s with PSDs that are getting between 14-16, but for them it supposedly DOES drop with larger loads. Not to mention all the problems that seem to come with the territory of diesel trucks. I've seen both the 7.3 and 6.0L versions have major mechanical problems that are unexplainable. One guy even sold his truck to get a Chevy Duramax after 7 of the 8 injectors had to be replaced three times in 6 months

[Mike Phillips]

Great write-up Tim!

I love this shot!



That's too funny


Also thanks for sharing your insight about testing products, I couldn't agree more about the comments on testing products on paint finishes you're already very familiar with. Your familiarity with a specific finish lends itself well to your ability to distinguish and perceive the subtle changes or results as compared to dramatic before & after changes than anyone would notice.

[tguil]

Tim,

Thanks for the write-up. My Hemi is not yet three years old and it already has over 70,000 miles on it. It sees about the same use as your truck only I pull a small pop-up camper not a luxury resort on wheels.

Tom

[2000]

Tim,
you owe me a new key board after drowling all over mine..
great shots of a great truck with alot of proper love and attention!

[Tim Lingor]

Originally posted by Shiny Lil Detlr
Ouch! 10.5 regardless of payload; that doesn't sound too good. I've known a few people with F250 and F350s with PSDs that are getting between 14-16, but for them it supposedly DOES drop with larger loads. Not to mention all the problems that seem to come with the territory of diesel trucks. I've seen both the 7.3 and 6.0L versions have major mechanical problems that are unexplainable. One guy even sold his truck to get a Chevy Duramax after 7 of the 8 injectors had to be replaced three times in 6 months

That mileage is pretty good when you get into heavy duty trucks. Mine weighed empty, but with a full tank of gas, 6700lbs. There is a LOT of really heavy drivetrain parts.

As a daily driver, a diesel is not an ideal vehicle IMHO; plus the maintenance issues/expense. The PSD, the 7.3L was an excellent engine. As far as I know, there were very few issues. Early models did have a cavitation issue with the #8 cylinder which turned out to be a user issue from not following the proper maintenance of a diesel. Otherwise, according my buddy at Ford, it was an excellent engine.

The 6.0L is another story, IMHO. The engine itself is not bad, but the programming for it has caused some nightmares and driveability issues. Essentially, either your 6.0L has troubles or it doesn't. Many have not had a single issue with the 6.0 while others have had many. That is not good IMO.

Ford is introducing, according to early reports, in 2007 a new 6.4 L twin (dual) turbo diesel that is rumored to be a really powerful engine!

As I have mentioned on numerous occassions, my brother worked for GM for 29 years and is not thrilled with the Duramax as they tend to have more injector issues than most, and some other issues as well. But again, you may never have issues or you may have many.

Some of the best advice he has ever given me, is that no matter the brand of truck, if you get a good truck that does not give trouble, keep it for as long as you can! My truck has been in the shop once since I bought it new. And...that was for a plastic spacer between the spring pack that wears out due to the weight of the engine, and from boucing on rough roads going up to my favorite fishing lake! But that is it! Hence why I plan on keeping this truck for a long time!