The slave cylinder saga continues...again

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Last night I picked up the truck, the second time, from a Ford dealer.  Drove fine all the way home.  Drove fine when I went out for dinner.  This morning, I woke up at 5 AM, planning to head down to the beach to take pictures.  I get into the truck, push in the clutch to start it and...mushy.  Lots of play.  I drive down to the gas station to fill up, and it gets progressively worse.  So, my truck is going in the third time since Thursday to fix the same problem.
Now, I do not think I should have to ask my dad to drive me the 20 miles to pick up my truck a third time.  I think they ought to deliver it.  I also think they ought to deliver a loaner to my home, and give me a refund.  Am I out of line on this?

[mtnbkr]

No, not at all.  Make it clear that you'll chat with the regional manager (and/or Ford Corporate Customer Support) if it's not repaired to your satisfaction this time.  The second they give you grief over this, start making phone calls.  

Chris

[...has left the building.]

You'd be surprised what the dealers will do. Ask very nicely if they'll deliver you a loaner; and if they will come to pick up the loaner and deliever your truck.

When we took my wife's M-B in, I asked the dealer for a loaner, they gave us a brand new C-240 for the week.

[M14rick]

I agree, you should call. There should be a toll free number in your owners manual....
     The way it works with DCX (DaimlerChrysler): Someone will call the dealership to find out what the problem is, now this person is not a tech, but a customer service rep, how much help you get depends on the contact at the dealership, along with how much noise you make.
     Sometimes there is a known problem with the vehicle, such as the DCX 4 cylinder head gasket, that was never recalled (no safety problem). DCX will help with that problem, with the first owner, and if the owner is a "good customer" ie: spends money at the dealership shop regularly with oil changes, etc. At our store, a good customer could get the job done by paying $100.00 "deductible, as long as the mileage was not way high. A lot of them started leaking at low mileage, but out of the 3 year part of the warranty. Mostly elderly people were caught in this situation.
     BTW, DCX warrants the clutch disc the same as the brake pads/shoes, wiper blades and light bulbs - 12 months/ 12,000 miles.  
     I realize you are out of warranty , I only responded to say that sometimes, there is help available.
     I wish you the best of luck, give 'em hell!
     Rick

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Well, just towed it away for the third time.  Service isn't open today, so I'll post tomorrow once they diagnose the problem.

[Tallpine]

Fix Or Repair Daily  

I spent much of the morning out in the cold trying to fix (or jury rig) the tailgate latch on my daughter's F-150.  The handle is made of pot metal and snapped off on one side.  (Not very fun to have to lift several 5 gal water jugs over the damn tailgate so we can take water over to the horses)  I ended up smashing myself in the nose and bleeding all over the place

[280plus]

The handle is made of pot metal and snapped off on one side.

Built Ford tough...

[onions!]

He he.GMC isn't much better.I keep a half dozen tailgate & interior door handles as open stock right behind me.
Ya want fries wit dat?

[280plus]

Reminds me of my old AMC Eagle. It was always a work in progress but one day I had pretty much got everything up to date with a brake job. I had no sooner finished putting it back together thinking FINALLY it was 100% when I grabbbed the drivers door handle to get in and the handle broke off in my hand. It was then that I knew I didn't stand a chance.

[Tallpine]

41mag: I guess it's not fair of me to compare a 76 GMC with an 89 Ford ...

[onions!]

41mag: I guess it's not fair of me to compare a 76 GMC with an 89 Ford ...

Yep,No contest.The pre-1980 Gms'were tanks.Mine's an '86 K2 diesel.Ugly but a tank-wanna-be.

Around here if it was made before 1990 it already is,or is starting to look like, Swiss cheese.Of the reddish brown variety.Marbling?

[Tallpine]

41mag: I guess it's not fair of me to compare a 76 GMC with an 89 Ford ...

Yep,No contest.The pre-1980 Gms'were tanks.Mine's an '86 K2 diesel.Ugly but a tank-wanna-be.

Around here if it was made before 1990 it already is,or is starting to look like, Swiss cheese.Of the reddish brown variety.Marbling?

People from back east are always amazed at the old cars on the road out here.  It is so dry that rust is not much of a problem.  That, and few can afford new vehicles anyway.

But used cars and trucks are likely to have lots of miles on them in Montana, since everything is so far away.  Some people drive 100 miles just to work.

The MT DNRC buys old GMC/Chevy 4wd pickups, restores them, and uses them for wildland fire attack engines.  They have a big shop over in Missoula where they strip them down to the frame and rebuild everything.  I got a tour when we went over to pick up a truck that they put a flatbed tank and pump setup on for our local VFD.  We raised the money for the truck (1993 Dodge Cummins) and the state provided the wildland firefighting equipment.

The ranchers around here seem to prefer Fords, but from my experience I don't know why.  Although the GM pickups from 1988 on seem like toys.  The sad part is that pickups are now made for city people to drive around town.  The old 4wd pickups with the solid front axles hold up better on the back roads IMO.

[charby]

[]

The sad part is that pickups are now made for city people to drive around town.  The old 4wd pickups with the solid front axles hold up better on the back roads IMO.

exactly, too bad you couldn't order a new one with a solid front axle.

[Tallpine]

yeah, charby ... I wish at least one manufacturer would make a heavy duty "utility model" 4wd

[onions!]

Actually...
http://www.gmc.com/lightduty/topkick/index.jsp

They have GVWs just under 20k lbs,are only about a foot taller than a "regular" 4x4,get 9-15 mpg(diesel),&,depending on just how fancy you want it,don't really cost more than a one ton.

They ride nice too.IIRC,the front axle is a Dana 70.

[Tallpine]

Probably the biggest problem with those is the insurance and licensing.

I used to run an old V-6 C-60 in Colorado until the insurance rates shut me down

(it had a hydraulic clutch as well, but it was an external cylinder ... I just rebuilt it like you would a brake wheel cylinder)

[charby]

oh yeah, try parking that truck at Wally World in those uber cramped spaces. Can't just park it in the back of the lot because the damn lot is aways full. I quit going there to get last minute fishing crap with a boat in tow a long time ago just becasue I couldn't park anywhere.

[Tallpine]

oh yeah, try parking that truck at Wally World in those uber cramped spaces. Can't just park it in the back of the lot because the damn lot is aways full. I quit going there to get last minute fishing crap with a boat in tow a long time ago just becasue I couldn't park anywhere.

There's usually one or two F-350 crewcabs ("family cars" in MT) with gooseneck stock trailers parked at the westside Walmart in Billings at any one time.

But it is getting to where it is hard to park a Suburban or full-size pickup (even a standard cab) anywhere anymore

[charby]

There's usually one or two F-350 crewcabs ("family cars" in MT) with gooseneck stock trailers parked at the westside Walmart in Billings at any one time.

But it is getting to where it is hard to park a Suburban or full-size pickup (even a standard cab) anywhere anymore

wouldn't be able to park them anywhere at the Walmart in Ames, Ia. I used to live in rural NW IA it was pretty common to see 2 0r 3 F-350 and 3500 with stock trailers parked outsite the town watering hole.

C