New Cars/Trucks

[BBFarmer]

This is the first I've heard of that fairy tail. What kind of data is that statement based on? I've owned plenty of turbocharged vehicles, including an F150 with twin turbos, and not one has leaked oil.

25 years of consecutive employment as an automotive technician .......especially on 3.5 eco boost f150s LOL. I'm not knockin your rig brother. It is what it is.

I've posted quite a bit of escapades that take place at my licensed, llc'd, repair facility active since 09' including several cab off 3.5 repairs. Please do go check them out. I'm not the most experienced by any means, but I am truthful. Again, only been doing it every day for 25 years and I understand most i interact with on here are much more experienced. So no disrespect intended.

So I'm not knocking your rig. But I do WEEKLY major repairs sometimes pertaining specifically to ford 3.5s. You obviously have a good one and I am honestly happy for you on that. I don't wish expensive auto repairs on anybody.

I would say the oil leaks related to turbo engines comment would pertain more towards gasoline engines. Definitely can't comment on a good ole kubota turbo diesel. And this would mainly be caused by excess unwanted crankcase pressure.

 

[lugbolt]

a mechanic that is worth anything has a reputation

for instance I do a lot of polaris stuff, many Rangers

it would be easy to say that all I see every day, 5 days a week, is broken rangers and that would be truthful. However lets look at the real story here. I might see 5 or 6 a day. out of those, 2 or 3 are oil changes, 1 might need a belt or clutch. The other one may need a bushing or to fix a rat chewed wire. So it's not all gloom and doom, but because I see them daily I could aways say "they spend a lot of time in the shop". The other side of this is that the dealer sold 400 and some Rangers last year, and 500+ the year before, so if 10% of them show up at the shop, that's 40-50 of them. OMG they should NOT be in the shop, certainly not that many. But they do, and it pays my bills for which I am thankful for. Kubota paid my bills for a LONG time the same way. I saw orange stuff daily 6 sometimes 7 days a week for 29 1/2 years so it'd be easy to say that they spend a lot of time in the shop too.

On the 3.5's I know some owners who have 240-250,000 miles on them without major issues. And I know guys who have had issues at 20,000. And I know at least one owner who don't know how to maintain anything, his has 64,000 on it-and probably on the original oil and filter and air filter. Maintenance is not in his vocabulary, never has been. He's looking for a new truck as we speak. No problem that I know of, but that is one truck that I would NOT want to buy!

turbo engines do need slightly different maintanence but most people won't do it any differently. Also when you start the engine let it warm up a little, and when you get to your destination, let it idle a while before you cut it off. This helps. Minimum 1 minute with no load on it. Most won't do it, and I catch myself "forgetting" too.

but just because it's turbocharged doesn't in itself make it less reliable! If that were the case every single big truck out there and almost every diesel engine out there would be considered unreliable too and that is not the case. THe greatest challenge with the gas turbo engines is fuel system and air intake. Run good fuel (and quit depending on the knock sensor by using 87 gas), keep the air filter clean, and keep the engine oil clean, it'll last a LONG time. But everyone wants to run 10,000 mi oil changes and nobody checks air filters anymore so what do you expect? Same things I see on Polaris, lack of proper maintenance. It kills them but nothing I can say or do changes anyone's mind when they're stubborn.

 

[BAP]

Update the thread - - - just a little update.

We actually stopped at a dealership we were driving by to kick tires.

Place was closed. Didn't talk to a salesperson.

Had a couple 2026 Equinox 1LT AWD 1.5l turbos. Just like hers.

Sticker is not much different than 8 years ago.

Per the internet, have some "deals" on trucks. Mostly half-tons, as usual.

This place has Chevy and GMC trucks.

Prices on trucks are all over...... a 1500 LTZ was $70k. A lot of options and not much truck for the money.

Not a fan of the "Turbomax" 2.7L I-4 in the trucks. I know the 5.3L has/had issues. I-4 has been around a while, but I can't warm up to it.

A Chevy 2500HD 4x4 WT with 6.6L and Allison transmission caught my interest. Like the 6.0L, fuel mileage isn't good, but I don't drive a lot. Has locking rear differential (important to me), 8 foot box and extended cab (not crew cab).

Priced similar to my current truck, but probably no incentives. I think I caught a big rebate on this truck.

Unless the truck is actually what you want and there is a great deal on that particular truck, I would figure out what you want a new truck to be configured like and search for it. You can do a lot of searching yourself and the dealer can do more. Don’t settle for a truck that is kind of what you want at these prices.

 

[BBFarmer]

a mechanic that is worth anything has a reputation

for instance I do a lot of polaris stuff, many Rangers

it would be easy to say that all I see every day, 5 days a week, is broken rangers and that would be truthful. However lets look at the real story here. I might see 5 or 6 a day. out of those, 2 or 3 are oil changes, 1 might need a belt or clutch. The other one may need a bushing or to fix a rat chewed wire. So it's not all gloom and doom, but because I see them daily I could aways say "they spend a lot of time in the shop". The other side of this is that the dealer sold 400 and some Rangers last year, and 500+ the year before, so if 10% of them show up at the shop, that's 40-50 of them. OMG they should NOT be in the shop, certainly not that many. But they do, and it pays my bills for which I am thankful for. Kubota paid my bills for a LONG time the same way. I saw orange stuff daily 6 sometimes 7 days a week for 29 1/2 years so it'd be easy to say that they spend a lot of time in the shop too.

On the 3.5's I know some owners who have 240-250,000 miles on them without major issues. And I know guys who have had issues at 20,000. And I know at least one owner who don't know how to maintain anything, his has 64,000 on it-and probably on the original oil and filter and air filter. Maintenance is not in his vocabulary, never has been. He's looking for a new truck as we speak. No problem that I know of, but that is one truck that I would NOT want to buy!

turbo engines do need slightly different maintanence but most people won't do it any differently. Also when you start the engine let it warm up a little, and when you get to your destination, let it idle a while before you cut it off. This helps. Minimum 1 minute with no load on it. Most won't do it, and I catch myself "forgetting" too.

but just because it's turbocharged doesn't in itself make it less reliable! If that were the case every single big truck out there and almost every diesel engine out there would be considered unreliable too and that is not the case. THe greatest challenge with the gas turbo engines is fuel system and air intake. Run good fuel (and quit depending on the knock sensor by using 87 gas), keep the air filter clean, and keep the engine oil clean, it'll last a LONG time. But everyone wants to run 10,000 mi oil changes and nobody checks air filters anymore so what do you expect? Same things I see on Polaris, lack of proper maintenance. It kills them but nothing I can say or do changes anyone's mind when they're stubborn.

Well put sir.

I believe lack of maintenance has everything to do with it as well. 10k mile service intervals for gas burners are generally not the best thing for the majority of the population.

 

[lugbolt]

don't discount the little baby turbo 4 pot. Go drive one, I think you may be surprised. It has more torque down low than the 5.3 does. Few guys out here pull their boats to/from the lake with them and they are impressed. I have not driven one.

same people dissed the little 4 cylinder mustangs and frankly so did i. In 19 I found one local (used) and the price was right so I drove it, figuring I wasn't ever gonna own it. 2 hours later I drove it home. Great car, and a ton of power for what it is. Great MPG too. Paid $20k for it (cash), with 24,000 mi. This was before covid really hit and I was working on a 93 mustang coupe with a 2.3 (SVO turbo 2.3) and already had a 92 Mustang with a 600hp 427. The coupe got done a year or so after I bought the ecoboost, and I really didn't need the ecoboost anymore. Guy I work for owns a car dealer (several actually) and he overheard me telling one of my coworkers that I may sell it. Said when youy're ready holler, I'll make you an offer on it. Few days later I told him figure it up, what it's worth. They offered me $28,000 for it, exactly a year after I bought it and it had almost 50,000 mi on it by then. It'd have been foolish NOT to sell it to them. Then in 22 I sold the 93 which was a FUN car, stupid mistake but it needed to go away. Ordered the 22 EB and it came in 7 months later; and I still have it. Routinely sees 40 mpg sometimes closer to 50 if I drive it right but usually averages mid 30's and still makes 315hp. So ecoboost does in fact do what they say it will. It's not a GT, never will be but I like it. Easy to service haven't had any issues out of anything, currently 35,000 miles and time for service again which I will do later this week (shop is FULL). I don't drive as much as I used to either. But I've been impressed with them and the 3.5's both (in the f150's). For 2 that have problems 25 don't, deal is people that have problems are much more vocal than people that don't and that's why you see "problems" all over the net. May also look at the 2.7 ecoboost which has been mostly problem free and still plenty of power for most people.