2021 F-150 is gone, Brought an Old Sweetheart back to life

Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Messages
3,386
With the parts shortage severely crippling my 2021 PowerBoost F-150 for over three months, and an anticipated (which will probably get extended farther) March date for parts ETA, I went through the Lemon process on my F-150. Ford ended up handing me shut-up money to release the claim and I ended up trading the truck in. Broke even + a few bucks in my pocket at the dealer and I'm happy its gone.

Kinda tarnished my opinion of new Fords. Don't get wrong, I don't hate Ford, but they should've done way more for me while the thing was down. Waive payments and a better rental would have been the least I'd of expected. The rental 2021 Edge I was in had a nasty timing chain rattle and trans slip throughout the time I drove it -- Yuck. Why pay truck money and I missed hauling my quad for hunting season, no snowmobiling, etc.... Anyways.

In 2015, my Dad picked up what was at the time a mint 2005 Tahoe that my Mom had been driving until last year with her purchase of a 2018 Tahoe. This poor 2005 had been sitting since May 2021 and it has had a hard life. Time, lack of frequent yearly undercoating and washing are starting to show through. My Dad has been gracious enough to let me drive this thing until I can find something else I want.

Naturally it had to be gone through, it needed, and got all new stainless steel brake lines, calipers, all new rotors and pads, nylon fuel lines, new fuel pump and sending unit assembly, t-case spill and fill, diffs checked, tie-rods, and new tires put on. I'll do the trans in about a week or so.

285k on the body, about 100k on the transmission and probably 120k on the motor. This was the Tahoe that had 230k 5.3 with wasted lifters and we swapped in a 60-70k mile 4.8 that I had sitting. Sure the 5.3 probably has way more power but the little 4.8 doesn't do too bad and it made the most sense having it right there.

Truck body is holding up good, worst part is the rear frame and the crossmember above the fuel tank. Just wish this thing would've had more care given to it, sad to see what has happened.

I am finding myself falling in love with this old piece of junk. I detailed the interior and gave it an auto wash and it don't look half bad considering.

She is such a sweetheart of a rig and if and when I do find something, I don't know if I want to let it go. These old GMTs really just keep on going if you take some care.

1645457291168.jpeg


1645457297619.jpeg


1645457306576.jpeg


1645457322408.jpeg


1645457335301.jpeg


1645457348650.jpeg
 
I tried to find your posts on the F150 to no avail . What was wrong with it ? Something major in guessing .
 
I tried to find your posts on the F150 to no avail . What was wrong with it ? Something major in guessing .
This is the thread: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/the-parts-shortage-bit-me.349770/

Long story short, truck went in for un-related issue and when I picked it up the Trailer Lighting Control Module had failed and needed a new module. With that part failed, the truck's turn signals do not operate properly (hyper flash) and when a trailer is connected, only running lights on the trailer illuminate, no trailer brake lights, turn signals and trailer brakes/trailer brake controller do not work.
 
Having driven a bunch of newer Ford full size vans, and owned some GM ones, I think you're better off with the Tahoe, as long as the frame doesn't fail. My company has 3 torn up Transits sidelined waiting for body parts, no idea when Ford can come up with them...
 
With the parts shortage severely crippling my 2021 PowerBoost F-150 for over three months, and an anticipated (which will probably get extended farther) March date for parts ETA, I went through the Lemon process on my F-150. Ford ended up handing me shut-up money to release the claim and I ended up trading the truck in. Broke even + a few bucks in my pocket at the dealer and I'm happy its gone.

Kinda tarnished my opinion of new Fords. Don't get wrong, I don't hate Ford, but they should've done way more for me while the thing was down. Waive payments and a better rental would have been the least I'd of expected. The rental 2021 Edge I was in had a nasty timing chain rattle and trans slip throughout the time I drove it -- Yuck. Why pay truck money and I missed hauling my quad for hunting season, no snowmobiling, etc.... Anyways.

In 2015, my Dad picked up what was at the time a mint 2005 Tahoe that my Mom had been driving until last year with her purchase of a 2018 Tahoe. This poor 2005 had been sitting since May 2021 and it has had a hard life. Time, lack of frequent yearly undercoating and washing are starting to show through. My Dad has been gracious enough to let me drive this thing until I can find something else I want.

Naturally it had to be gone through, it needed, and got all new stainless steel brake lines, calipers, all new rotors and pads, nylon fuel lines, new fuel pump and sending unit assembly, t-case spill and fill, diffs checked, tie-rods, and new tires put on. I'll do the trans in about a week or so.

285k on the body, about 100k on the transmission and probably 120k on the motor. This was the Tahoe that had 230k 5.3 with wasted lifters and we swapped in a 60-70k mile 4.8 that I had sitting. Sure the 5.3 probably has way more power but the little 4.8 doesn't do too bad and it made the most sense having it right there.

Truck body is holding up good, worst part is the rear frame and the crossmember above the fuel tank. Just wish this thing would've had more care given to it, sad to see what has happened.

I am finding myself falling in love with this old piece of junk. I detailed the interior and gave it an auto wash and it don't look half bad considering.

She is such a sweetheart of a rig and if and when I do find something, I don't know if I want to let it go. These old GMTs really just keep on going if you take some care.

View attachment 89903

View attachment 89904

View attachment 89905

View attachment 89906

View attachment 89907

View attachment 89908
Those GMTs are awesome, dependable vehicles. Depending on what you plan to do with it medium-long term, probably wouldn’t hurt to do a weekend project of scraping/sanding/prepping/coating in POR15 once it gets warm outside on the frame/sub-frame?
My Pathfinder had bad rust (my bet it was never washed by the PO), but I did what I said above in a weekend and it’s been doing good for 2 years now. I still do spray generous amounts of FF inside the rails every year or any spots I might have missed when I threw on POR15.
 
it has most of the benefits of a '21 F-150, accept you can turn lock-to-lock & use your blinkers....
just like back in 2005. Nice.
Except for all the people asking to buy it out from under you.
 
Many warranties are a horrible thing. Basically you're paying for the right to fight for something.
I would have never thought about it this way until I literally experienced it myself.

I have for many years rested my laurels on the fact that if I purchase a new vehicle, it should inevitably be fine because of the initial (A) manufacturer warranty and if I was going to keep something, I'd purchase and therefore be taken care of by a (B) manufacturer extended warranty. However, this is not the case. There are times where you "aren't taken care of". Where it's too complex to have an 'in-a-week' fix or it is so niche that the parts supply is strained.

In the same light, I have also, erroneously assumed that if you did have a said vehicle for a substantial duration of time and have had the aforementioned warranty/extended warranty, you'd probably go through enough problem failures and/or repairs to where a new and improved/'bugs-worked-out' fix or parts have been installed and implemented; and you now have a reliable vehicle in the end. I am definitely changing my thought on that now. I think with the advancement of technology in these vehicles, procurement of new features that every John and Jane Doe consumer want, and well announced manufacturing changes (for example, Ford CEO Jim Farley announcing that they're no longer waiting for new models or refreshes to put new tech, features or changes into a vehicle LINK HERE), you are going to have 1-2, maybe 3 year model vehicles with potentially substantial changes that have little to no comparability or are so unique that the repair is unobtainable. AND I thought GM mid-model year changes were nutty!?!?!

My game plan now is simple just enough amenities and buying things that are easily understandable. AKA GMT800s, LOL, or my old 8th Gen Honda Accord. That was a good car.
 
Many warranties are a horrible thing. Basically you're paying for the right to fight for something.
Not all of the manufacturers are as bad about honoring their warranty as Ford is. I have had hell with Ford over the years. Wait until Ford's BEVs start to come into the dealers in droves for warranty claims, those poor owners are going to be in-for a world of hurt.
 
GMT-800 is always the answer!
Yeah they're reliable, but not really a super fun drive. Before I bought my Navi, I drove one GMT-800 and that was enough. Interior, controls, seats. etc, feels like something left over from the early 90s part bin. Speaking for myself personally, I need something that has the reliablity of the GMT-800 with the driving dynamics of the GMT-900. The -900 has much nicer driving dynamics, but the interiors don't hold up well.

Say all you want about the 5.4 3V and deservedly so, but the Expedition/Navigator interiors hold up much better than the GMs. That's why it's in my driveway.
 
With the parts shortage severely crippling my 2021 PowerBoost F-150 for over three months, and an anticipated (which will probably get extended farther) March date for parts ETA, I went through the Lemon process on my F-150. Ford ended up handing me shut-up money to release the claim and I ended up trading the truck in. Broke even + a few bucks in my pocket at the dealer and I'm happy its gone.

Kinda tarnished my opinion of new Fords. Don't get wrong, I don't hate Ford, but they should've done way more for me while the thing was down. Waive payments and a better rental would have been the least I'd of expected. The rental 2021 Edge I was in had a nasty timing chain rattle and trans slip throughout the time I drove it -- Yuck. Why pay truck money and I missed hauling my quad for hunting season, no snowmobiling, etc.... Anyways.

In 2015, my Dad picked up what was at the time a mint 2005 Tahoe that my Mom had been driving until last year with her purchase of a 2018 Tahoe. This poor 2005 had been sitting since May 2021 and it has had a hard life. Time, lack of frequent yearly undercoating and washing are starting to show through. My Dad has been gracious enough to let me drive this thing until I can find something else I want.

Naturally it had to be gone through, it needed, and got all new stainless steel brake lines, calipers, all new rotors and pads, nylon fuel lines, new fuel pump and sending unit assembly, t-case spill and fill, diffs checked, tie-rods, and new tires put on. I'll do the trans in about a week or so.

285k on the body, about 100k on the transmission and probably 120k on the motor. This was the Tahoe that had 230k 5.3 with wasted lifters and we swapped in a 60-70k mile 4.8 that I had sitting. Sure the 5.3 probably has way more power but the little 4.8 doesn't do too bad and it made the most sense having it right there.

Truck body is holding up good, worst part is the rear frame and the crossmember above the fuel tank. Just wish this thing would've had more care given to it, sad to see what has happened.

I am finding myself falling in love with this old piece of junk. I detailed the interior and gave it an auto wash and it don't look half bad considering.

She is such a sweetheart of a rig and if and when I do find something, I don't know if I want to let it go. These old GMTs really just keep on going if you take some care.

View attachment 89903

View attachment 89904

View attachment 89905

View attachment 89906

View attachment 89907

View attachment 89908
Had a Yukon AWD very similar - passed it on in the family after
 
Did you drive a 99-02? Or just a truck? 03+ had a refreshed interior and SUV GMs were usually better equipped. When I think of 3V Fords, I can imagine them as sparse as you're mentioning with the GM if I think of an F-150. But if I think about a SUV, I can imagine them well equipped. Also, with comparing to a Navigator you'd have to compare to Escalade.

I'm probably biased but I find the seats some of the most comfortable, controls well laid out, enjoy the interior styling and amenities. I have heated seats so I'm content. Perhaps some of the charm to me is the dated interior. Remembering a time when things were different. The simplicity and ease.

Something built by General Motors Corporation and not General Motors, LLC.
 
Back
Top