JamaicaJoe
Full Access Members
Are there no state inspections in CT? That has been dangerous a very long time. I am surprised mechanics have not been warning about this? Who changes your oil?
2010 Expy Horror Story - Content warning not for the squeamish
- Thread starter Andy B
- Start date
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David Schaefer
Active Member
This really sux, it looks terrible. Sorry. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I choose to live in Texas! Seriously, can't you get an undercoating spray job on cars up there? My daughter is in Chicago area and her last car, we ordered an undercoating. I checked last spring (after 2 years of their roads) and it seems to be working! She has a Jeep Cherokee.
JExpedition07
That One Member
My last 2007 didn’t/doesn’t look that bad with 220k of WNY winters, my buddy still owns it. Looks to me those parts were a bad run of control arm steel. The rest of your undercarriage didn’t eat away like that by the pics. The 2023 will rust all the same down below, the aluminum bodies will stay pretty for us though! The frames are a bit beefier on these aluminum trucks because Ford reinvested the weight into the frame. Congrats on the 2023, I am loving my 2023 F-150 with the 400 horsepower 5.0L V8. The 10R80 is the best transmission you will ever own, the thing is a beast and always in the right gear for you. Major major improvement over the 6R80!!!
The current 3.5 TT and 5.0 V8 are both scary fast in front of the 10 speed. Really unbelievable when you get on them.
The current 3.5 TT and 5.0 V8 are both scary fast in front of the 10 speed. Really unbelievable when you get on them.
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GlennSullivan
Full Access Members
That is exactly what happened. About 15 years ago, state DOT’s and local highway departments in the northeast began “pre-treating“ roads with liquid calcium chloride. The idea was to keep ice from forming on the roads at the beginning of a storm. While it did help with safety, it has destroyed the chassis and drivelines of hundreds of thousands of vehicles in the areas using this practice. Even the highway trucks that dispense this liquid have much higher component failure rates than similar age plow trucks that do not. Salt is bad, but the liquid is much worse as it gets EVERYWHERE.
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Andy B
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I've been googling truck maintenance. As you would expect the industry tracks this stuff carefully because of $$$.
State by state when they switch to the calcium chloride spray they see a huge increase in parts failures and corrosion.
GlennSullivan
Full Access Members
Of all of our vehicles (4 SUVs) we tried to only use the 2 older ones during winter months, especially during storms. The 2 used most during winter got damaged badly (nothing like yours) while our other 2 SUVs are pretty rust free and are no longer used in the winter at all.
98 Explorer 46,000 miles - Replaced Rear spring shackles, Fuel tank filler tube, all brake lines, all power steering lines, brake backing plates, front and rear bumpers and bumper brackets. Sold it rather than try to keep up.
2007 Tahoe 81,000 miles - Replaced inner body shell behind rear bumper and 4 shocks for second time. Currently in the process of replacing the frame sections supporting front sway bar, the front sway bar and all related hardware, both drive shafts and universal joints.
Tahoe 1
Tahoe 2
Tahoe 3
Explorer 1
Explorer 2
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GlennSullivan
Full Access Members
Explorer 3
Explorer 4
Explorer 5
Explorer 4
Explorer 5
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Andy B
Full Access Members
JExpedition07
That One Member
Think Twice Before Skipping the Car Wash This Winter!
In this video we show you two examples of why you want to wash the salt off during the winter months before its too late.My Personal Favorite DIY Rust Preven...
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GlennSullivan
Full Access Members
Let me also comment that during a storm and day or so after, most car washes are closed and in temps below 30 deg, it is not possible to rinse off your vehicles at home or you end up with an inch of ice on your driveway and a broken shoulder - been there, done that.
You run the vehicle through the car wash 2 times after it reopens 2 days after the storm, but unfortunately, the damage is already done by driving on the pretreated roads the day before the storm letting it “work” for the next 48 hours.
You run the vehicle through the car wash 2 times after it reopens 2 days after the storm, but unfortunately, the damage is already done by driving on the pretreated roads the day before the storm letting it “work” for the next 48 hours.
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Andy B
Full Access Members
That is ALL I can imagine now that I have seen it. This is our vacation vehicle. It could easily have failed with the family and all our festival gear going down the road at 60.
The reason I had it checked was "Steering wheel suddenly crooked while driving straight" and "Suspensions feels sloppy".
It is very fortunate I am picky about those sorts of things and SUPER lucky nobody was injured or killed.
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Andy B
Full Access Members
Yeah, I've been going to the local quick change place (Valvoline) and they never said a word. Guess oil changes should be done by real mechanics who give a crap.
If you can't do it yourself find a local garage that has a good reputation. Looking at that mess, you have had your and your families lives at risk for some time. Not good.
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Andy B
Full Access Members
I've learned my lesson.
I didn't realize the "mechanics" and both my oil shop and my tire shop were completely irresponsible aholes.
JExpedition07
That One Member
While I would be hot too, they should have said something if they notice. But it is your responsibility to assure your vehicle is in a safe driving condition…not your mechanic, not your lube tech, not your insurance company. When you purchase a vehicle you are solely responsible for that piece of machinery. Inspecting the undercarriage should be done by any vehicles owner…ESPECIALLY in states with no inspections. Whoever did your inspection (if your state has it) should be fired. Now if you take your car in for a check up that’s a whole different ball game…then it is your mechanic’s responsibility to do this diligence on your behalf.
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Andy B
Full Access Members
Disagree. The Valvoline oil change place advertises "18-Point Safety Check. We perform 18 additional vehicle safety checks for FREE with every oil change."
It seems reasonable to expect this to include
* Look at bottom of vehicle
* Report gaping holes in critical members
If was negligence.
Off to yelp to burn their house down. (metaphorically)
Before you "burn" anything down, don't you think you bear some responsibility? That amount of damage didn't happen overnight. Sorry, but imo it's on you.
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Andy B
Full Access Members
I don't have a garage or a lift so I paid a professional business to do a "18 point safety inspection". A bad yelp review IS letting them off light. I could probably sue.
I PAID to have it checked multiple times and they didn't say a word.
If I was a 90 year old grandma would you be acting this way?
JExpedition07
That One Member
You didn’t “pay” for anything but an oil change by a 16 year old kid. A 90 year old grandma would take her car to the mechanic once per year and ask him to perform an inspection and he would perform an in depth look at her car, and charge her accordingly for that work.
You can either take the bus/train…or bare responsibility for an automobile. If you choose the latter it’s up to the owner to maintain the vehicle to be in safe condition or seek out such services.
“I take it for an oil change here and there” is not good maintenance lol.
You can either take the bus/train…or bare responsibility for an automobile. If you choose the latter it’s up to the owner to maintain the vehicle to be in safe condition or seek out such services.
“I take it for an oil change here and there” is not good maintenance lol.
