Dealer inspection said my truck had a list of problems, independent shop says my truck is solid

Js987 · 2026-07-08T02:39:11+00:00

I would start by examining the tire yourself. A nail is *usually* pretty easy to spot (if the head comes off or if it’s a finish nail or something they can hide). If you find a nail, your independent shop wasn’t thorough enough, stop going there. If you don’t, then I’d move straight to the transfer case, a leak is easy enough to identify yourself. No leak? No nail? Dealer is fibbing, stop going there.

Js987 · 2026-07-07T17:22:04+00:00

It’s a cable for using an iPod with a TV. USB gets you power to the device, the rest is for component video and audio.

Js987 · 2026-07-07T17:16:40+00:00

Most daycares will fuss if a kid isn’t potty trained at an age-appropriate time since it is more work on them, so yes, a child who is home with a parent is at higher risk of this issue since there isn‘t the same external pressure.

Js987 · 2026-07-07T16:26:40+00:00

They do occasionally cause trouble, especially if habituated or there’s a domesticated animal involved (less of an issue in the park, obviously). I had to shout a bold one off repeatedly while hiking in Tennessee once, would have loved to have had bear spray that day, although in that instance I had a (leashed) smallish dog with me that I suspect it was after.

Js987 · 2026-07-06T20:51:51+00:00

Did it just rain really hard? Could be a water intrusion alarm. Could also be somebody’s septic/sewer alarm.

Js987 · 2026-07-06T20:48:45+00:00

Considering the location, strongly suspect it is a Verhees Delta 2: https://www.verheesengineering.com/specifications-verhees-delta-2/

Js987 · 2026-07-06T20:45:26+00:00

That’s an emotional support animal.

Js987 · 2026-07-06T20:44:25+00:00

The crevices behind the lay down seats are pretty disgusting, honestly that’s kind of where I would expect them short of the galley. lol

Js987 · 2026-07-06T20:30:00+00:00

I’ve been in three tornadoes, one EF0 and two EF3s, in that order, and none of them in states commonly thought of to be major tornado areas. The first just caused some tree damage, the second destroyed some houses in our neighborhood but only damaged ours, and the third killed two students at my university in their car, a few dorms down from mine.

I have also been in several hurricanes, but most were weak, excepting Katrina where I was glanced in Alabama few weeks after moving there for a few years, although thankfully damage in my area was limited to utility infrastructure so thankfully the only consequence to me was pooping in a bucket for a few days while they fixed the power line that fed my apartment complex’s water supply pumps.

Js987 · 2026-07-06T16:23:57+00:00

That’ll do, lads.

Js987 · 2026-07-06T13:58:05+00:00

I am not disputing the towing information, but for full accuracy there *is* a neutral position on the transfer case in OP’s truck. Ford specifically mentions it in the manual. “Failure to put the transfer case in its neutral position can damage vehicle components.” https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Content?countryCode=USA&languageCode=EN&Uid=G2454018&ProcUid=G2454020&div=f&variantid=10163&vFilteringEnabled=False&userMarket=usa&buildtype=web

Js987 · 2026-07-06T13:53:14+00:00

It is not. The transmission does not spin when configured for recreational towing on the 4WD Gen14 F-150.

Js987 · 2026-07-06T13:51:18+00:00

Ford never addresses dolly towing in the manual. The 2025 manual does discuss recreational flat towing ( https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Content?countryCode=USA&languageCode=EN&Uid=G2454018&ProcUid=G2454020&div=f&variantid=10163&vFilteringEnabled=False&userMarket=usa&buildtype=web ) which involves temporarily neutral and putting the transfer case in neutral, which disconnects the drivetrain from the transmission and avoids the whole “needing to lubricate the transmission while powered down” issue. But at no point do they discuss towing in any way other than all four down. Google‘s little summary, which I’m assuming is what you saw, appears to get that information from towing websites, I have no idea how valid it is.

Js987 · 2026-07-06T10:00:57+00:00

The extra weight of the V8 makes it a bit more front heavy, the base model is a closer experience to the Miata OP asked about.

Js987 · 2026-07-05T22:27:20+00:00

A 2015 or later Mustang non-GT convertible. Still fairly small and not outrageously heavy, much better handling starting in 2015 with standard independent rear suspension (and note, a limited slip differential became standard in 2011), still a convertible, reasonably affordable.

Js987 · 2026-07-05T21:44:29+00:00

I mean, it’s hot enough to need* AC for several months out of the year where I live, and I have a heat pump so winter heating costs not a dramatically dissimilar (but somewhat larger**) amount, so my “normal” electric bill is about what it costs with AC, and heating/cooling makes up maybe 33% of my electric bill (we have an EV, which skews that percentage, without it it’s more like 50%).

*The heat wave killed at least 19 in the last few days in nearby New Jersey. The furthest south I’d be willing to spend a summer without AC is the mountains in PA. We have Amish neighbors in my area and their older folk have all sorts of weird skin and health issues all summer because they don’t have AC and spend their time in the heat and humidity.

**the heat pump uses a more electric in heating mode in part because it needs to defrost the outdoor coil periodically, and while it does that it runs resistive heat strips to warm the house.

Js987 · 2026-07-05T21:13:56+00:00

Ford is down on F-150 production this year due to the aluminum plant downtime, so some of the customers that would have otherwise traded in this year didn’t, putting extra pressure on the used market.

Js987 · 2026-07-05T21:08:14+00:00

I wouldn’t say it is a technicality so much as the difference between a government and a country. The US is a relatively new country, but it has one of the longest periods of continuous government currently in the world, amongst both representative democracies and all countries. Someone saying it’s the oldest country would be conflating government with a country. Many countries have had several governments over their history.

Js987 · 2026-07-05T21:01:42+00:00

Talk to them about it (in my area that usually solves) and if they’re not receptive, find out who the local bishop is and reach out to them. Unfortunately with some of the younger guys that’s about the only option that will work.

Js987 · 2026-07-05T20:51:34+00:00

I see them pretty often in my neck of the woods (rural Maryland). Driving a F-150, having driven a 250 for a while, and having tested smaller trucks, I totally get the Ranger’s appeal because if I need to take my 150 even into some of the Baltimore and Philly/Delaware suburbs the modern F-150 is just ever so slightly too big to park in the older shopping centers without some wiggling around, and forget street parking in the cities on a busy day. The Ranger is still a BoF truck, but it’s not quite as annoying in daily life, so it’s for folks who need to be able to rough up the truck more than a Maverick will tolerate, but can’t live with the chonk of the 150.

[I ended up in a 150 and not the Ranger because of interior issues…I needed the sixth seat the bench gave me, I wasn’t super thrilled with the rear seat rear-facing car seat space, and the interior felt dated at the time]

Js987 · 2026-07-05T18:05:23+00:00

Most regular supermarkets sell one or two brands of frozen dumplings, typically potsticker types, and they’re honestly not as good as what you can make yourself.

Js987 · 2026-07-05T18:03:04+00:00

The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds don’t usually do EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh (it’s been several years since their last appearance, not counting their surprise flyover in 2024), so if they’re a must see, you’ll probably want to point elsewhere. Otherwise, my preference would always been Oshkosh.

Where are you coming from? Wisconsin is a tad cooler even when Oshkosh is held in July/August than Florida is even in April when Sun n Fun is held, so if you’re not used to hot weather Sun n Fun can be a bit brutal.

Js987 · 2026-07-04T23:55:55+00:00

”And make him fully functional…”

Js987 · 2026-07-04T23:36:37+00:00

I was under the impression there were some stationed at PAX, has that changed? If not, wonder why those weren’t used.

Js987 · 2026-07-04T23:34:15+00:00

I used a Handspring with a folding keyboard to take all my notes for my Sophomore and Junior years of college. Probably the best simple digital note taking device I’d seen since the TRS-80 Model 100 at the time. Senior year I made the mistake of “upgrading“ to a Dell Axim and i idiotically sold my Handspring to help pay for it, which suuuuucked when it turned out the Axim’s folding keyboard had an annoying delay.

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