Petrol tank...how long should it last?

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Paul Ellis
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Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Paul Ellis »

I bought a new Ford LDV two years ago and now the petrol tank developed a leak. FORD - South Africa reckons they are not going to pay for it, as they see it as 'normal wear'. Now I ask you how is there any 'wear' on a petrol (gas) tank? It was not damaged from the outside, but it tore? I even took the offer of an extended manufacturers warranty, but they reckon if anything happened within the first year (The normal warranty) \, they would have replaced it.
I drove my previous Ford LDV for 24 years without ever having 'normal wear' on the tank.
This will definately be my last Ford ever!
Paul Ellis

"If it works, don't fix it"
Neville Bastian
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Neville Bastian »

Hi Paul,
Does seem a tall story they are spinning you. I'd be talking to a consumer body and see if they can step in for you. Replacing a fuel tank is something hardly anyone does.
With the extended warranty periods some Asian companies have on their cars you can seen why the big three are in trouble.

I'm a little worried about fuel tanks as my wife's uncle tried welding one after being repetitively rinsed out and it went off in a big way. He was in hospital for months and never worked after that.

Regards

Neville
Neville Australia
Nick M Singer
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Nick M Singer »

Hi Paul how are things in Pretoria. This sounds like typical South African bad attitude and service. Comes from years of closed markets monopolies and lack of competition, I would not say it was Ford per se, you would not get this in the States where they understand customer service.
Dennis G. Blackburn

Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Dennis G. Blackburn »

I had a FORD pickup truck back in the 70's. 3 or 4 weeks after purchasing it - it started developing little rust spots all over the hood. They repainted the hood. A few weeks later the rest of the body started having the same rust spots. They called in the factory service rep who said it was "industrial polution" :wall: and FORD was not responsible :fire: . I told them it would be the last FORD I would ever purchase and it was. I've Been a happy Chevy / GMC man ever since.
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by DanEpps »

I have a 1934 Ford pickup and the fuel tank on IT is still good!!! So is the radiator and both are original!

The poly tanks in use today should never develop a leak without some sort of damage. I cannot see how it would "tear" without some kind of impact. I would say that it may have been damaged during transport (when new) or had a manufacturing defect and just now began to leak. In either case it took a couple of years because it wasn't completely torn (or was just think in that spot) and the changes in pressure inside the tank eventually caused it to tear.

I would contact your consumer product agency or an attorney.
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by DanEpps »

Dennis G. Blackburn wrote:I had a FORD pickup truck back in the 70's. 3 or 4 weeks after purchasing it - it started developing little rust spots all over the hood. They repainted the hood. A few weeks later the rest of the body started having the same rust spots. They called in the factory service rep who said it was "industrial polution" :wall: and FORD was not responsible :fire: . I told them it would be the last FORD I would ever purchase and it was. I've Been a happy Chevy / GMC man ever since.
Isn't that about the time when the paint literally fell off almost all GM pickup trucks? GM used some type of rust-inhibiting primer that paint would not stick to.
Neville Bastian
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Neville Bastian »

Geez Dan you are a stirrer. I think Jason drives a Chev so you might get yourself black listed. :lol:
Then what will you do with your time? Count the rust patches in Fords?

Regards

Neville
Neville Australia
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Dean Fehribach »

Neville Bastian wrote:Geez Dan you are a stirrer. I think Jason drives a Chev so you might get yourself black listed. :lol: <snip>
Nope. Jason drives a Tundra. Ken drives a Chevy. I drive a 1998 Dodge. There are a few Fords in the Thermwood parking lot, but not many. :lol:
Dean Fehribach
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Dennis G. Blackburn

Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Dennis G. Blackburn »

The paint was great on the 1st car that my Dad bought me. It was a 56 ford. Of course by the time I got it in 1966 it had been painted with a paint brush. :joker:
DanEpps
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by DanEpps »

Neville Bastian wrote:Geez Dan you are a stirrer. I think Jason drives a Chev so you might get yourself black listed. :lol:
Then what will you do with your time? Count the rust patches in Fords?
Hey, my truck is 75 years old and it has NO rust. :mrgreen:

Actually, in the early 80s, the big three all started using galvanized steel for their pickups. The only problem with it was that paint would not stick to it and, after a few years, every pickup on the road had huge blotches of missing paint--but no rust. :beer: They finally got it figured out--now only the beds are galvanized and have paint that stays put (until you scrape it off).
Neville Bastian
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Neville Bastian »

OK I stand corrected. I think Ken is the only one who has it right though.
The other one who had it right for rust apart from Corvette of coarse was John Delorane. Spelt that wrong but you know I mean and the car from back to the future movie. All aluminium body so no rust.
While I was cruising the states I saw those big caravans that are aluminium. Man they are so retro but nice. They'd take up a whole sea container but it would be worth it.

Talking about paint and problems when I went to the Kentucky Corvette museum they had one corvette from the 90's I think that had a special gold fleck paint. The story goes it keep on changing colour depending on the metallic it had in it and when you saw the front fender and the door it was a different colour. Corvette had to redo the paint jobs but were never perfect so the colour was taken off the range within 9 weeks of it being released ,opps.

That reminds me off when I first started in business I did a kitchen for a family and they said after taking delivery would I be willing to paint the Rosewood free-standing wardrobes/closets antique white. Well that cost me dearly. No matter what I tried to seal it with the red of the rose wood stain would bleed through so the cabinets looked a bright pink. I spent 3 times what I estimated in time and paint. The owners were upset with me because I took 2 weeks to get back the robes and were not sympathetic with me at all.

Regards

Neville
Neville Australia
Paul Ellis
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Paul Ellis »

Some feedback.
The tank was fixed and I had to pay R800.00 (Plus minus 100 American dollars?). (It's a metal tank by the way)
I think it was defective from the start and like Dan said - The pressure inside finally made it split open.
I did write to the South African consumer council and they forwarded the complaint to Ford South Africa - still waiting for an answer from them.
I know a few people in the industry and all of them agree - It is ridiculous to classify a fuel tank as a 'normal wear and tear' item!
When I spoke to Ford South Africa and they told me this, they were not prepared to put that statement in writing.
Tune in next time for the next episode of this farce!
Paul Ellis

"If it works, don't fix it"
Kerry Fullington
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Neville,

Had to correct you. Delorean's had stainless steel body panels, the engine is all aluminum. :D

Kerry
Neville Bastian
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Re: Petrol tank...how long should it last?

Post by Neville Bastian »

Thanks Kerry. My mix up. :oops: I knew it didn't rust. They have made cars with aluminium panels haven't they?
I was reading some sports car from Europe has Kevlar chassis and body panels for low weight. Shame is over $150,000 or maybe it was more. Information overload.

Regards

Neville
Neville Australia
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