That's BS dude, they aren't time bombs. Of course it can be if you beat the shit out of it and neglect maintenance. I bought mine used, and I've put over 40K on mine and it's FI. I'm sure many other people here will tell you the same.
Have you ever searched for this topic, and read the stories about how often this has happened, including the circumstances surrounding the events?
Trust me.. I am not an idiot, I have been doing this for over 20 years, know my way around a vehicle, and understand the value of maintenance.. It is how I make a living.
You are aware that some problems don't affect the entire population, correct? For instance, just because you haven't experienced something, that doesn't mean that it is not a systemic problem.. correct?
Similarly, just as I have experienced this problem, that doesn't mean that my earlier statement of "these things are all..." was warranted. I acknowledge that.
I can tell you that I haven't beaten this vehicle, I take care of my cars because they are such a big part of my life/personality, and that I have been disappointed with the power since I got it. Maybe I have had a few issues lingering for a while and they just surfaced.. Maybe, unlike the norm, just got a vehicle that hadn't been taken care of in the past. Either way, the spring broke, the pushrod bent, and I need to fix it.
As to the underhanded-ness that some of you were referring to because I planned to fix the broken stuff before trade-in.. I don't quite understand why that is underhanded? Those of you who feel like you got a 'truck that had been beaten on, with pre-existing problems' is exactly how I feel. I am fixing the stuff that is broken right now, and I know that this truck is not gonna last. I have done nothing but love her, and try to bring her back from periods of apparent neglect. But THIS particular truck is a time-bomb!
I'd love to continue speaking rationally with anyone who feels that I am missing something, or that can maybe help point out an error I am making. I don't like making mistakes, and if you see that I am, please let me know...
-Jeremy