I am thinking that the new Fords are pretty attractive, but I am getting hung up on some cost cutting measures that are just too obvious. For instance, the plastic gas cap cover, lack of interior storage bins, throw-back to simple fold up rear seats with no level floor mechanism or underseat storage, plastic mirrors, cheap looking rear bumpers <IMHO>, and so forth. But what really got my goat for a $40,000 Lariat were the floor mats. Has anyone seen these? I have seen better selection from Pep Boys, and theirs at least cover the floor. Ford's floor mats (especially the rear ones) look like samples that carpet stores give away. So just to calm myself down, I went to the Dodge and Chevy dealers to look at their offerings before I make my final decision. I go to Dodge, and there sits a Sport 4x4 QuadCab with the Hemi engine. So I naturally take a look at it, and damn if their floor mats are better, the rear seats fold up to reveal a foldout metal floor with storage bins underneath, and additional storage ontop and beneath the front middle seat (clever). So then I had to take the Hemi for a spin, and wow! Hold on to your shorts...the truck was actually a blast to drive! Even though Ford's 5.4 has upped the horses for 2004, I wouldn't even think of taking on the Hemi. I thanked the very nice salesman for the look, and went to Chevy. I didn't get out of my truck (one look at the front end convinced me to stay put). So I went back to Ford and checked out the fully loaded Lariat and FX4 SuperCrews and immediately felt better again, skimpy floormats and all.

 

Yes the rear floor mats are pretty bad and I agree with a couple of your other points. All in all it is still the best pickup out there overall that you can purchase right now.

 

I noticed some things also, first of all, the truck comes delivered with clear blue plactic coverings on the fake crome parts in the truck, this tells me that they will scratch and scuff easily, also the air registers feel like you can grab em and haul em off the dash, and the audiophile sub that is located driver side rear seat is like a 5 inch spearker, not likely to shake your bones. I gotta wonder how much ford makes on these upgrades and how cost effective they are for us. on a fx4 the audiophile is a 1000 dollar addon, I could build a good system for that price. Peace out! I love the look of the trucks too.

 

Where did you get that figure?
Also, everone who has actually "heard" the sub said it is outstanding in the thump department. Read some of the Threads on the Audiophile.

 

I thought it was an 8" sub?....can anyone confirm?

 

So there may be a few things Ford needs to consider for next year. It is also possible they had to cut cost and a few corners to keep the truck in last years price range and still make money. But if this web site is any indication of how well folks like it, I would say: "Ford doesn't have a thing to worry about". Best selling vehicle in America.

 

Cost cutting? Whatchutalkingabout Willis? The sub woofer is bigger than Gary Coleman. I have not explored the upper realms of the volume **** on my F150's audiophile system because my ears can't take it. I'm scared - yet I'm out on the ramp with jet engines all day long. In other words, this thing can pump out the sound like nothing I've heard before.

So it has lousy floor mats. Who doesn't purchase floor mats anyway?

The money, and serious amounts of it, were spent making this truck efficient and handle like a dream. There is nothing in the market that goes down the road with the luxury, handling and performance of the 04 Lariats. It is the benchmark. The other trucks have tradeoffs. The Dodge is terribly inefficient and not comfortable, the Chevy looks awful and handles like a wet noodle. The Titan is close, but does not match the Ford in style.

We are Ford fans, right?

Cheers!
~~~^~~~

 

The clear plastic covers on the chrome emblems are not an indication of potential problems - they've been doing it for years now!

It's just done to keep the emblems from getting damaged during shipment, during installation, and while on the line in the plant and in transit.

They put plastic on the seats, carpet, sometimes the instrument panels and displays, and even the bumpers for the same reason. There's no reason at all to worry about the quality as a result of these plastic covers.

 

alright, i just checked, its a 610 dollar option (canadian) for audiophile, and the sub woofer is tiny, i looked at it, even the box is only like 3-4 inches high, and the speaker is small! and i am a ford fan, a dissapointed one. As for efficient truck, bye i don' t know is 17 MPG an efficient truck? the stickers in canada CLAIM that it does 24 MPG on the highway.

Now i never heard the audiophile system but im just saying, how can a little sub under the rear seat shake your bones, does it sound much different that the standart 1 CD system?

 

Actually the audiophile system is a $545 dollar add on at MSRP(American dollars of course) and about $285 dealer cost. If somebody paid $1000 then they definitely DID get ripped off.

 

FWIW, if anyone is interested in a Dodge truck... better buy it this year. Just had an interesting conversation with a Dodge insider who mentioned he grabbed a HO diesel this year, as he learned Daimler has told them they are taking $1,000 out of next years truck... starting with one of the A/C vents ... in a quad cab that has no flow through center console..

 

if you don't like the audiophile system, don't get it then! spend your money in the aftermarket then. personally, i've heard the audiphile and it is more than enough for me. the box may only be 4 inches high, but it is wide and long, so the speaker could be flat. and for what it's worth, i don't give a rats *** what size the speaker is, i care about sound. i mean, the speakers aren't there to be looked at, they are there to make loud noise that will blow women's clothes off (Italian Job reference).

 

The Floormats on my FX4 are kind of cool.. Rubber diamond plate effect.

Anyone who still thinks a speaker has to be Big to sound good hasn't really kept up with today's technology....

 

From the pics I've seen I like the Fx4 mats alot better. I'll be getting aftermarket mats for my Lariat pretty quick. I have a '94 Ford Mondeo (roughly British equivalent to a Contour) and it has the thick rubber diamond plate mats. C'mon now, if they can put them in my Mondeo then it shouldn't be too much to ask to get them in a Lariat.

 

Well, despite being somewhat impressed with the Hemi, I wouldn't buy a Dodge either and still think Fords are better trucks overall. But I was talking to the Dodge salesperson, and he said that Dodge is coming out with a console shifter too. Knowing how Chrysler likes to design their interiors, I would venture to say that the Dodge center console will have plenty of storage gimmicks built in. I haven't checked out the Titan yet, but it looks like Nissan built in some map pockets along their console. Won't be long before everyone joins the band...center console on a truck too novel an idea to pass up. Anyway, I just started this thread to relay my thoughts that despite some initial shortcomings, Ford is still the way to go! We just need some extra ponies to put a bigger grin on our faces (hope the aftermarket catches up fast).