Took you awhile to figure that one out huh

 

The argument that they only hear from F-150 owners who have complained doesn't make much sense...at least concerning how it stacks up against other trucks. It would be the same pattern for the other brands as well, so it all balances out in the end. The fact is that this vehicle was leading all makes and models from 2004 in consumer complaints for that year. Before people start flaming, I am sure Ford will get it all fixed, they simply had a lot of issues with a redesigned truck. I have had a ton of problems with mine, but that is a risk I took when I bought a redesigned vehicle. I'm sure I'll buy another F-150 somewhere down the line.

 

Consumer reports does recommend one american truck. They recommend the Chevrolet even though they have a major problem with piston slap that they won't correct. When they redesigned the engine in 99, the new engine line had a lot with piston slap. GM was repairing or replacing the engines until they discovered the number of problem engines. They then declared that the piston slap was normal and refused to repair them any further.

 

A long time ago I used to work at an electronics store. At that time we had two different camcorders on the shelf. One was a Hitachi and the other was an RCA. I remember our sales rep telling us that they were the exact same camera, except for the name on them.

So we had a copy of the CR magazine on hand and just stumbled through the ratings and happen to notice that the Hitachi was rated better than the RCA. That was the day I finally realized that CR is full of it.

And it was not the only time I had this kind of a situation happen. We also had some laserdisc players that were the same as well. We had a Pioneer (which invented it) and a Hitachi, which was a Pioneer unit with a Hitachi name on it. Needless to say, same thing happened when I found the ratings of both players.

Since that day I never take their word for anything I purchase.

 

If you pay close attention to their ratings, you will find corporate clones (Vehicles made on the same line with identical powertrain and parts) rated very differently because they have a different grille and nameplate on them. How one can be recommended and another is listed to avoid when the parts are from the same pile and assembled by the same people is beyond me.

 

Palm grease goes along way…

 

I actually bought my F150 because of reliability ratings. I'm not that familiar with consumer reports - since I would have to pay to see reliability ratings on late model years. I used JD Power and Assoc. website. They seemed to be the only people who had long term reliability ratings. Apparently their surveys are supposed to be scientific -- unbiased samples and things like that. Anyway 2002 F150s actually had HIGHER ratings than the Tundra -- five stars on everything in the 3-5 year period. I was really amazed. I had wanted a Ford but was only going to buy the most reliable truck b/c I just traded my 98 Dakota for it. Anyone who's ever owned one of those, I'm so sorry. Anyway I hope they are right but after the extensive research I did there and on here and elsewhere. I think I made the right choice... just as long as my 5.4 doesn't spit a plug (fingers crossed).

 

I think this is a very ignorant statement. Why? I love my F-150 but I don't follow Ford blindly just because they are Ford. I bought my F-150 because I love the way it drives and looks. However, in a few years when I'm ready to trade her in, I will buy the best truck I feel at the time is on the market, regardless whether it's American or foreign.

Statements like this remind me of zealot Apple Mac owners who blindly follow Apple just because they're Apple.

 

I belive them about as much as I believe wrestling is unscripted reality.

 

most of the elctronics and other items in american cars arent even made in the usa.

 

I've always considered CR to be fairly accurate in auto ratings because every time I pick one up and look at a car that I have personal experiences with, they are pretty much dead on. For example, a good friend of mine had a 4WD Toyota truck with a manual transmission and he had to have the transmission replaced twice under waranty. I looked up his model in CR one day and sure enough, his year model had a solid red dot next to transmission. I've done this countless times over the last 25 years with similar results.

My '97 F150 was the best vehicle reliability wise I've ever owned (less than a year with my '04 and only one problem so far so looking good). This is compared to many Japanese, German and American cars. In 7 years, the only part replaced on the truck was an O2 sensor (tsb for AC condensate dripping on it causing it to fail). I fixed a broken wire on the brake light switch myself and cleaned the IAC once but that's about it. I wonder how CR rates the '97?

 

yeah for sure. I bought a dakota v8, consumer reports said it was awsome with no problems, JD power said the same. I went through so many parts in 7 months of ownership that I had to get rid of it.....it was a peice of junk. So, right now I have a 05 xlt supercrew 4x4.....all I can say about it is awsome.

 

Extremeview... Do you live in California? I grew up in California and now live in the Heart of Ford country. Dearborn, Michigan. I quickly realized living in the rust-belt that cars don't last as long as I remembered in California. Everyone up and down the street drive brand-new Ford vehicles. I purchased a 1998 Ford Windstar for my wife and by 2003 it had 78,000 miles and was completely worn out. The suspension, paint, interior carpets, exhaust system was shot. Snow, salt on the roads, crater sized potholes and constant frezing and thawing is something you probably don't experience much in your neck of the woods. What I just described is the probably an extreme negative condition. My hometown of Fresno california is probably also extreme in the positive way. I remember Ford and Chevy products going well past 200k miles when I lived there.

 

I'm not Extremeview, but yeah, cars last as long as you want them here in the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia. 50k a year is common. And when you look at used iron you have to use Carfax a lot. A car with 280 looks like a car with 80 that was parked outside... I have owned a 12 year old Caddy that looked showroom condition. Not unusual. Rust is so rare out here that many locals don't believe in it... they can not understand that a 7 year old car is not worth rebuilding, if it was driven in the salt.

Here, a car is driven till it's out of style, or needs much mechanical work.
You guys talk about finding 3 or 4 year old cars in wrecking yards... The local pick a part has nothing newer than 2000, and you can count those on the fingers of one hand. But boy they have anything you want from 70-80 etc.
Chris

 

GT79, I'm the same way as you...I bought a 1993 Toyota truck brand new...had it a few months, a friend gives me a copy of Con Reports stating my 1993 is a POS...worst reliability since the Edsel, etc. I thought I screwed up buying it...

250,000 miles later, I've still only read Con Reports the one time, and my Toyota is living an easier life with another friend of mine (I drive too damn much.) I replaced 1 clutch, 3 sets of brakes, 2 sets shocks, belts, hoses, etc. No major parts...orig alternator, water pump... reliability of a 3 horse Briggs and Stratton...I think it'd run on swamp water if I filled the tank with it.