I am contemplating on getting an F-150 SuperCab. Have a family of 5 and wanted a KR SuperCrew, but due to bed length needs, I will have to get a SuperCab. Any real problems with leg room in back seat? (I have one tall daughter, but the other 2 are average size.)
Am probably going to get a 5.4. Will need 4WD only occasionally. (Live in WI, but don't off road or tow a lot).
Like the look of an FX4, but would be willing to get a 2WD Lariat if I got the right deal.
( Going to a local dealership, buddy of mine is close friend of sales mgr., and got some decent deals to some of my co-workers.)
My main concern is between the 04 and 05's. Some of the posts I've been reading have the 04 as a step below an 05. Some state 04 buyers were guinea pigs and the 05's have the problems work out.
Would like to get a new 04 since the deals would be better, but I will wait until end of year to get an 05 if I had to avoid an 04. Any and all input on this would be appreciated.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/ne...d&forumid=80&#

 

What reason do you need the longer bed? With a family of five, I would not consider the Scab since it can get tight with only 2 people back there. You may want to even step up to a superduty to get a Screw with a 6.5 bed.

Only problem with getting an 04 is the truck may have sat for a while. Check everything over and take a extended test drive before even considering purchase. If you want a little longer, the 06's will be out so the 05s will be down in price.

 

Truck is mainly for my freelance business. Bed length issue is for tax purposes. To get use the new tax deduction on trucks/suv's over 6000 gross veh. weight, they have to have a bed of 6 ft or more. (Unfortunately, SCrews have 5.5 ft beds, otherwise I could have got an 04 FX4 Screw for $24K.)

If I'm able to get that deduction, I can better justify a new truck. Prefer to get a new truck anyway after having to deal with used vehicles (i.e., other people's problems) for the past 15 years. After driving minivans for the last 10+ years (AARRRGH!), I want a new truck badly.

If it means saving a bunch more $$, I'll wait till end of model year for the 05's.

But alas, the waiting is the hardest part!!

Thanks for the reply back!!!

 

I had a scab before my screw and I'd never go back. I don't even have kids and I'd never go back. The extra room and ease of true 4 doors is so much better than the scab IMO.

 

plus the super cab is ugly to the extreme. Seriously

 

I had an 04 Scab for about 4 months before I came to my senses and traded it in on an 05 Screw. You have to balance your needs here, and unfortunately it sounds like you definitely have competing priorities to work through.

If you haul your family around alot and the truck is considered a family vehicle, then get the Screw! First of all, getting in and out of the Scab with the rear sucide doors is a real PITA when the truck is in a normal parking space, flanked by a car on either side. Second, the leg room in the Scab, although adequate for short trips, would not be very comfortable for your tall daughter on longer rides.

I guess if your business needs override your family hauling needs, then you should go with the Scab. At least you will know in advance the issues that the Scab has when it comes to hauling folks around in the back seat. Best of luck to you.

Buck
Atlanta

 

I still think he should jump up to the superduties to get the screw with the 6.5 ft bed. They come with a 5.4 lt and with the rebates on them shouldnt be much more than the 150.

 

I'm in the tax business and have never heard of the 6' bed requirement. Can you post a little more info on what your wanting to do?

Are you wanting to write it all the 1st year? 179?

If so, there is no such rule regarding bed lenth. As long as its over 6k gvw. If it were true, you would not be able to write off a SUV the 1st year of ownership, which you can if its over 6k gvw.



Chris

 

plus the super cab is ugly to the extreme. Seriously



I think just the opposite. I like the looks of the SCab better. I guess it all comes down to personal preference. I have two sons who have no problems fitting in the back and going on long trips. Granted they are only 11 and 9 and don't take up a whole lot of space.
I've driven on school field trips with 3-5th graders in the back and other than having to speak to them about punching each other had no problems with room. Now having said that, theres no way I would want to ride in the back with two other guys my size for an extended period.

 

Aside from the scab/screw debate (screws rule BTW) look at the cost diff between the 4/5.. the 04 is absolutely not 'lesser of a truck' than an '05. No changes for the better happened to 05 aside from the MP3 player that is supposed to show up late in the model run (some folks report already getting it, so watch it!). The 05s have some cost-cutting measures, but nothing really major.

 

Chris,
Thanks for the reply.
I got my information from an article I found on Smart Money.com:
http://www.smartmoney.com/tax/workbu...=smallbusiness

Yes, I planned on doing the 179. According to that article, I would be able to deduct the $25,000 Sect. 179 writeoff PLUS the "regular" first-year depreciation writeoff. Am I incorrect on this?

Also please explain on writing it off in the first year. Odds are I would be using the truck for at least over 50% business miles.

I am pretty green when it comes to the new regs, so any info you can fill me in on would be of a great help!

Thanks!

 

No changes that you know of. Engineering makes running changes all the time. That's why fewer '05s have the vibe.

I personally would stay away from a used '04. You may be buying a used vibrator.

 

Well I guess you need to look at how much profit your going to be making the 1st year. If your going to be buying a 35k truck, the benifit of writing all of it off (35k) would be if you made 35k+ your first year Or if you have a large income besides the self employed job.

Of course trying to write it off in one year becomes a problem with a SCREW, which looks like isnt possible for 05, but you can write off 25k, plus a another couple thousand which would also be almost just as well.


Chris

 

Chris,

Thanks for the reply back. The info provided will be extremely helpful.

 

Puh-leeze... more wild speculation on the vibe. In all my conversation with my Ford engineering buddy, they no nothing of the vibe nor did they make any major changes to the design of the truck. If this guy didn't know about it, the change never happened. They may have cracked down a supplier, but that's about it. Drive the 04 you plan to purchase and be happy with it!