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Ford says that a rearview camera will come standard in all of its North American passenger vehicles by 2018. Forward cameras will be available across the board by 2020.
I consider myself a driver type guy and not into granny aids. My '04 is great for me. My '15 Taurus that is my DD has the backup camera and I freaking love it. Never ever thought I would say that but when used WITH mirrors it's an awesome extra safety feature. I glance in it as I look back and forth to the side mirrors.
Give me a basic truck I don't have to pay $30 grand for, [edited out...I don't like using the Lord's name in vain]...
I paid $16,500 out the door for my 2005 F150, I can't replace it for less than $25,000, 10 years later
You don't like that stuff? Don't buy it!
All those gadgets are not increasing the price of the lower end models (except maybe rear cameras, which have been mandated as standard equipment in the coming years). There are a lot of factors that have gone into the price increase of vehicles:
Inflation - happens every year
EPA Mandates for higher fuel economy (that's why we have aluminum, EcoBoost, etc.)
Safety regulations
Lack of incentives - Ford was seriously trying to increase sales like crazy in 2005
Demand - demand for trucks is up, while supply is down. Ford is playing it smart and 'right-sizing' supply to keep it close to demand
Supply - Changeover to the 2015 model was rather complex, and it has dampened supply
Rear camera will be required by law. The article says the front camera will be "available" which means you don't have to buy it if you don't want it. $17k in 2005 is in the low $20s today due to inflation. There are some deals out there on 2015 RCs in the low $20ks. So you're going to pay a couple grand more but also get a lot more.
Forward cameras have a LOT of good practical uses:
1. Pulling into garage or into parking stall, you no longer deal with hanging the nose over the sidewalk.
2. Pulling up on service ramps or trailers
3. When you have pets and kids tearing all over, it only takes a second for them to get into a blind spot while you are situating yourself in the truck before pulling out of a driveway, etc...
4. Pulling into tight turn spots, you can really dial in your bumper distance to the obstacle or other vehicle.
Forward cameras have a LOT of good practical uses:
1. Pulling into garage or into parking stall, you no longer deal with hanging the nose over the sidewalk.
2. Pulling up on service ramps or trailers
3. When you have pets and kids tearing all over, it only takes a second for them to get into a blind spot while you are situating yourself in the truck before pulling out of a driveway, etc...
4. Pulling into tight turn spots, you can really dial in your bumper distance to the obstacle or other vehicle.
5. Faster parallel parking
Especially number 1. My 2015 has the 360 cameras and I wouldn't do without them. I'm fitting it, a ZR1, and two motorcycles into a 24x23 garage, so precise parking is a must for it to all fit.
Especially number 1. My 2015 has the 360 cameras and I wouldn't do without them. I'm fitting it, a ZR1, and two motorcycles into a 24x23 garage, so precise parking is a must for it to all fit.
I'm sorry but I am baffled on seeing that you have been registered since Sept 1999 and only have 4 posts!
I agree on the having a front camera for garage parking being a nice feature though.
Where I live we have a lot of multi-level parking garages. Instead of using the typical guard rail the builders used thick wire. This poses two problems. 1) They are mounted in a position that trucks have a hard time seeing them. It is not uncommon to see trucks around here with the "hangman's scar" running across their bumpers from hitting the wires. 2) Because they are difficult to judge and they are small there is little resistance felt when they do contact the bumpers resulting in more damage to the vehicles. I welcome the front camera for this reason alone.
Where I live we have a lot of multi-level parking garages. Instead of using the typical guard rail the builders used thick wire. This poses two problems. 1) They are mounted in a position that trucks have a hard time seeing them. It is not uncommon to see trucks around here with the "hangman's scar" running across their bumpers from hitting the wires. 2) Because they are difficult to judge and they are small there is little resistance felt when they do contact the bumpers resulting in more damage to the vehicles. I welcome the front camera for this reason alone.
At work, we have those too... I park in the same spot almost every day, so what I did was went to home depot and got some of that copper pipe insulating foam and applied it at bumper height to 3 of the spots I generally park in. Problem solved... I have never been in a spot where I could not park in one of the 3 spots I did this to.
I rent a lot of cars and guys should give some of the newer systems a chance. The voice command Bluetooth connected phone systems are far better than holding the phone, plus the call quality is much better. The backup cameras are great and take almost no time to adapt. FWD cameras are amazing for everything from close parking to off-road use. Anyone who has been off road knows the pains of getting out and looking because you can't see over the hood. Early tire pressure monitors sucked but newer ones are accurate and great. Adaptive cruise control is fantastic.
About the only new thing I'm really not liking is throttle by wire. Wouldn't want it unless I could get into it and adjust out any delays.
06-27-2015, 09:55 PM
NEITHER AM I! 
