Glad to be back in town and seeing all the responses. I spent several days looking at trucks. After looking at all the posts I chose this one as a framework for a response, as it was one of the most thorough, and least juvenile.

That pretty much sums it up as clear as possible. I am looking for a "true work truck", in part because I need one, but also because I want that truck to be able to meet future challenges that I may haven't even thought of yet. The problem is, all the compromises in the F-150 seems to have gone in a direction other than what I would have wanted. Were I the emperor-dude in charge of trucks at Ford I would have created a line of demi-trucks for the new-age crowd, and left the F series trucks as a pure lineage. Dance with the one that brung ya'; swing with who swung ya' would be the operative words.

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To respond to some of your comments:

Ranger vs F150
I tried this. The Ranger is a great vehicle like you said for delivery use such as parts stores, etc., but it was too light for towing even medium size trailers. (like a 15' boat) The biggest drawback for me by far was the lack of room in the cab. Even with the ext cab, three adults can get pretty uncomfortable. The 4 cyl. gas milage over the 300-6 I traded it for wasn't enough to justify the

There was no way I was considering a Ranger, but I agree with your comments. Though for me gas milage is almost the last thing I ask about--just as I'm about to sign the contract I'll say something to the effect of, "It does get at least 10mpg, right?" In this day and age I'm actually a bit proud to have a "gas guzzler" to wave in the face of PC wusses. [/B][/QUOTE]

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100000 mile disposable 5.4
That's the first time I've heard it referred to like that. My wife's 5.4 98 Expedition is at 100K and still going strong. My last truck (a 4.6) was at 80K when I traded it with no problems. I personally haven't heard any complaints on longeviety.

That may be a bit loose as an expression. I frequently hear truckers complaining about their wife's Geo, Taurus, Lumina or some other small car as having a "70,000 mile disposable engine". I just bumped up the mileage for the V8, but the general meaning of that is an engine that has reached the point where you are pouring in good money after bad, the engine will never be in a nominal state ever again, and is just not worth fixing. An engine will get to the point where it doesn't just begin to wear out, but begins to experience one problem after another. If you have an old 1960s-1970s truck it's still no big deal to toss in a rebuilt and be back on the road. Times have changed, but I'd still say that you should be able to get the heads replaced without wondering if you should just go ahead and get a new truck.

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Supercrew
I don't think Ford ever seriously intended this to be used as a work truck despite the pictures they put in thier brocure. It was intended for people like me that need a good compromise between a pickup, tow vehicle, and family car. It adequatley hauls feed, firewood, groceries, towing, and the kids. If I did serious hauling or towing everyday, It would not be enough truck for me and I'd get a SuperDuty.

Welcome to the club! I think where I differ from a lot of the people here is that I'd rather spend the $8-10 grand, have the truck I want and will want, and be done with it. If a price differential that small is affecting my decision I'd also question if I really need a truck at all.

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As far as restoring an older 70's model F150. I tried that too. It sounds good on the surface. Unfortunateley, 70's model trucks were designed with 60's technology. They just

I understand that! That's one reason I think if I was going to yank the body and restore something I'd risk the wrath of the wife and get the 68-70 Mopar (and buy a beater truck I wouldn't have to worry about). I'd put a dent in the truck within the first month of getting it on the road and be real pissed.

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It sounds like your best choice (IMO anyway) would be a carefully selected set of otions on an F150 (payload package, 5.4L, towing package, etc.) or a base model SuperDuty.

Over the last few days I have pretty much come to the same conclusion, albeit something more than the base model F-250. There is no way I'm going to max out an F-150 just to get it to what I need. If they offered everything a la carte It might be worth it, but it's like cable TV--in order to get the 10 channels you want you have to buy on to the 100 you don't. I didn't mention it in my original post because it wasn't a factor in my information gathering process, but something about the new F-150 body style just rubs me wrong. It doesn't look like what a "real truck" should look like, while the F-250/350s look exactly like what I believe a truck should look like. I also get the distinct impression that Ford intentionally designed it after Chevy's "bowtie". I also thought it would be a lot easier to clean the 250 grill than that nasty honeycomb on the F-150. As I priced it in the F-250 the added costs come primarily from the diesel engine and, if you choose to get it, the 4 wheel drive and the crew cab option. I also regularly see the SDs being sold by individuals in the high $20K to low $30K range, which means that if those people are getting close to what they are asking the SDs retain more of their value.

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What truck do you own now and what exactly do you use it for? Maybe that info can help us keep you from going to the "other" side.

I've got two F-150s. One from the mid 1980s and one from the early 1990s (before the became light duty trucks). Both have the A1 transmissions, which have been great over the years.

 

FOUNDONROADDEAD:

Usually I have a rule of not entertaining any discussions or debates with morons because it is usually senseless and a waste of my thought process. However in your case I allowed an exception because you are beyond moron material.

You are the perfect example, or perhaps Poster Child would be a better one, for why we should NOT clone humans. I have known from the beginning that you do not possess the necessary tools (brain cells) to carry on an educated discussion nor debate. I will say however I have known you are here merely for our (F150online) entertainment. Kind of like the moron in school that is always doing stupid things you try to explain to him why he has no friends because of how he acts, but yet since the moron doesn’t learn you just kind of sit back and laugh while he makes an as* out of himself.

Please continue…

 

LOL,

Does that mean we're done, and you now argree with me?

 

Did he ever mention that he was agreeing with you?

 

I guess his mommy mis-read it to him...

 

This just keeps gettin better and better.........bwaahahahahaha rock on. And oh, Jim.....so your decision would be that.......???we're all patiently waiting

 

LMAO

 

foundonroaddead,
you never answered my question.

 

Arrggghhhh! Steve, please end this crap. Dude, I'm
begging you.

 

The F-150 has no chance of being purchased by me. That decision has been made. I can't get the options I want without getting a load of crap I don't want, and when I get right down to it I can't stand the body style of these new F-150s. It just looks too effeminate for me, and that might be one of the reasons I am doubting it's ability as a work truck.

Looks like it will be an F-250 Super Crew with the diesel (I still like the 7.3l) and a full size bed. I've come to the realization that no matter whose vehicle you buy the interior is going to be that cheap, cheesy plastic, but since it is true for all vehicles regardless of make and model I can't really hold that against Ford. But I can be a pain in the *** and invoke that warranty for every little reason I can think of.

 

everyone....


you need to understand that everything on your and my trucks are all MAN- MAID, and are prone to breakage.


Until (pick your) God makes a truck thats the way its gonna be, so just deal with it , buy what you want, leave us alone, and have a nice life


jackarse

moose

 

Hope your not planning on ordering the 7.3, they are gone from the superdutys, and have been replaced with the 6.0 Gen 2 powerstroke.

 

very well said and I couldn't agree more.
There is nothing like listening to a moron explain why he is so right

 

There's more to it than that. Planned obsolescence is now a fact of life. It doesn't matter whether or not you are buying a Ford or Chevy truck, or a Maytag or GE dishwasher. They are designed to progessively wear out until you get sick of them and buy another. For vehicles that means that you will never see anywhere near as many 35 year old vehicles in 2038 as you do in 2003. In fact, one of the following axioms circulating 20 or so years ago was that it was the high quality of American cars up till the early 1970 that almost put them out of business. Of course, for the next 15 years it was the low quality of American cars that almost put them out of business, and now things are designed to break.

 

Jim, I think yoiu should be pretty happy with the SD. I think that's why Ford did it that way. People like me don't need a super strong truck. I won't ever work mine that hard. I've altered it to go faster. That is my goal with this truck. It is my only vehicle though so it does have some actual "truck" duties every once and a while. I just like driving a truck. I think the SD will perform the work you have for it and will feel like a truck.

My father has a '93 F150 and compaired to my '98 his feels more like the light duty. He's got the 5.0 but my 4.6 has more get up and go. I had a '94 F150 with the 4.9 I6. That felt like a truck. It was an XL so there wer no frills. It couln't go all that fast but that 300-6 was quite torqey. My '98 is still better. I like the looks of the last gen F150 but the preasant version has really grown on me. I don't think it looks efeminate at all. As far as F150's go, I'd say the preasant is the best one yet. The next gens will be out in the fall. It will take some time for that to grow on me too but it will be one tough F150.

I know that your not happy with what Ford has to offer. Have you seen anything from CHevy or Dodge that works? If you go with the SD I think in time you will find that they are still built Ford Tough!

FOUNDONROADDEAD, I'm glad you like your Chevy. That 350ci is tried and true. From a performance stand point, modular technology is the way to go. You can keep your push-rod motor. And you will untill Chevy and Dodge jump on the band wagon. You think they won't but when CAFE puts the squeeze on they will have to to meet requirements. Yep, the 350ci is a good motor but I perfer my high reving OHC. It breathes real good and doen't have all thoes unnecessary parts sloshing around in there.