I know I am new to this site, but I am very curious. I bought a Ford F150 2005 screw cab and was totally against Fords. I have owned mostly foreign all my life (56) and can say with confidence the Japanese vehicles have been the most reliable. I started with British sportscars, and you can conclude they were probably the worst, but they taught me my mechanical skills, especially when I used to race them in Spain. I have owned German (Opel and VW) and they were OK. I also owned one mercedes 190E and must say it was one of the finest engineered vehicles I have every driven, and also one of the best handling for a sedan. One swedish car (very old Volvo) and it was built like a tank, but still very tempermental. Lots of Honda's and one Lexus (I still have after 8years). Both have been quite good. One Dodge Caravan. Did well considering 146k miles and no major issues. My friends swear by General Motors. I have worked on all of these including my friends GM cars and trucks. I Have had the worst luck with the American cars Ford and GM and find them well engineered on whole but cheapened up on the parts designed for failure. I just bought an ESP for my ford after experiencing a fuel injector failure, blowing out the Catalytic converter. I was price wise the same between a Tundra crew and my ford. Opted for the ford only because I casually tow a 5000 lb travel trailer. Why do we get so caught up in buying products that are inherently less reliable? My GM buddy claims all the parts are cheaper to replace, I feel that may be true, but The Toyota parts last longer. How do you all feel? I know this is a site for hard core Ford lovers, but one mechanical guy to all you, what do you really feel? From the land of no rust and snow (California) to all of you folks that care about your vehicles. By the way Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!! Tom

 

I can honestly say that I HATE foreign cars and trucks, absolutely hate them with all my gut. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mercedes etc... I give them a big thumbs down, I hate those jab things they call cars and trucks.

I am a American Lover when it comes to cars and trucks, Ford, Chevy Dodge, are famous big 3 is what I love, all pure American Union built. Out of those 3 companies, Ford is my top choice, I buy nothing but Ford products and love Ford way more then I would with a Toyota or a Honda.

need a say more?

 

My vehicle resume is a former chevrolet guy that had an AMC jeep prior to this.

In my 15 years of having a driver license, and 16 years riding prior to that.... I have come to the conclusuion that they all break down occasionally. I have been left along side the road by every make and just about every model of all vehilces to role off an assembly line at some point in my life. Ok maybe thats a stretch.... minus a few exocitcs and super exotics...... lol

Maintnence is the key to keeping them all on the road, the more you know about the vehicle the better you are at doing prevenitve maintence because you know that makers weak spots so can be sure to maintain that and monitior it's use closer than the rest of the car.

I am a firm beliver that if someone has alot of trouble with a make of vehicle there is only 2 possibilities....
1. they may have got a lemon, all manufacturers of any product have them

or the second option

2. It is ignorance of the product. They failed to properly maintain it.

I tend to jump to #2 especially if they have multiple problems. (IE not the same one over and over again indicating a lemon.)

I drive a 2006 2500 4x4 chevrolet company truck.....
There are some things I like about it.
But over all for parts quality, parts fit, build quality, ride comfort, payload, and over all performance I prefer my 6 year old f150 2wd with 90K extra miles on it.
If I had my choice between the 2 of them for the same money, and resale was the same or with in a few thousand dollars.... I'd take my F150 100 times over.

 

I respect your love for American, But that is what I find a weak point now that huge percentages of what is in these trucks are made in Mexico and elswhere. Your opinion is well respected and I am American first, but dont want to be consumer "last". Quite frankly I enjoy hearing this, but Why are American companies bent on putting out products that were great on the drawing boards, but when the bean counters and board of directors say cheapen it up and make our bottom line, heck with the consumer I am very unhappy. What happen to American first, product and bottom line? A bunch of Ivy league board of directors pad their pocket first and say good by America the land of quality. No wonder foam falls off the space shuttle,.....
I have always felt dont do the job unless you do it right. Just pondering on this rainy day in sunney California.

 

quit your UNION babble......you and your "boys" are the reason the American lines are near extinction.......$70+/yr to work the line?.......same reason why you and your "boys" are ruining our economy and causing the dollar to fall.....


......as for the original poster......I like my FX4 SCREW.....no problems yet....

 

Whoa! Yes the unions are another discussion to long to do here, Glad you like you FX.

 

we get into that one all the time.... since it was brought up I predict a soon to be derailed thread here.....

 

 

If it weren't for the Union many many many people would not have a decent job to live on. I can't see how anyone would want to work Non-union and get paid crap and have to work 3 different jobs to make what a single Union job would make.

Union is the way to go!

also...Lenore, you have an F-150? You don't like it??

 

Mountaineer suffers from Union-Think and thus unable to form a thought on his own.

I am very happy with my F-150 and my 92 Mustang. No problems 3 years in. My wife has a Toyota that is 6-7 years old and not a lick of problems either.

I prefer Fords but will buy whatever brand has the best quality for the price I'm willing to pay.

 

 

and how much does that make the product cost?????

You got it 3 times more.... (actually more becsaue it takes a union worker twice as long so takes twice as many) so the actual cost is 6 times more. So you have to make 7 times more to be getting ahead..... You need to be making 6 times more to buy thte product made by union workers than if it was made by non union

So arent you losing ground?
And directly the cause for america as awhole to lose ground?



Edited to add:
As far as pay goes....
I'd be willing to bet my non union W2 has at;east 1 and probably 2 more digits on it than your union pay.......

 

My first car was a '72 MGB---and I found out why the British drink their beer warm---that Lucas (who provides the alternaors etc) also makes fridges. Great car---fun to drive---when it ran.

My brother has owned nothing but Hondas---250k minimum---one had nearly 300k---their engines are very well built.

I love my Ford truck---and I also own a '03 Ford Taurus and a '01 Mercury Sable. All have been excellent vehicles. I would not hesitate to buy another. The vehicle themselves have been well constructed---my general beef would be with the dealerships---or, as others call them---stealerships.
People in the industry will tell you that, while Fords are excellent vehicles, Toyota and Honda have set the trend for dealership effectiveness; their dealerships set the standard, (at least from what I have heard from an engineer at Ford) for customer satisfaction.

I would not hesitate to buy another Ford---and their trucks day-in and day-out prove why they are #1.

Tim C.

 

In my opinion this whole world is going back wards.

Back in 1982, the biggest earning company was GM moters with a pay scale of $21.00 an hour for there workers. Today in 2006 the biggest company now is Walmart with a pay scale of 7.25. Everybody is going cheep in this world now a days, which in return causing people to work there butts off even more today then in the past to keep up with the cost of living.

I'm just trying my best to make you guys try to understand that Unions are here to protect there workers un-like what walmart has done.

everything was going great in the 80's, now today everyone wants to go cheep thinking it will solve everything, but you get what you pay for.

Union, you can be guaranteed a great product and know its done right the first time!

 

Speaking of unions---a ref I have worked with in the past is employed at the Honda plant in Marysville, Ohio---which makes the Accord. Everytime the UAW tries to get in---the union is voted down. My buddy's response is, "Why should I pay union dues for benefits I already basically get for free?"

There are at least three Honda pants here in Ohio---one makes Civics, one makes Accords, and one makes engines. I admit that the profits go back to Japan, but the people employed there seem to be, for the most part, very happy with their situations. Before Honda came to Marysville, all it was known for was Scott's Fertilizer and a Womens' Corrctional Facility!

Tim C.