I'm a chevy fan but the supercrew trucks seem to meet my needs better than the hd1500 for a tow veh. due to my wife wanting the shorter truck for every day driving. My knowledge of Fords is minimal. Is there anything I should Know prior to purchasing one? What would be a fair price to pay for a 2003 4x2 with the 5.4?
Thanks, Bob

 

There are good deals out there right now. In the past 2 years I have had 3 SCREWS. I love the truck I have now. No Complaints.

 

I would bet you will be satisfied with the S'crew. I drove Chevies for most of my life, but the S'crew fits my needs perfectly. I have the XLT (no leather, no 17" wheels) 2wd w/5.4L engine. If you are going to "tow", go for the 5.4L w/towing package. I am pretty sure the 4X4s have 3.73 rear axle ratios (mine is 3.55). Towing package has "extra" transmition cooler (5.4L automatically comes w/cooler). I see new '03 S'crews advertised for $21 to $22 thousand (probably 2wd w/4.6L). The FX4s are probably more at least $4000 more (really have not checked). I saw that Chevy is bringing out a "short bed" 4 door 1/2 ton in '04. The HD1500 is heavier than the S'crew by about 2000#, so they are bringing out a lighter version. Good Luck

 

I tow all the time with my 02 Screw with the fx4 package...I like the 3.55 gears because the rpms are lower when going down the highway with overdrive off...

 

we tow a Rockwood Travel trailer that weights about 5700 ready for a trip.

The 4x2s with the 3.55 are rated to tow more than the 4x4s which come with the 3.73.

I have a 4x2 with the 3.55LS.

 

Hate to tell you this and I know some people are going to be mad at me but here it is. My 01 screw with a 3.55 rear and a 5.4 engine is not a powerful tow vehicle. I tow my travel trailer ( about 5200 lbs.) with my F150 and my Yukon XL. The Yukon kicks the F150's butt. My Ford just doesn't have the power the 5300 Yukon has. Now once I get up to speed the Ford tows really great but I'll not be towing in the mountains with it like I do with the Yukon. The truck is running fine and has no problems so thats not an issue. By the way, I was in the woods this last week doing some scouting for deer season and it really pulled me through some deep swampy stuff. The Yukon would have dropped out of sight in some of that water.

 

IMO, I think you should get at least a 3/4 ton if you plan on using it as a tow vehicle. Otherwise you are likely to be disappointed.

 

If you are looking to tow as your primary objective, then get a 3/4 ton.

 

What are you going to tow? How much does it weigh? How often do you need to tow it? These are the questions you need to answer to help determine how much truck you need.

I tow a 4500# boat and trailer about 6 times a year. If it were any more, I would probably consider a 3/4 ton. The 5.4 with 3.55 gears, AC on, 6000ft elevation...just doesn't have enough umph to satisfy me. Don't get me wrong, it gets the job done, just needs to work a lot harder than I like. I hate to suggest a GM product, but you might want to look at the Chevy/GMC 3/4 ExCab with a 6.0 and 4.10's. It's a nice tow vehicle and about the same overall size as a Screw (probably cheaper too).

Good luck.

 

At 6000feet, any engine will have to work hard, minus a PSD.

 

I agree with the others that if you are going to tow a lot then get the larger truck. If you want to tow with the Supercrew then you should stick with the 2x4 with the 5.4 and tow package, but get the smaller if not the smallest tires/wheels as this will lower the final gearing of the truck. Smaller tires=more tourque. You will have to make a few more REVs on the freeway but it will help you on those hills.

The other option is to get the truck you want 2x4 is much better for towing unless you tow offroad or launch a boat all the time. That option is to get the truck and then pay about $800 plus bucks to get the gears changed out to say 4.10 gears, then you should be able to tow quite a bit with no problems.

One thing I will say about the 5.4 is that it is a torquey engine that will not disapoint as long as you have it geared right. Large tires with the stock 3.55s will making towing a nightmare not to mention a strain on your driveline.

If you wait for the 2004s coming out later this year you may have some more choices on the gearing that comes with the truck also you will have a more powerful 5.4 to boot!

 

I second the poster above that the 4x2 does indeed tow better than a 4x4....tow ratings reflect that as well.

 

I forgot to answer your other question: if you find the Screw is right for your needs, you should be able to get around $8000 off MSRP without qualifying for any special rebates.

 

As others have said it really comes down to how much you are going tow. With the 2003s you can get some really great deals, and it will do a decent job with light duty towing <5000 lbs.

People talk a lot about power but don't forget about the brakes! or the transmission. The chevy 1500HD has a 6.0L engine that is more powerful, has the heavy duty transmission, but does *not* have the HD brakes. It gets pretty crappy gas mileage. It is also more expensive. It is really more like a light-duty 3/4 ton.

Overall, the Screw drives much better, is easier to park and much more popular (which comes into play in finding aftermarket parts and accessories).

The thing to keep in mind, is everything changes with the 2004 models, where the Screw gets a big bump up in terms of towing and other upgrades. Of course, the deals won't be immed. available....

 

I read so much about Superduty trucks being the way to go for towing over on the RV websites. But, the Superduty with a diesel is way too much for my everyday commuter.

I have a '03 SuperCrew with a 5.4l and 3.55 gears. I have a 21' Jayco Kiwi Hybrid travel trailer that weighs in at about 4500lbs loaded to camp. The 'Screw does a great job. Took it into the NC mountains last week and it never complained. Towed very gracefully.

The Chevy 1500 (I never looked at Dodge), makes it's torque higher in the RPM band than the Ford. I want torque low in the RPM band, that's how I get the trailer moving. The Ford is very capable of towing.

I purchased, three months ago, a '03 XLT Supercrew 4x2 with tow pkg, power moonroof, chrome step bars, 17" Wheel upgrade, limited slip rear, and some other little stuff for $25k and some change. That was $7k off sticker.

When I'm 62 and no longer commute, a F-250 Diesel and a fiver is in order, but not now.