Todd2004;

I had a 2001 Super Crew, 5.4L, 4x4 with the 3.55LS. That thing was always barking the tires. Unfortunately the truck was unexpectedly destroyed.

A couple of days after the big wreck, I stopped at my favorite Ford dealer and placed an order for a new 2004. Never even thought about asking to take a test drive first...

Well, after about 3 months I got the call to come pick up the new ride. I wrote them a check, they handed me the keys and off I went.

Now, I was used to the 2001 that had plenty of snot and was always barking the tires. I'm thinking to myself....new 3 valve engine= more power. 3.73 gear ratio= even more power (and worse fuel mileage) This thing should snap your neck when you punch it. NOT SO! Well it is to late....but I'm wishing I had test driven a new 2004 before ordering. I was not impressed with the get up and go.

I drove it home and tossed my wife the keys to her new commuter car. A couple of days later, she asked me if I had noticed how doggy the truck was compared to the 01. My wife rarely says anything about what she is driving. So the new truck must be sluggish if she noticed.

A couple of months had passed and I started getting bored and needed a project. I ordered a Borla exhaust system thinking if the exhaust made the truck sound like it had some power I might not notice how sluggish it was. The exhaust was delivered and about an hour later it was installed. Cranked her up and was thrilled with the throaty rumble.

I backed out of the garage, dropped it in drive, and the second I touched the accelerator, I could tell the new 2004 had come to life! What a remarkable difference in the way this thing runs. As good as the 2001?......NOPE! BETTER!!


As far as the seats go...I really like them, no complaints at all.

I agree with you on the matter of body trim. I would have like to at least had the option to order it. Fortunately there is a lot of aftermarket trim available. Mine will be sporting some in the near future.

Find yourself a good dealer that will sell to you near invoice price (or below). That combined with the rebates will make you a sweet deal. Take that rebate money and buy a good exhaust system right away.....you'll love your new truck!!!

 

19+ mpg!? I want your truck

 

Thanks guys....

I appreciate the info.

Neil - the exhaust system you installed: was that a dual exhaust system to replace the factory single? What did it set you back?

Thanks.

 

Todd2004, I went with the Borla single inlet, single outlet (SISO) exhaust system.

I really would have liked to have a dual side outlet, but Borla didn't offer it...and I had my mind made up that I wanted Borla!!

I think I got a heck of a good price in this system, $426.11 delivered to my door. I ordered mine from BTPerformance. They sell on ebay all the time, and they price matched the amount noted above.

There has been a price increase, but surprisingly www.driverfx.com is still showing $406.11 plus $20.00 shipping.

Anyone interested in a Borla SISO....you might want to grab one at this price!!

Installation was unbelievably easy. No skinned knuckles and it went so fast there wasn't time for a beer break.

 

Neil could you tell me what happened in the accident with your supercrew.

Was everyone okay! I always worry when the roof crushes down that far. It's hard to believe it crushed so far if it just rolled over on it.

It sure was a nice looking truck


Thanks Bear

 

Beardoge: heres the short version....

My wife was on her way to work driving approx 55 mph on a two lane road. She was negotiating a gradual sweeping left hand curve (S curve).

A young kid that had been up in Reno NV and awake all night, left Reno early that morning. We all believe that he fell asleep, but he claims he swerved to miss a squirrel. Anyway, he crosses the center line. My wife did her best to get out of his way, but the front of his car hit the left rear tire and wheel of the truck.

It knocked the axle backwards, and tossed the back end of the truck up in the air. The impact also caused the truck to rotate counter-clockwise 90 degrees. The right side tires got a good bite on the pavement and the truck rolled. I think for a split second the whole thing may have been airborne and then slammed down hard on the right side near the roof line. All of the marks indicate that it rolled 1-1/2 times and then slid over some boulders that were about 2ft in diameter.

My wife was unconscious and they took her to the trauma center by flight-care helicopter ($9000.00 bucks for less than a 10 mile ride).

She wound up with fractured C2 and C3 vertebrae, and lots of glass ground into her scalp and left wrist.

She seems to have recovered quite well with a slight loss in the range of motion in her neck, and a slight continual tingling on her left side from some minor spinal cord damage.

Considering the alternative (the surgeons said that the was about 1 millimeter away from becoming a quadriplegic) I think we'll be happy with the stiff neck and tingling.

The kid and his passenger (who was also asleep) both walked away with out a scratch. ( he should have at least got a nosebleed from the air bag!!)

 

Neil thanks for the reply I am so glad that your wife is mostly okay.

The $9000.00 Big deal when it's someone you love.. I realize your just letting me know about the price but when it comes to something like that price really doesn't matter does it ....


Did you sue the other driver and if you didn't why not.. In Michigan you would have a half a dozen lawyers on the scene helping out!


Once again glad everything is okay.

 

The kid had a whopping $20,000 dollar limit on his insurance policy. He is 19 years old and driving grandmas car and living with her as well. So there isn't much to try to sue for.

We did hire an attorney and he is doing his best to bring this all to an acceptable conclusion. I figure we'll know something in a year or two.

 

Neil,
I am also glad to hear your wife is ok . Those are some nice pictures of your new truck and dog , pics of your wife's truck are amazing

 

maybe on collision... I'm sure your state has requirements on minimum amounts for liability.

Definitely talk to a lawyer that specializes in this kind of thing.

You may be surprised how much money you could get from the insurance company.

 

I believe the minimum liability coverage here in CA is 15 thousand. THATS RIDICULOUS!!!

 

that blows.

In my province we have minimum 500,000 with upgrades available for a minimum additional charge.

 

Neil-
Glad to hear everything turned out okay (for the most part). It sucks, but things could've been much worse - especially had she not been in a truck. Story time, kids.

Back in college, my roommate bought an extended cab '99 F-150. Not long after, he was heading to his dad's house for Christmas. On a dark country road at dusk, he came up on a car with no lights (brake or otherwise) in the middle of the road. He swerved to go around her on the left, but she proceeded to turn left in front of him. Trying to avoind t-boning her, he swerved back right to the shoulder and saw two kids walking down it towards him. He swerved back left and wound up going across the road, into the ditch, and jumping someone's driveway/culvert at about 60mph. Upon landing, his front driver's corner bit and he started flipping and rolling. A witness said he flipped end over end twice and rolled three times. The only thing that happened to him was a scratch on his hand from punching out his driver's side window to get out. (Funny thing is, he said all his other windows were completely gone - in his state, he didn't realize it, though, and thought he had to punch out his side one).

When the cops got to the scene, they didn't belive that he was the one driving (because of the way the truck looked vs his lack of injuries). It turns out that the two kids bolted (I can only imagine to change their drawers) before the cops came and the old lady who's lack of lights/signaling helped cause the whole thing stopped in her driveway. During her statement, my roommate heard her say "I don't know why - I've almost been in three wrecks here in the past few months." My roommate said he'd never wanted to beat an old lady so bad in his life.

When telling the story, the roommate says he doesn't really remember rolling or anything. He remembered seeing the kids and remembered hitting the driveway - after that, he said he blacked out. The only feeling he recalled was the proverbial "life flashing before your eyes," but he said it was more of a bright, calming feeling where, in his words, you think "Man, I'm fixing to die." Pretty crazy stuff.

Anyway, point of this all is that, after gathering himself, he looked at what was left of his truck and thought "I'm never driving anything other than an F-150 for as long as I live." He said with the way the truck looked vs the hit he didn't take, there was no question as to future purchases.

Just putting in my $0.02.

DUCK