I have seen pros & cons posted here concerning the 2004 Screw. Well to tell the truth I kinda missed my 2001 XLT and 2003 FX4 when I first went into the 04 XLT. I bought my first Screw in August 2000 and my 03 Screw in August 2002. When I got the 04 this summer I went with Captains chairs because I really liked the look on the new interior design accompanied by the center console. My other two were front bench seats.

At first I was disappointed with the firmer feel of the seats. They didn't feel quite as cushy as the 01 and 03 front bench seats. The same applied to the back seats. But after a couple of months I really do like the support and comfort of the front seats (just took some reprogramming of four years in the others) and they are actually more comfortable than the others especially on a long trip. However, the rear seats are a diffrent subject. They are less comfortable than the old Screw backseats. Not a lot but it is noticeable on long rides. Also I do not like the rear seat fold up rather than the old style of fold down. Also there is no gap under the rear seat to hide a snow/ice scraper or umbrella, and the old behind the rear seat hidden storage is a thing of the past. However, after sometime in the new design the pluses outweigh the minuses.


The new redesigned interior is really nice. I do miss the direction and temp indicator being on the overhead. They moved it to the instrument panel. However the overhead rail system is a nice touch. There is more interior storage spaces and cupholders. Not that big a deal but a nice touch. Moving the rear 12v accessory to behind the center console was also nice along with vents for rear seat passengers.


The truck definitely handles better and is more responsive. From a standing start acceleration (5.4L V-8) seems about the same even with the new beefed up engine. Probably due to the extra 500 lbs or so of additional weight. However, passing is still a breeze and plenty of reserve power. Actually seems to do a little better than both of my other Screws in that category, and they were excellant. The ride seems a little smoother and is even quieter than my other Screws if you can believe that. The transmission seems to shift smoother and quieter under load. I am seeing comparable gas mileage 14 mpg city & 18 mpg highway. They did a good job with the new design, it was just hard getting used to after being in the other style for so long.

In the overall assessment I like the 04 over my 01 & 03 Screws. I can certainly see why Motor Trend made this their 2004 truck of the year. Anyone wanting to visit that review and watch the video here is the link:

http://www.motortrend.com/av/112_04_toy_f150/index.html

 

Wow MtnMike! Good to see you man. I remember when you got your 03 Screw as you and I chatted quite awhile back then about the Screws.

I can't believe that you got an 04! But good for you man and Im glad you like it.

I still have my 03 and outside of a few minor things so far, I love the truck. I have not yet test driven an 04 for fear that I will like it a lot better than my 03.

Post some pics of your new ride man. What color/options did you get?

Take care,

Jag

 

Hey Jaguar,

Yep I haven't posted in these forums in forever. The 04 is silver. I got tired of the darker colors always showing dirt so thought I'd try something different. The 04 is what I described and it grows on me daily. No rap on the 03 or my 01. They were both great trucks. I'll try to get some pics up when I can. Good hearing from you.

 

Good thoughts and I agree with everything you said.

While I didn't make a Screw to Screw switch, I came back to a Ford truck in a round-a-bout way. Compared to the dash layout and setup of my 2000 Lightning, there is no comparison. The 2004 setup is light years ahead.

My biggest initial concern was blind spots and smaller windows due to the taller bed/sides. It was awkward at first, but I'm used to the view now - it just takes a little more up and down head bobbing to see everything. As soon as I find time, I'm gonna grab a couple of blind spot mirrors and the problem will be gone.

Overall, this thing is really nice - smooth, quiet, everything you'd want from a "luxury" vehcile. In fact, the ride and comfort is equal to my 4x2 Sequoia. I'm very impressed and can't wait to take the ~1,000 mile trip I have scheduled next month.

 

I just went from a 2002 Supercrew to a 2004. MTNMIKE I agree with you on the back seat and not folding down. It was nice to hae the storage behind the seat, on the right side I had my Tiedown straps and bungee cords and on the left I had the RF deck to my ham radio transceiver.

The front captains seats I agree were a little firmer than the '02 but now after 1 long trip provide great support. I drive 37 miles one way to work, 50 -60 minutes, and 40 miles to my marina 1.2 hours and the seats feel great even after sitting in the shore traffic.

I am glad I went the way I did and have no regrets.

Richard l. Dunklee, Jr
NR2D
'04 F150 Supercrew Larriet 4x4, 5.4l

 

I too have a silver XLT Crew. They look really sweet with tinted windows! If you haven't already done this, you should.

 

Congtrat's on the '04 S'crew! I'm still driving my '02 & really do like it. I've got 65,000 miles w/o problems. Oh yes, I had one bad coil @ 34000 miles, but no other problems. I like the looks of the '04s, but wish they made a "manual" transfer case. Good luck!

 

I love my 2001 Gen1 Supercrew. I'm going to keep her for onother 10 years.