Personal opinion: SC, but go with the Lariat trim level. It's a bit more, but you get a lot more for the bucks. Some of what you have listed as option, or 'easy fix' comes standard with the Lariat. One thing, the Lariat will be a much better ride, and for not that much more. I also went with the 5.4L engine. Fuel economy (if you keep your foot out of it, is not much different than the 4.6) and when you need a little extra oomph, the 5.4 has it.

 

fuel specs are from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

I've been pretty good with hitting their averages.

larryp: I really don't want/like leather seats. Also, the only "easy fix" for the F150 is an MP3 player and it's not a big deal to me. I appreciate your reply *nods*

 

Corpsie,

So that is what auto lamp is... and yep, my truck has it... I pretty much leave it in that mode and let the ambient light turn my lights on for me...

I really didn't want leather seats when I got mine either but now that I have them, I like them... they clean up so much easier than the cloth... but watch out in the summer! They get hot as sin in the sun... wish they had seat warmers when I got mine. Bit chilly in the winter. Ford sent us a SuperCrew fleece blanket we keep in the truck for the wife to sit on when she gets in it in the extreme conditions (hot or cold).

Note, my window switch doesn't "click" between the go all the way down vs go down until I tell it to stop. I haven't messed with figuring out where the threshold is... I either just mash it down all the way or push gently until the window goes down to where I want it.

Guess something you don't have in your comparision chart is the availablity of after aftermarket accessories / parts. The Trac is "modeled" after the explorer but doesn't share many parts with it. Not sure where the Escape's roots are at. The SCrew shares a good chunk of pieces/parts with the Expy and F-150/SC. So it's been pretty easy to find accessories designed for the Screw (cuz they were designed for the Expy or F-150). Admittedly though, there are still some significant differences.

Also, since you are getting into the detailed comparisions, you might add turning radius to your Drivablity section.

Are your '-' indicators of "don't care's" or "not an option" cuz you have several for the screw that I have on my truck like the keypad. (I really recommend this, when it's cold out, I'll go start the truck a bit before we are ready to leave and lock it while it warms up. DON'T EXPECT THE KEY FOB TO OPEN THE DOORS ONCE ITS RUNNING! CUZ THEY WON'T! It's designed this way. And the wife likes getting in warm truck)

Couple of other things that come to mind if you are detailing the vehicles:

Spare tire - where's it located and how hard is it to get at. Is it a full size tire or a doughnut.

Childlocks on the rear doors (think this might be federal standard but ought to check)

Tie downs in the bed - does it have them, where are they located. If they are too high off the bed you can't tie down low profile articles, if they are too low, you can't reach them easily with a large item in the bed. What kind are they? Ford had a funky Y shaped tie down the year before my truck, mine are a D-ringish thing. The Y-shaped ones were prone to bending under heavy stress... a friend of mine had a 1998 F150SC with the Y-shaped ones and bought the D-shaped ones for my screw after he had one bend enough to allow the tiedown to come free.

Gadget pockets/storage... do you have alot of stuff you stash in the rig, then you probably need lots of these stash pockets...

Cup holders - believe it or not this is an issue with my year of SCrew... the F150SC has one cup holder in the center seat fold down, mine has 2. However, the storage compartment in the fold down is bigger than mine. They made up for the single holder in the F150SC by adding some pull out cup holders under the ash tray... a bit of a reach but since the passenger will most likely use it, not so bad. Mine has 2 cup holders in the dash to the passenger side as well but one of them is consumed with the ash tray (which I use for a coin holder). Don't forget the cup holders for the people in the back as well.

Speaking of coin holder, do each of the vehicles you are interested in have them or do you even care?

Glove box space, big enough for you?

Seat belts for the hump riders? Lap belt or 3 point? (saftey issue)

Center seat comfort, or is it a care?

Rear windows go all the way down?

Oh ***** bar placement... my wife likes ours being more on the A pillar (next to the fron window, vs above the door). She is 5'2" and my truck has the 17" tires and the off road package so she needs all the help she can get to get into it unassisted. If the oh ***** bar had been above the door, she would be SOL.

Radio/ Temperature control placement... are they comfort able for you to get at.



The list goes on... if I think of more I post but this is really getting into the details. But think about it.. .if you are going to be driving this thing everyday for the next 10 years, you better like it or be able to lump it with a smile.

Cheleri

 

Cheleri,

I've had plenty of experience with leather seats and the only "acceptable" seats were in a Saab 9-5 with the heating and cooling options.

Besides molded mudflaps, hood deflectors, window deflectors, soft toneau cover, Line-X and possibly a new cat-back exhaust; I don't really need/want any aftermarket parts that I can think of right now.

ON my list "-" means not available or only available with special packages I won't get (like the keypad that only comes with the Lariat)

I added some of the stuff you mentioned. As for storage space, I usually keep a backpack in my truck to store crap in (such as a breaker bar, sockets, extension, etc..). 5th passenger comfort isn't a concern because I'll be the only person with this size vehicle (most of my friends have rangers or 2 door cars)

FYI: OMG grab handle position = oh my god handle (same as the "oh $h*t handle")

 

Corpsie,

Not pushin the leather seats, just givin my opinion. Looking at the new and improved list I can answer a few more ? you have for the Screw...

Turning radius for my truck is 22' (44' diameter, measured it in my driveway tonight).

No offical coin holder in the Lariats. Just the ash tray. Might have changed in newer years.

OMG handle is still on the A pillar in the 2002 model.

Radio and climate control are within easy grasp for me... again, tall fella but have long arms to go with em... in fact, this is the first vehicle I have EVER driven that I don't put the seat all the way back to drive it. More comfortable a couple of inches forward of all the way back.

What do you mean when you ask for "wheel track"?

E

 

If your down to that much nitty-gritty and you still don't have an emotional opinion yet, try this on. Consumer reports gave the 2000 & 2001 F-150 4x2 pick-ups a best buy rating. These trucks were rated to be the best when it came to repairs and reliablity. I also haul my grandkids quite a bit in the back, and I can get 3 car seats back there quite easily, you have a power point in the back for my camping cooler, and when I fold the seats down, there's plenty of room for more camping gear. It's just bigger back there. After that, you need to choose before the 2003's come out! Good luck

 

P.S. Put your back pack back in the closet... there is mucho space behind the back seats.... I have the jack, jack handle, 18" X lug wrench, first aid kit, 4 racheting tie downs, tow strap, light weight wind/rain jacket, hitch and ball (take it out of the reciever so I can park in the garage without it getting in the way), 2 5' cable locks with locks on each eye let (so I can lock things down in the bed to the tie downs), Quart of oil, and a partridge in a pear tree behind the seats. And there is still room for a few more goodies.. just haven't figured out what they are yet.

Cheleri

 

Wheel Track = distance width measurement (similar to wheelbase length measurement)

I had a chance to sit in the Escape and the F150 supercrew again. The battle is really comfort versus nimbleness and comfort seems to be winning.
Obviously, I have to consider comfort and ergonomics as they are a factor in driver fatigue. 400+ mile trips can take a toll on one's body and it's not safe if energy is wasted due to improper seating position, etc...

Vehicle nimbleness is a big factor when driving in tight conditions. I'm still trying to figure out the % of the time where I have ever been in too tight of a squeeze to drive. My current estimated amount is <5%.

Things are finally becoming a bit clearer (thankfully).

(me thinks Cheleri works for the leather industy )

 

What realy sold me on the Screw was rear seat leg room . The specs. show the S-trak to have more rear leg room . The real test was when I sat in the drivers seat and adjusted it to my liking . I then got into the back seat drivers side . In the S-trak my knees were against the drivers seat and in the Screw my knees had a couple inches of clearance . So much for the specs.

Good luck , I vote for the Screw. I have no regrets over my choice .

 

I almost forgot about that

*makes note to check rear room in the s-trac*

 

Not Leather industry... satellite industry... about 23,000 miles apart The power plug in the back is a really nice option too. I have a Coleman cooler that is DC powered... love to not have to mess with ice and all the crap that goes with it on long drives.

Good luck and happy Easter.

Cheleri

 

I sat in a Sport Trac last week, man, fit and finish went down the tubes on those things.

The rear seat leg room was acceptable, but the seats were too "plush" and clingy.

 

I have looked at all 3 of the vehicles you are considering. If you are considering the Sport Trac and Escape, you may find the SuperCrew a bit on the large side.

I personally found the SportTrac to be a nice truck, but very underpowered.

I loved the Escape and found it to be very well rounded. Being on a car chassis, I found it much more roomy than the Sport Trac or 2 door Explorer.

I think you would be happier in the Escape over the Explorer.



Now this is a Ford board but I would suggest you also test drive the Dakota Quad Cab and Jeep Liberty. You may like them more, or like them less. But you are spending a whole lot of money, you had better be 100% happy with what you buy.

 

Watching my Sport Trac get rocked...I had to say something.

Obviously, if size is a priority for 5 passengers or significant hauling/towing duties, you would not be considering the Escape. Therefore, you probably want to consider other angles.

Last July I purchased a Sport Trac over the Supercrew for my personal vehicle for a couple primary reasons:

Size: The Sport Trac size meant I could easily fit in my garage and find parking spots around town much easier.

Functional Design: It sounds like a stupid reason to purchase a vehicle but the rear window and factory hard tonneau are fantastic. With the window down and the cover on, I can load lumber and even a kayak in through the back window, tie them down and go. Unless you add bed racks, you can't carry long loads in the Supercrew (the puny manual window is pathetic and impossible to reach from the driver's seat). My dog also loves the big rear window. The tonneau design for the Sport Trac (split in the middle) is far superior to anything I have seen in the aftermarket for any trucks.

Stying: It ain't boring...

Gas Mileage: you guys that claim 18 mpg with the Supercrew and a 5.4L are full of it...with the 4.6L supercab, I see 15 mpg at best. The Sport Trac gets about 16 city and 19 highway...for real.

I love the Sport trac but would sell it for a Supercrew if the following changes were made:
1. Update the styling (too bland)
2. Automatic roll down window of reasonable size
3. A spilt tonneau cover (like the Sport Trac)
4. 4.5L Powerstroke Diesel

I guess I would be willing to deal with searching for parking spots and having less room in my garage if these changes were made. Until then...I'll be happy with the Sport Trac.

 

Hi,

I owned a 2001 Sport Trac for about 6 months. I traded it for a 2001 SCrew for the following reasons:

1. Horrible stiff ride
2. Wind noise on the driver's side. Supposedly caused by the roof rack
3. Lousy gas mileage 14-16 mpg. The SCrew gets 16-17 mpg
4. I felt crowded inside


Tommy