My comparison chart

I'm looking for the +'s and -'s of each vehicle. As you can see, I'm getting down to the nitty gritty about this.

If i'm missing a feature, please tell me. If I'm missing an operating cost, tell me.

I'm looking for value added comments and not "the sport trac sux!!".

Thanks.

P.S. I completely understand why people hate shopping for new vehicles.

 

Look into the number of recalls on the escape. It may be better now but it was not good to start.

 

No contest. Here's the +: you choose a SCrew. Here's the -: you choose any other.

 

Whew, you have been doing your homework haven't you? GEESH!


I'm not going to say 'Sport Trac Sucks' but, I will tell you this. They're questionable. I too was in the same shoes as you back in November. I had narrowed my search down to a SCREW and a TRAC. Talked with two repair shops (one Ford, one privately owned). Both leaned towards the SCREW simply because it was an F150/expedition and, according to them, they neither had seen consistant problems with the Expy or F150. Of course they followed this statement up with a 'All vehicles have some types of problems... blah blah...'.

Thus, here I am driving a King Ranch SCREW. Also, keep in mind, I'm living smack dab in the middle of EXPLORER COUNTRY. They make explorers about 10 minutes from my house. The factory is here in Louisville... thus, the people that I talked to are VERY experienced in Explorers and FORD's in general. There are A BUNCH of Fords running around in Louisville. Not only do they make the Explorers here, they make alot of the Super Duty trucks (250s and 350s) and Ford has a interior manufacturer here. Long story short, there are a bunch of "a-plan" folks running around and thus, a bunch of Trucks. (Sidenote: When you walk onto a Ford lot in this town, the first question out of the salesman's mouth is 'ARE YOU A-PLAN?'.)

Not sure about your other choices but, safely eliminate the Sport Trac.... Good luck with your search!

 

Here's how I decided things: I needed to be able to carry 4 adults comfortable for reasonable to long distances. I wanted 4x4. I wanted to be able to carry a motorcycle in the back. I also wanted a nice, "classy" interior. I wanted it quiet too. I was coming out of a Jeep Wrangler, great truck but really loud on the highway.

I voted against the Sport-Trac because it was a little small on the interior. It didn't have carpeting, and the bed was just a little short. However, the spray-on floor covering is kind of cool, and the bed is very functional for most hauling needs.

Think about towing capacity too.

Bruce.

 

Sorry, couldn't help it, but it does...

Looks like you have done all of your "paper" homework, have you driven each of these vehicles? Now that you got that part down, go drive each one and I think the choice will be pretty clear...

Do you need a truck? The only truck here is the Screw, you can't really compare those other toys to it...

 

You're missing the most important detail. Which one do you like?

After all you will be paying for it.... If you do not like the ride, options, color selection when it is new think about a year from now when you are making payment #12 of 36,48 or 60 ....

 

I am with "sc Screw" on this one. You can get all the stats you want but it is a personal choice issue. In my case:

Supercrew vs Sporttrak

Gas milage =Sporttrak
Towing 31 ft trailer =Supercrew
3 Teenagers =Supercrew
Looks = Both

I think they are all good vehicles and my needs as well as wants say Supercrew but your needs are different than mine.


Off the record "GO FOR THE SUPERCREW".

 

I just got my SCREW about a month ago and went through a similar process although I was comparing the Dodge Ram 4door and also the Dakota and the Toyota Tacoma 4 door.

What it came down to for me was the following:

1. Comfort, I have a wife and two kids and since this was going to be our first new vehicle purchase in 13 years (I've had a lot of different comapny cars during that time) I had to make sure that we could all be comfortable on our trips up the coast.

THE SCREW WON HANDS DOWN IN THIS CATEGORY.......

2. Truck for your Money, When I saw that the 4 door versions of the Dakota and the Tacoma go for about the same price as a full size SCREW.

THE SCREW WINS HERE

3. Handeling, once I had it narrowed down to the Dodge Ram and the SCREW. I test drove both, even though the wife said she would never go for longer than 10 minutes in the backseat of the Dodge becuase, well, the dodge has truck seats in the back. I didn't like the way the dodge handled in traffic or in parking lots.
The SCREW was a pleasure to drive.

AGAIN THE SCREW WINS

4. Looks, as I pulled over to let the dealer drive the truck back to the lot so that I could sit in the back seat, I pulled up to a curb next to a park and there were a bunch of moms watching their kids play soccer. One mom says to the other "That is one nice looking truck" The other mom says "Oooooh I like that". I'm not joking this really happend.

I MADE UP MY MIND THAT SECOND.

DUDE BUY THE SCREW!!!!!!!!!

 

I own a SCrew and an Escape. The SCrew is a nicer truck. Even my wife, who was allowed to litteraly "buy anything you want" admits my SCrew is better than the Escape she chose.

Despite on a never ending list of pittance recalls on the Escape, it is a good vehicle. It gives the room of an SUV with the gas mileage of a mid sized car. I took a 1000 mile trip in it a few months back and it was great.

The SCrew IS quieter. It rides better. It sucks gas, and won't fit in a compact car parking spot. It tows, and it has a bed that I actually use.

I have had a bad experience with every Expolrer I have had contact with. My wife test drove a Trac when she picked the Escape. Two of my friends have them, without good luck. I'm sure they are fine vehicles, but I never seem to hear about the "fine" ones. Oddly, both of my friends are considering new ones, even despite the complaints.

 

Thanks for the replies.

New Questions: There are the "yellow" squares on my list (see link in my first post)

(1) Does the screw have Dual stage window down switch? Dual/single stage down: refers to the driver's window switch. If you push it down to 1 click, it automatically goes all the way down, that's single stage. If you push it down to one click, but it doesn't automatically go down, then push the switch down some more until the second click, which causes it to automatically go all the way down, that's dual stage.

(2). Getting the power seat includes autolamp, right?

(3). Do the center vents have shut Off switches? Can I stop call airflow to them?

(4). Are there rear floor ducts? (hidden under the seats possibly?)

My response to everyone's comments
I've driven them all. From most time driving to least time: F150's, Sport Trac, Escape. They all drive in the "fine" range, nothing really makes one stand out above the other. The F150 is smoother, but less nimble. The Escape is really nimble, but slightly rougher.

Adapting to the Screw won't be a problem, I have driven Excursions, F250's, Full Size Lincolns, Crown Victoria's, etc... and never had a problem.

The real battle is Screw Vs. Escape unless there are some unholy rebates for the Sport Trac. The sport trac is a new vehicle, with a fairly new engine and new transmission, that makes me nervous. The Screw is the same ol' F150 goodies that are time tested, the engine is old and trustworthy. The escape is new, new transmission, but the duratec engine has been around for a while.

I'm asking for everyone's opinion because I know that you all have real world experiences and I know that someone has a "I'm glad I had a Screw on this occasion because..."

BTW: I live in A-plan country (S.E. Michigan). If you don't get A-plan (or another vehicle discount) you're the minority. Dealerships here just assume A-plan, that's why everyone is so friendly, there's no haggling involved.

 

I have a 2001 Lariat 4x4 5.4... so here are the answers to your questions as they pertain to that year...

1) If you push part way down on the rocker button it will go until you let up... if you push the rocker button all the way to the bottom and let up, it will go all the way down. If you want to stop it.. just hit the up a sec and it will stop.

2) I have power seats but not sure what you mean by "autolamp". Clarify a bit and I will post a follow up.

3) I have 4 dash vents that each have flow control switches beneath or beside them... wife uses these alot... I like a little air flow all the time and she wears contacts so will shut them off or redirect them on the passenger side all the time.

4) I have a small vent underneath the drivers and passenger's front seats that have air flow according to the climate controls on the dash.. don't know of a way to close these those.

It's a little hard for us to help you with anything but facts... you haven't said what you are looking to get out of the vehicle. Give us an idea of what you expect to use the vehicle for and we can probably help you a bit better.

I looked at the Sport Trac when I was in the market (Didn't want an SUV so didn't even look at Escape) and it was a nice enough rig but I'm 6'4" and do a lot with friends and family who are of similar size. Camping, mountain biking, skiing, water skiing meant there is a lot of time I have a cab full, a bed full and a trailer behind me. The Screw won hands down in because of the space... I drive it every day to work and find it quite comfortable even if I am sitting in traffic (I can at least see what has everything all botched up . I won't say the Trac suxs cuz it probably doesn't, it just didn't fit my needs/wants.

Best of luck in your decision...

Cheleri

http://www.cheldelin.com/TheTruck/Index.htm

 

Cheleri

ON your headlight switch, is there a position that has a lightbulb with an "A" in it? That's autolamp, it turns on when the outside light level is low enough to dictate th euse of headlights. The headlights turn off, after a certain delay period, when the vehicle is shut off.

The only time I want facts is about features.

I'm not going to tell you what I'm looking for because that will bias any opinions/stories people may post here. I'm hoping that someone will point out something that I may not have considered yet.

Thanks for replying *nods*

(FYI) your reply to (1) indicates that it is a dual stage switch

 

personally I think the only thing that looks worse than a SportTrac is an Avalanche.


go with the SCrew!

Wes

 

Corpsie,

I see what your saying. One more feature that I probably should have considered was what type of online support you would get with you purchase. I really don't know what type of pages are set up for the escape but I do know that I have found out more about my new truck on this site than I would have anywhere else and I am so glad that this resource is availablr to me.

I like the fact that there is a place where you can find an unbiased opinion about all the good and the BAD that comes with owning the Screw.

Where did you get your milage numbers for the f150. They seem a bit high or optimistic.