Cheap junk is the reason we don't have new trucks in the yard. We just can't see spending an amount of cash that can buy a house for a cheap POS.

 

I almost laugh when I see the MSRP prices on some of these new trucks. $50-60,000+, are you kidding me? But for those who have money that pours like water from a faucet I guess it doesn't matter. Maybe when I'm an old guy I can afford a new truck.

 

Tell me about it. When I was buying my X from a dealership the salesmen were bragging about the $70K KR they had on the showroom floor, then 20 minutes later acting like they are going broke and putting up a huge fight over $200 on the X purchase price.

 

I love the "need to keep the lights on" speech from salesmen when it comes to price negotiation. We got that from one dealer that was competing with another in Texas to be the largest volume dealer in the US. Yes you must be broke.

 

I must say too, I know its not the dealership making all the money, ford sets the base price.

 

Well sure, businesses need to make money. But it's just the process of buying a new car that's such a pain. And dealing with salesman, sales managers, and sometimes owners. All the butt kissing and then trash talking.

 

Considering what you get vs what you pay the KR was always a waste in my eyes. I have seat time in leather and hate it and feel it is highly overrated. If you wear seats out fast buy a good set of seat covers. In my area the guys that spend more time driving than working buy KRs and the guys that actually use the trucks for actual work run XLs and XLTs.

As for car dealers and salesman for the most part I despise all them and avoid them both as if they were contaminated with antrax. Getting hassled by a clueless idiot salesman when trying to pick up parts just reminds me why I buy most of my stuff online. When I bought my truck I walked out of the first dealership. The salesman pissed me off and knew absolutely nothing about what he was selling.

 

i had to replace the outer section of leather on my lariat seat at only about 30k miles...VERY THIN. yes, i am well over 200lbs and don't always use the step rails like i should but i was a little pissed nonetheless to put out over $300 for the repair. i have also caught my pants on the seat plastic trim piece that holds the electric switch and destroyed it. i have to agree that ford needs better engineering and increased durability on something that needs to last me 10 years. my favorite ford seat was the cloth bench with armrest in the late 80's trucks, very comfortable for a reg cab truck. but very suseptible to cig burns...mine looked like swiss cheese

 

I loved the seats in my 96! 40/20/40 comfortable, held up great till the day I sold it just under 100K miles. No complaints about them one bit! Ford has gotten way to cheap with their product in the last 15 years! the newer they are the worse they are!

 

Agreed......^^^^^

 

My father always jokes how all the good engineers have either retired or been laid off for cheaper less experienced young ones who are "yes" men and just do things to save on the bottom line rather than things that make sense. Or new wacky ideas trying to impress the "big guy" rather than tweaking what has worked for years. Change is good.......when it works.

 

My original point exactly!

I put 400K on my '95 7.3L F350 XLT CC 4X4 and all the seats held up fine, but I did have to re-do the driver's seat to get some height back. I bought the '05 KR because of the heavy leather, and it too held up better than I expected. But this 2012 won't! That was the original point of the King Ranch anyway. If anyone knows what the real "King Ranch" is.... It is a very, very large working cattle ranch in South Texas, I won't get into a history lesson (you can Google it), but it has a long and famous history. They have a shop\store in Kingsville, Texas where they sell a wide variety of heavy leather products and most carry their famous brand, the "Running W" (what you see on the King Ranch truck). Well I believe, the original intent was.... the truck seats were to be heavy saddle leather and wear (and look) like a "worn saddle". But, I think the intent was lost and too many customers complained and wanted Cadillacs and not Trucks.

 

Well said! Did you do a rebuild before your 7.3 had 400K on it?

 

Nope! Replaced the starter, a few glow plugs, the glow plug solenoid (two or three times) and did some work to the A/C. Never went into the engine or drive train. I used that truck the entire time in the Oilfields of Texas... probably 80% off road. That truck is still on the road, being drove by the 19 year old that I sold it to. They don't make 'em like that no more. Had hell with the '05 6.0L diesel from the word Go.

 

Great post an we have a 94.5 7.3 idi turbo with 475K on the clock right now and guess what, the seats are perfect yet! We have a 95 with close to 400K with also a good seat however the foam is breaking down under the cover on the drivers side.

Our 86 6.9 idi with 500K has a few rips in the vinyl seat though.