I've been doing research on mulitiple trucks and have decided I can't buy anything but a new F-150. I've been checking out the dealerships around Austin, TX and cannot find the combination that I want to buy. I've also done many web searches and still no luck. What I want is an FX4 SCrew with CLOTH captain's chairs. I'm looking to buy in the next 4-6 weeks and want to get the best deal that I can.

I've seen a lot of great deals in the newspaper lately (on the 04's of course) making room for the '05s. Buying an '04 now means that as far as resale it is really like a year old already so I loose money there.

So, to make it as short as possible...do I order an '05 with exaclty what I want and not get the great deals going on now or keep trying to find an '04? Any suggestions are appreciated!

ToHotForLeather

 

i heard about '05s having less standard stuff. even the later built '04s came with cheaper keys and floormats probably other stuff too. i dont think there will be a huge price difference either way so i would just find the truck i really want equipped exactly how i want it and get that one if not you can order one.

 

Absolutey keep searching and try to get the closest 2004 to your specs. If the deals are so great, you can always put covers ($50 to $200) over the leather seats that look and feel great (plus keeps the look and value of the leather seats for future resale). If the deals aren't "that" great go for the '05.

 

I agree with you... I got my truck a couple of weeks ago.. the floor mats look cheap and the keys don't have the blue and silver "Ford" logo on it just an engravng of it but as far as I've seen, that's it.. which is no big deal unless you're picky about it. Ford trucks rock.

 

I say 04 if you can find anything acceptably close, what you lose in resale you should be compensated fro in the rebates and incentives. If you can't find anything close order and 05 and don't look back!

 

What are you going to lose in resale? If you buy an 05 now, it will be a higher mileage vehicle at resale for that model year. If you buy an 04, it will be a lower mileage vehicle at resale and worth more. You aren't going to get rebates/incentives on an 05 right now either.

Not sure I understand how you view resale, but mileage is the biggest factor in determining resale and I'ld choose an 04 with low miles over a high mileage 05.

On top of that, the 05's are stripped down a little -- biggest change (to me) is the removal of soundproofing from all models except the Lariat. The quiet interior was a big selling point for me, so unless you're looking at a Lariat I think you have to favor an 04.

 

I was under the impression that the FX4 keeps the soundproofing in 05 too, the XL, STX and XLT lose it. I agree that mileage is more important than model year in resale.

 

Anyone,

Where did you find the differences between the 05 and 04? Mats, sound proofing, etc.

Also where can I find out my build date? I didn't know they removed things in late model 04s. What else besides mats?

Thanks

Jim

 

ToHotForLeather,

Sometimes buyers put too much emphasis on "resale", and overlook more important aspects of the purchase. How long do you plan to keep your truck? After the third year, any "resale" benefit starts to quickly diminish.

This is the first time I have heard of deleting the soundproofing in 05, but I would definitely put a lot of emphasis on that if they are. The quietness of my truck now is more important than any resale benefit years down the road. In fact, I keep my trucks a long time. With 10-12 years and 150,000 miles I'll probably get $500 extra for having an XLT Supercab. I bought it that way to enjoy it for 10-12 years, not for any perceived "resale value".

I saved $1,500 by buying my '94 Ranger at the end of the model year. If I had waited a few months to get the more expensive '95 it probably would have been worth an extra $200 at trade in.

If you can get the truck you want, at the price you want -- Go for it. Worry about resale when you sell it.


John

 

Everyone,
Thanks for all the replies. I certainly appreciate the value of fellow truck owners.

Regards

 

An Aggie CT in Austin, huh? The 2004 models are going to go cheaper right now. I'm not up on all the incentives offered but I expect the 2005 model to be more expensive and with few significant differences. If you can't find exactly what you want, consider a compromise. In the long run, it might be cheaper to buy an '04 with leather than to order an '05 with cloth. In Austin, I have had good luck with Covert Ford and I got a good deal on my '04 FX SCrew. The service department has also treated me right. BTW, I'm also an Aggie CT.