We are getting my son a used F-150 (2004 or later) truck to take to college. He, of course, wants a 4 door Crew Cab so he can cart his friends. The Extended Cab seem to be more available and also cheaper. A friend told me that the Crew Cab would be safer in a rollover due to the extra column between the front and back doors. Any thoughts on safety of the Crew Cab vs. the Super Cab? Are the 2004 and 2005's reliable? I noticed that elsewhere on this forum, writers have said to get at least the 2006.

Thanks,
c

 

Yes shoot for 2006 or later as most of the issues had been dealt with by that point. As far as safety goes yes the extra pillar is an added strength but the extended cab would have to go through crash testing to just to make sure it wouldn't crush on rollover right away. Basically on the extended cab there should be more structure up in the roof while the super has more strength from the pillars.

 

I read somewhere years back that, from insurance article I believe that it's best to get youngster a vehicle that has limited passenger seating to keep carting friends as minimal as possible. Distraction, safety, liability on passengers and so forth. Crew is nice to haul family along. Supercab is likely easier to find, cheaper, and etc.

 

I don't think that one would be necessarily safer than the other. They are probably almost the same in safety ratings. Here is how I view extended cab vs crew cab:

extended cab=place to throw extra junk, crew cab=place to seat extra people.

Don't know about you guys, but I am cramped in any extended cab truck, and in the past, extended cabs that I have owned, the back seat was just a junk pile.

 

Chris, Both are equally safe, when driven sensibly. You know better than any of us about your son's driving skills/habits. Most Scab/Screw come with a V-8, either the 4.6 or 5.4. They get about the same MPG, but the 5.4 has a lot more power/torque. The extended cab does have seating for three in the back- cramped for adults, but sufficient for short trips around town. Do a little research relating to the insurance costs for his demographic.