ford really makes me mad!!!
#1
08-12-2003, 02:48 PM
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ford really makes me mad!!!
I cant stand it. Everytime I go to order a ford vehicle (which is all I will ever buy).... they can never build me a truck the way I want it..........
-I want a lariat... ok
-I want it Dark Shadow Grey .... of course NOT (one of the colors a lariat does not come it.....Profanity Removed)
-I want tan leather .... ok
-I want 4.10 gears ...... NOT ON A LARIAT !!!!!!!!
-I want a Supercrew...... ok
-I want a standard shortbed (6.5") ...... Nope!!!!
what the hell...... why cant you freaking order a truck any color they offer in any trim package.... they already have the paint and are set-up to paint it that color........
and why the hell cant you order any rearend combo.... since the rearends are already made and just slapped on the truck!!!!!
stuff like this drives me nuts!!!!!!!!!!
sorry- just had to vent
-I want a lariat... ok
-I want it Dark Shadow Grey .... of course NOT (one of the colors a lariat does not come it.....Profanity Removed)
-I want tan leather .... ok
-I want 4.10 gears ...... NOT ON A LARIAT !!!!!!!!
-I want a Supercrew...... ok
-I want a standard shortbed (6.5") ...... Nope!!!!
what the hell...... why cant you freaking order a truck any color they offer in any trim package.... they already have the paint and are set-up to paint it that color........
and why the hell cant you order any rearend combo.... since the rearends are already made and just slapped on the truck!!!!!
stuff like this drives me nuts!!!!!!!!!!
sorry- just had to vent
#2
08-12-2003, 04:41 PM
Lead Driver
ford really makes me mad!!!
I wish I could give you a valid argument for each one of your points, but I can't, and all your points are valid. There should be no reason for not getting the truck in gray, I haven't a clue what trim level has to do with the rear end ratio, and Ford blew it by not offering a 6.5 foot bed on the SuperCrew (but you can get the 5.5 foot bed on the SuperCab- who wants that?). I could try to forward your concerns, but I'm still trying to get answers to simple questions I submitted over 2 months ago. Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful new world of "stick-your-head-in-the-sand" Ford.
#3
08-12-2003, 05:05 PM
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ford really makes me mad!!!
I might be able to shed some light on two of your problems...
-I want 4.10 gears ...... NOT ON A LARIAT !!!!!!!!
It isn't just that it's a lariat - to get the 4.10 gears you need to get the 8200-lb GVW package, which uses a different rear axle (same as the current 7700 trucks) - which you can ONLY get on trucks with an 8-foot bed. So, you're limited to either a regular-cab longbed or an extended-cab longbed - you can't get it on the Supercrew at all, no matter what trim level...and you can't get the 8200-lb package on the extended-cab shortbed, which will probably disappoint a few folks.
Or, to try to simplify it:
There are 6 main configurations of 2004 F150:
Regular-cab shortbed.
Regular-cab longbed.
Extended-cab 5.5' bed.
Extended-cab 6.5' bed.
Extended-cab 8' bed.
Supercrew (5.5' bed only).
Of these six, only the regular-cab longbed and the extended-cab longbed offer the 8,200 GVW package. This makes sense, as usually if you're going to haul a lot of weight (like a slide-in camper, gooseneck trailer, and so on) you'll be using a longbed pickup instead of a shortbed.
You can't get the 8,200 GVW package on the Lariat for the simple reason that you can't get an 8' bed on a Lariat.
Anyway, the 8,200 package uses a different frame and a different rear axle - which has an available 4.10 axle ratio. So, it isn't simply a story of swapping in the axle with the 4.10 ratio - as it's a different axle, mounted on a slightly different frame, and uses a different bolt pattern.
Ironically, when I bought my truck I wanted a 7700 longbed extended-cab and couldn't get it - and now EVERY longbed extended-cab comes with the 8,200 GVW package (you can't get a normal one anymore). Good for me, but probably bad for some other folks.
-I want a standard shortbed (6.5") ...... Nope!!!!
The Supercrew with a 6.5' bed would either require a completely different bed than any of the other trucks or a completely different frame - so in this case there are extra tooling costs that are required, which is why it'll take Ford a while to offer that combo (assuming they eventually do).
The more options and configurations Ford offers, the more it costs them in production and tooling costs - so at some point they have to make the decision whether or offering the additional configurations is worth it. The new model is substantially more expensive to make than the old model...so they needed to cut corners here and there to trim costs.
LK
(BTW, a lot of this data comes from Ford's site - which might be incorrect, but is the most accurate source of info I have right now.)
Edited to add: I just looked through the numbers, and actually a Supercrew with a 6.5' bed would need an entirely different frame from any of the other F150 trucks - they couldn't get by with just changing the bed design. However, they could make a 7' bed work if they used the supercab longbed frame - that's what I'd do if I were Ford. Then you'd get both the heavier 8,200 lb GVW setup and a decent-length bed...but Ford won't do that, as it makes too much sense.
-I want 4.10 gears ...... NOT ON A LARIAT !!!!!!!!
It isn't just that it's a lariat - to get the 4.10 gears you need to get the 8200-lb GVW package, which uses a different rear axle (same as the current 7700 trucks) - which you can ONLY get on trucks with an 8-foot bed. So, you're limited to either a regular-cab longbed or an extended-cab longbed - you can't get it on the Supercrew at all, no matter what trim level...and you can't get the 8200-lb package on the extended-cab shortbed, which will probably disappoint a few folks.
Or, to try to simplify it:
There are 6 main configurations of 2004 F150:
Regular-cab shortbed.
Regular-cab longbed.
Extended-cab 5.5' bed.
Extended-cab 6.5' bed.
Extended-cab 8' bed.
Supercrew (5.5' bed only).
Of these six, only the regular-cab longbed and the extended-cab longbed offer the 8,200 GVW package. This makes sense, as usually if you're going to haul a lot of weight (like a slide-in camper, gooseneck trailer, and so on) you'll be using a longbed pickup instead of a shortbed.
You can't get the 8,200 GVW package on the Lariat for the simple reason that you can't get an 8' bed on a Lariat.
Anyway, the 8,200 package uses a different frame and a different rear axle - which has an available 4.10 axle ratio. So, it isn't simply a story of swapping in the axle with the 4.10 ratio - as it's a different axle, mounted on a slightly different frame, and uses a different bolt pattern.
Ironically, when I bought my truck I wanted a 7700 longbed extended-cab and couldn't get it - and now EVERY longbed extended-cab comes with the 8,200 GVW package (you can't get a normal one anymore). Good for me, but probably bad for some other folks.
-I want a standard shortbed (6.5") ...... Nope!!!!
The Supercrew with a 6.5' bed would either require a completely different bed than any of the other trucks or a completely different frame - so in this case there are extra tooling costs that are required, which is why it'll take Ford a while to offer that combo (assuming they eventually do).
The more options and configurations Ford offers, the more it costs them in production and tooling costs - so at some point they have to make the decision whether or offering the additional configurations is worth it. The new model is substantially more expensive to make than the old model...so they needed to cut corners here and there to trim costs.
LK
(BTW, a lot of this data comes from Ford's site - which might be incorrect, but is the most accurate source of info I have right now.)
Edited to add: I just looked through the numbers, and actually a Supercrew with a 6.5' bed would need an entirely different frame from any of the other F150 trucks - they couldn't get by with just changing the bed design. However, they could make a 7' bed work if they used the supercab longbed frame - that's what I'd do if I were Ford. Then you'd get both the heavier 8,200 lb GVW setup and a decent-length bed...but Ford won't do that, as it makes too much sense.
Last edited by LK; 08-12-2003 at 05:16 PM.
#4
08-12-2003, 07:35 PM
Lead Driver
ford really makes me mad!!!
Originally posted by LK
-I want a standard shortbed (6.5") ...... Nope!!!!
The Supercrew with a 6.5' bed would either require a completely different bed than any of the other trucks or a completely different frame - so in this case there are extra tooling costs that are required, which is why it'll take Ford a while to offer that combo (assuming they eventually do).
The more options and configurations Ford offers, the more it costs them in production and tooling costs - so at some point they have to make the decision whether or offering the additional configurations is worth it. The new model is substantially more expensive to make than the old model...so they needed to cut corners here and there to trim costs.
LK [/B]
-I want a standard shortbed (6.5") ...... Nope!!!!
The Supercrew with a 6.5' bed would either require a completely different bed than any of the other trucks or a completely different frame - so in this case there are extra tooling costs that are required, which is why it'll take Ford a while to offer that combo (assuming they eventually do).
The more options and configurations Ford offers, the more it costs them in production and tooling costs - so at some point they have to make the decision whether or offering the additional configurations is worth it. The new model is substantially more expensive to make than the old model...so they needed to cut corners here and there to trim costs.
LK [/B]
#5
08-13-2003, 08:43 AM
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ford really makes me mad!!!
What makes sense and what Ford offers are not necessarily the same thing.
Seriously, I really don't know why they are offering the 5.5' bed on the Supercab - it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. The only guess I've got is that since they made the truck longer than before, they decided to offer an extra-short shortbed so that people could fit them in their garage - and so that they'd be easier to maneuver in town.
It seems to me that Ford is purposely trying to appeal to people who never bought a truck in the past, and so they are doing things to attract those people - like offering the console shifter, the extra-short shortbed, and improving the ride/drive to the point where it is as good or better than many cars. I think Ford's goal is to increase sales by attracting a lot of first-time pickup buyers - people who never seriously looked at a pickup before, because they thought of them as primitive and unrefined. And, I expect their advertising to reflect this aim - to emphasize the ride and drive, capitalize on the truck's "bold new look", and push how versatile it is and how well it works for those with an "active lifestyle". The 'active lifestyle' thing is sort of the current trend for advertising - even though the average person doesn't really have an active lifestyle, they want to look like they do.
My guess as to what Ford's execs are thinking - and this is just a guess - is that the supercab w/the 5.5' bed might attract some current car owners who think the supercab w/the 6.5' bed is "too big". They figure that most of the current owners who want a bed longer than 5.5' on the Supercrew will probably still end up buying one - simply because there aren't really any alternatives out there right now with crew cabs and longer beds, unless you go up to a 3/4-ton or larger (the 1500HD is a 3/4-ton and costs a fortune, so I'm not counting that). If people *really* need the longer bed, they can either go to the Superduty or get the supercab instead - now that the supercab is longer, there really isn't as much reason to get the supercrew as there used to be.
Of course, I never really understood the Supercrew anyway - it seems a lot bigger, but the back seat is still really only suitable for kids and small adults. I know a couple people with them, and I can't even come close to sitting upright in the backseat - I either have to slouch down or keep my head tilted off to the side, neither of which is very comfortable. I'm curious if this is fixed in the '04 trucks...hopefully it is. On the new trucks, the Supercrew cab is only 6 inches longer than on the Supercab - so a lot of the people buying the Supercrew would probably get along just fine with the Supercab, especially if the back seat is mainly used for children/teenagers and storage.
LK
Seriously, I really don't know why they are offering the 5.5' bed on the Supercab - it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. The only guess I've got is that since they made the truck longer than before, they decided to offer an extra-short shortbed so that people could fit them in their garage - and so that they'd be easier to maneuver in town.
It seems to me that Ford is purposely trying to appeal to people who never bought a truck in the past, and so they are doing things to attract those people - like offering the console shifter, the extra-short shortbed, and improving the ride/drive to the point where it is as good or better than many cars. I think Ford's goal is to increase sales by attracting a lot of first-time pickup buyers - people who never seriously looked at a pickup before, because they thought of them as primitive and unrefined. And, I expect their advertising to reflect this aim - to emphasize the ride and drive, capitalize on the truck's "bold new look", and push how versatile it is and how well it works for those with an "active lifestyle". The 'active lifestyle' thing is sort of the current trend for advertising - even though the average person doesn't really have an active lifestyle, they want to look like they do.
My guess as to what Ford's execs are thinking - and this is just a guess - is that the supercab w/the 5.5' bed might attract some current car owners who think the supercab w/the 6.5' bed is "too big". They figure that most of the current owners who want a bed longer than 5.5' on the Supercrew will probably still end up buying one - simply because there aren't really any alternatives out there right now with crew cabs and longer beds, unless you go up to a 3/4-ton or larger (the 1500HD is a 3/4-ton and costs a fortune, so I'm not counting that). If people *really* need the longer bed, they can either go to the Superduty or get the supercab instead - now that the supercab is longer, there really isn't as much reason to get the supercrew as there used to be.
Of course, I never really understood the Supercrew anyway - it seems a lot bigger, but the back seat is still really only suitable for kids and small adults. I know a couple people with them, and I can't even come close to sitting upright in the backseat - I either have to slouch down or keep my head tilted off to the side, neither of which is very comfortable. I'm curious if this is fixed in the '04 trucks...hopefully it is. On the new trucks, the Supercrew cab is only 6 inches longer than on the Supercab - so a lot of the people buying the Supercrew would probably get along just fine with the Supercab, especially if the back seat is mainly used for children/teenagers and storage.
LK
#7
08-15-2003, 12:57 PM
ford really makes me mad!!!
I could not agree more, I called my local dealer and they said if I ordered a truck it would take 7 weeks, so we started adding the options I want, BOOM cant get that color...cant get that bed ect...
I see there are some valid reasons for some of it, but COLOR?? Ford please..what don't you say any color you want as long as it is black. (henry ford) When I am spending 31K on a new truck I want it a certin color that should not be asking to much. If you get the FX4 package it cuts out 40% of your color options...DUMB...
I see there are some valid reasons for some of it, but COLOR?? Ford please..what don't you say any color you want as long as it is black. (henry ford) When I am spending 31K on a new truck I want it a certin color that should not be asking to much. If you get the FX4 package it cuts out 40% of your color options...DUMB...
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#8
08-15-2003, 09:32 PM
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ford really makes me mad!!!
I have been waiting since I heard Ford was coming out with a new truck to get a new STX!!! Now that they are finally arriving I find out I can't get a 5 speed anymore [The way my current one shifts I can understand why!!]
I stopped at a dealer Friday to get a brochure and when I got home and started looking at it I find out I can't get a 5.4 in an STX, what is up with that?? Come on Ford let me get a 4x2 STX with a 5.4 so I can play with the Hemi's.If all I can get is one of those ugly [although it is much better looking than the 97-03 4x2 F-150's] 4x2's with that huge ugly chrome grill with a 5.4 I will be driving a Hemi!! Hey Ford why is the STX the only 04 that you can not buy wiyh a 5.4 ???The 4x4's look great but the standard 4x2's are less than good looking!!!!
98 STX 4.6 5 speed
89 XR7 3.8 Supercharged
79 Mustang pacecar 5.0
I agree with Henry , any color you want as long as it is black!!
I stopped at a dealer Friday to get a brochure and when I got home and started looking at it I find out I can't get a 5.4 in an STX, what is up with that?? Come on Ford let me get a 4x2 STX with a 5.4 so I can play with the Hemi's.If all I can get is one of those ugly [although it is much better looking than the 97-03 4x2 F-150's] 4x2's with that huge ugly chrome grill with a 5.4 I will be driving a Hemi!! Hey Ford why is the STX the only 04 that you can not buy wiyh a 5.4 ???The 4x4's look great but the standard 4x2's are less than good looking!!!!
98 STX 4.6 5 speed
89 XR7 3.8 Supercharged
79 Mustang pacecar 5.0
I agree with Henry , any color you want as long as it is black!!
#9
08-19-2003, 09:29 PM
ford really makes me mad!!!
Ford should offer these configurations on these frames:
Reg. Cab 6.5 bed/Sup. Cab 5.5 bed
Reg. Cab 8 bed/Sup. Cab 6.5 bed/Screw 5.5 bed
Reg. Cab 8 bed (8200)/Sup. Cab 6.5 bed (8200)/Screw 5.5 bed (8200)
Sup. Cab 8 bed/Screw 6.5 bed
Sup. Cab 8 bed (8200)/Screw 6.5 bed (8200)
Wouldn't this make sense, since Ford could use the same frame and axle that they use on the Reg Cab 8 bed (8200) on a Sup. Cab 6.5 bed (8200) and on the Sup Cab 8 bed (8200) on a Screw 6.5 bed (8200).
Reg. Cab 6.5 bed/Sup. Cab 5.5 bed
Reg. Cab 8 bed/Sup. Cab 6.5 bed/Screw 5.5 bed
Reg. Cab 8 bed (8200)/Sup. Cab 6.5 bed (8200)/Screw 5.5 bed (8200)
Sup. Cab 8 bed/Screw 6.5 bed
Sup. Cab 8 bed (8200)/Screw 6.5 bed (8200)
Wouldn't this make sense, since Ford could use the same frame and axle that they use on the Reg Cab 8 bed (8200) on a Sup. Cab 6.5 bed (8200) and on the Sup Cab 8 bed (8200) on a Screw 6.5 bed (8200).
#10
08-19-2003, 11:40 PM
ford really makes me mad!!!
I agree that ford limits the options on differant trim lines too much. I don't se why they couldn't have designed a heavier payload option for the shorter beds. also I agree with you on the colors they shouldn't limit the colors on diffrent trimlines. ford has always prided itself on haveing lots of options and configurations. but thay are not vary flexible with those options. for example I could only get tubular running boards on my fX4 and not the regular running boards. I ran into many similar things like that when trying to build my truck. like I couldn't put leather in my truck unless I got a lariat. it dosen't make much sence. I ended up picking the trim line with the most options and colors I wanted and will have to go to after market options for the other things I want. I may just have to go to a upulstry shop to have leather put in. and so on.
#11
08-21-2003, 06:06 PM
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ford really makes me mad!!!
Originally posted by Superbru
LK,
How tall are you? I have a 02 Supercrew, and six footers are happy in my back seat. Much more room than in the Supercab.
Bru
LK,
How tall are you? I have a 02 Supercrew, and six footers are happy in my back seat. Much more room than in the Supercab.
Bru
I suppose I'm being a bit harsh on the Supercrew...the last vehicle I had w/a backseat was my Lincoln Towncar, and perhaps comparing it to that is a bit unfair. The Supercrew is probably adequate for non-gorilla-shaped people.
LK
Edited to add: Hmmm...my 500th post was me comparing myself to a gorilla. So much for something insightful!