My 87 GMC 3/4 ton finally bit the dust after 270+ thousand miles of hard work, so for over month I was looking for a replacement.
I would of gone to the Chevy/GMC dealer in a second for a newer model except they dropped the ball on their new V8's; piston slap, oil consumption, etc...

So, I figure ford can build a good truck, right? I found a 2004 XL short bed work truck with 14,000 miles on it. Now, after lurking here I'm starting to freak out that this truck is going to have vibration, brake, and or rear-end problems. Please tell me this thing is going to last.

I've had it a week or so and it rides like a dream compared to my old 4 speed gm. I went through hell with Chevy regarding my 2001 camaro LS1, so they lost my business.

Please tell me these problems are not a design flaw, or some WIDE spread quality control problem like the generals piston slapping, oil drinking "new style V8"
Man, I got so sick of hearing "it's normal" from the Chevy dealer.

Thanks, Alec

 

Dont worry your truck will last . Chances are with 14,000 miles if you dont have these problems now you are all set. Drive it, Enjoy it. Good choice.

 

if it is not doing it yet. it more than likely won't start to. which engine did you get the 5.4 or 4.6? either one is a great engine and almost zero problems with either they just keep going and going.

 

My '04 has 30,000km on it now and other than computer tweaks and having the clutch packs replaced in the rear end, it has been GREAT! No vibrations issues, no brake issues, no engine issues just a smoooooth quiet ride. Pulls a trailer no problem and has never let me down. I think Ford has worked out the bugs with the first year production F150's and I'm looking forward to buying another one in a year or two.

 

I agree, someone else broke it in for you, You may have a small issue or two , but look, you have plenty of warrenty left, Enjoy

 

Thanks guys! I feel much better.
I got the 4.6. This motor is as smooth as.......... This truck rides like a car!!!! I love it.
Did the 5.4 come in XL short beds, or just the long beds/crew? I wanted a long bed reg cab plain truck, but couldn't find one used. I found out.. if you put the tail gate down..Bam instant long bed
What do you guys think about those cargo gate things, will they hold back a load of 4x8 ply?

Btw never had a truck with rack and pinion steering, is that cooler enough? looks kinda small. Are there any aftermarket ones? or should I just forget about it? Tranny cooler looks good though.

Edited per guidelines by WheelMA1

 

Definitely the right choice. It's a gift to yourself that just keeps on giving. I started getting really bummed when I read all the problems concerning these vehicles. Just remember, you get motivated to complain when things are bad. When you pay good money for a new truck you expect to get good service from the truck and your dealer. When you don't, it helps to vent. When you do you tend to just smile a lot. I do a lot of the latter. Thank you Ford and Hemborg.

 

congrats on the new truck . one thing to remeber is that even with the number of complaints that you read about on here it still doesn't even come close when you consider the number of these trucks ford has made and sold. the other thing to remeber is that anything made by man can and will go wrong, to me the most imporant thing would be finding a good dealer . I have never had a problem with the one that I use and any issue that I have had they took care of with no problems. 04 larait screw 5.4 with 373 LS

 

Don't worry, I also felt like you when I found this site a week or two before I took delivery of my 2004. It's always easier to find faults than it is to say what is good. You will find that this site has loads of great information and if you need to find out ANYTHING about your truck you can find it here. Good luck with your new ride.

 

Every vehicle has their problems. And remember, people are MUCH more likely to post about the problems they're having than about how trouble-free their truck is. I'd think most problems would show up by 14k miles. If you've already driven it for a week without any problems, you should be good to go...

 

Yeah, oil consumption is something I can't tolerate.I sure hope that F-150 5.4 doesn't do that crap.

 

The Question: Did I make a mistake?

The Answer: No, you did not!