Reflections on 2004 F250
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Reflections on 2004 F250
I have had my 2004 f250 for about 3 years. Since I am having a hard time sleeping tonight, I thought I would reflect upon my experience with the vehicle in the off chance that someone is interested. Below are the specs:
-2004 2wd v10 Lariat
-Auto Tranny
-3.73 gearing
-60,000 miles
-13.5 city mpg avg
-16 hwy mpg avg (not towing)
-14 why mpg avg (towing)
I have to say, I was never a Ford fan before buying this vehicle. I grew up in Norfolk, VA and my next door neighbor was a QA mechanic at the Ford line. He was also a RAGING drunk who was sent home frequently for his inebriation. This experience really soured the idea of my owning of Ford.
I have always owned Jeeps but after graduating college, I need more practical transportation and bought several Toyotas, to include an early Tundra. I like the vehicle but it was not powerful and large enough to pull my Jeep. One of my Jeeps is modded for back country 4 wheeling. So, after moving back to VA from CO, I decided I wanted a larger more powerful truck that would allow me to pull my Jeep to Utah and other vacation/4 wheel spots. I drove Dodge, Chevy and Ford. I settled on the Ford for several reasons. It was more comfortable and had a large interior. They look better in my opinion. They v10 was the perfect combo of power and budget (several K less than the diesel at the time) and they were priced very attractively in 2004. This was especially true of the big gas motor.
She has been a near perfect vehicle. I have only had one very minor issue (the bottom radiator hose developed a drip at where it mates on the radiator). This was remedied by Ford and since then we have had no work done on the vehicle other than maintenance. She has towed our family and our Jeep to Utah from VA twice without a hitch. This includes crossing the Rocky Mtns. She also routinely pulls a boat and has served, on and off as my daily driver. She still looks great; the interior and exterior are in great shape and really look brand new. The original Perellis are still on it with quite a bit of tread left.
The vehicle has really surpassed my expectation. With this said, there are some complaints. The interior squeaks a bit when there is any flexing of the chassis. The fit and finish is not as good as the Japanese but better than GM and Chrysler (IMO). The passenger side door was never quite adjusted right and does not fit as snuggly as the driver door. This results in an annoying whistle above 70MPH. Also, the spare tire jack and handle sit under the rear seat. So, if you flip up the seat and want to store something flat (cooler, etc.) on the floor, it does not really sit level or securely.
These are minor complaints. Here is what I really have liked about it: very comfortable, tons of power, better than expected gas mileage, very good reliability, very little maintenance (orig tires, wiper blades, etc). I would buy this vehicle in a hearbeat and I very happy with the purchase. I have been so impressed with the quality of the vehicle that I have started investing in Ford and believe they are on the right track (of the big 3) to get back on top.
Overall Scores
-Drivetrain A+
-Comfort A
-Interior Fit and Finish B-
-Handling B+
-Utility A+
Dave
-2004 2wd v10 Lariat
-Auto Tranny
-3.73 gearing
-60,000 miles
-13.5 city mpg avg
-16 hwy mpg avg (not towing)
-14 why mpg avg (towing)
I have to say, I was never a Ford fan before buying this vehicle. I grew up in Norfolk, VA and my next door neighbor was a QA mechanic at the Ford line. He was also a RAGING drunk who was sent home frequently for his inebriation. This experience really soured the idea of my owning of Ford.
I have always owned Jeeps but after graduating college, I need more practical transportation and bought several Toyotas, to include an early Tundra. I like the vehicle but it was not powerful and large enough to pull my Jeep. One of my Jeeps is modded for back country 4 wheeling. So, after moving back to VA from CO, I decided I wanted a larger more powerful truck that would allow me to pull my Jeep to Utah and other vacation/4 wheel spots. I drove Dodge, Chevy and Ford. I settled on the Ford for several reasons. It was more comfortable and had a large interior. They look better in my opinion. They v10 was the perfect combo of power and budget (several K less than the diesel at the time) and they were priced very attractively in 2004. This was especially true of the big gas motor.
She has been a near perfect vehicle. I have only had one very minor issue (the bottom radiator hose developed a drip at where it mates on the radiator). This was remedied by Ford and since then we have had no work done on the vehicle other than maintenance. She has towed our family and our Jeep to Utah from VA twice without a hitch. This includes crossing the Rocky Mtns. She also routinely pulls a boat and has served, on and off as my daily driver. She still looks great; the interior and exterior are in great shape and really look brand new. The original Perellis are still on it with quite a bit of tread left.
The vehicle has really surpassed my expectation. With this said, there are some complaints. The interior squeaks a bit when there is any flexing of the chassis. The fit and finish is not as good as the Japanese but better than GM and Chrysler (IMO). The passenger side door was never quite adjusted right and does not fit as snuggly as the driver door. This results in an annoying whistle above 70MPH. Also, the spare tire jack and handle sit under the rear seat. So, if you flip up the seat and want to store something flat (cooler, etc.) on the floor, it does not really sit level or securely.
These are minor complaints. Here is what I really have liked about it: very comfortable, tons of power, better than expected gas mileage, very good reliability, very little maintenance (orig tires, wiper blades, etc). I would buy this vehicle in a hearbeat and I very happy with the purchase. I have been so impressed with the quality of the vehicle that I have started investing in Ford and believe they are on the right track (of the big 3) to get back on top.
Overall Scores
-Drivetrain A+
-Comfort A
-Interior Fit and Finish B-
-Handling B+
-Utility A+
Dave
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 23,174
Likes: 1,678
From: Stephensville WI
Hopefully the 2008 MY trucks have gone up in quality as far as fit and finish.
It's amazing what 2WD trucks can do. You're getting about the same MPG as my 5.4, maybe a little better when empty and a lot better when towing.
It's amazing what 2WD trucks can do. You're getting about the same MPG as my 5.4, maybe a little better when empty and a lot better when towing.
!
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,074
Likes: 170
From: Central Texas
Dave, You might want to rethink your investments in Ford. There is always a HUGE disconnect between engineering and management in large corporations. The business minded folks don't always do the smart thing even when their product is fantastic. Glad your happy with the product though.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2006
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My approach is to invest in products that I believe in. This may not result in a short term gain but is has proven sound over the long haul. Also, Ford has, IMO, taken a more aggressive and better approach to turning the company around. They have not sold of Ford financing (as GM did) just to turn a quick buck. They have also been a leader in hybrid technology and they are and have taken drastic measures to right the ship.
D.
D.
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preppypyro
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