I have read lots of the post in this section since i purchased my 2004 f150 about 2 weeks ago. I bought the truck with 38,xxx miles on it and its an xl 4x4 4.6 3.55 rear reg cab. At first the truck seemed real nice but i have become very disapointed in this ford product. I have owned all fords and was a die hard fan and would not buy anything else but i am dissapointed with this truck. I may be picky but with 38,000 miles this is a "new" truck to me an i expected it to be great. The 4.6 seems to have enough power for me but the mileage isn't great and the trans is not great. It doesnt seem to shift at great times and i worry about its strength. The truck has new tire from the dealer and it vibrate from about 48-60 mph which is just a pain and i hate it. I just had the new tire rotated and balance even though they were just put on and it still seems to have problems. I found that the drivers door is hitting the hinge because some how it got open too far and bent the hinges. The extra space behind the cab is nice but it seems that the doors rattle. It overall just feels like a cheap tin can. Sorry for such a long post but this is the most i've spent for a vehicle and it was a lot for me being 20. I have been happy with my ford vehicles in the past (1996 f150 eb 5.0 4x4, 88 tempo, '71 f100 300/6, 1996 ranger 4.0) but this one is junk. I've never had an auto truck but i couldnt get 4x4 stick so i was stuck with the auto and it's a pain and hard to keep constant speed on trips. I also here of ball joints etc. going bad fast on the front suspension and it just looks soo weak and cheap. Again sorry for such a long post but i dont know what to do with this truck.

 

only had it for 2 weeks? i would try to return it.... dont most dealers offer you to back out of a deal within 30 days if not happy with the product? might be worth a try.

 

That what i'm considering but i dont know yet what to do.

 

my friend if your not happy after 2 weeks do yourself a favor and return it....it's a 2004....first year of the body change exc... i've heard some others complain about the trucks too so if your not happy and you can return it now's your chance but if you wait more than the time your allowed to and you don't return it then it's on you and you shouldn't complain about anything...

 

The problem is i dont even know what i would buy if i sold it.

 

Rear doors, if rattling, are adjustable. Mileage varies with each person's driving habits; no 2 drivers are alike. The issue with the door hitting is something that occured with the previous owner; you did not notice it when you bought the truck? Everything that is an issue with you seems to be fixable, even the vibration. Have you taken it back to the place of purchase? If you are that dissatisfied, return the truck and buy a Dodge or Chevy, THEN you will have real issues to complain about........

 

I used to think that about chevy and dodge but when i really look all the truck are fine if taken care of and they are all very similar. They have to be to compete. I just wanted something tougher and it just seems so cheaply built. I mainly hate the steering. The place i bought it from is far away and unless i am returning i dont plan on going back. It was hard to find a 4x4 reg cab let alone a used one i could afford.

 

An Edge Evolution Programmer would do wanders to your engine performance and shifting. It will be like a whole new truck.

 

Damn! Did you not test drive it first? Seems to me you should have checked it out a little better before plunking your money down. I bet you cant return it. The law on used cars is buyer beware.
Sounds like you need to make a few door adjustments and quit complaining . If you buy a worn out truck that is a hull of its former self then that is your fault.
Your real complaint should be that you did not check it out good from the start and you bought someones elses abused problem.

 

It certainly will not do any good to whine about it now. Return it, fix it or sell it. Sounds to me like you should have checked it out better before you bought it. Here in Nevada there is no Buyer's Remorse Law. If you sign on the dotted line it's yours! You'd best check the laws in your state before trying to return it.

On a brighter note, maybe you can work a deal with your dealer and trade it for something else on the lot. It'll probably cost you though. Or you may be able to get them to fix the problems. Sometimes it pays to communicate. Good Luck.

 

definately check your states laws... i know that here in alaska, you have 30 days.... otherwise, maybe you could sell it and pass it on to someone else. i know, it sucks to do, but that might be how you got where you are.

 

What is the trucks history? If you have the owners manuel you might be able to see who the previous owner was and see what troubles they might have had, or if they had wrecked it. If you asked the dealer about it ever being wrecked and they replied with,"not that we are awhere of", they know. Check the suspension and see if there are any new looking parts, might explain the vibration and if its been in a wreck. Even with it being a used vehicle they usually have a 30 day warrenty/garranty. Be nice when you talk to them, if they play stupid(which usually isn't playing) tell them they purposely with held information that would have affected the sale of the vehicle. I have never met an honest car salesman, and be very leary of the ones who use religion in their pitch. My .02 Good luck

 

sorry if you take my response as jerk"ish", but you get what you buy.

1. the 4.6 is an anemic motor that doesn't deserve to be in a full size truck. the MPG myth makes people buy this motor to save gas. in reality the 4.6 has to work harder than the 5.4 and this negates any mpg savings you might see.

2. if I'm reading your post right, you've got 3 used tires, and 1 new tire. and you own a 4x4. are you trying to break something? at least replace 1 more tire and put the newest ones in the front. I'd say to get it re-balanced and paired with another new tire.

3. the xl is a cheap tin can...you get what you buy...Ford cuts corners on the XL to get the truck out at a reasonable price. I test drove an XL and absolutely hated it. I then test drove a FX4 and drove it home...luckily I was able to afford the higher model. Try an XLT or Lariat. You'd be amazed at the night and day difference. There are a few guys who have taken XL's here on this site and basically made them into Lariats/XLT's. Their trucks look awesome and they spent alot less money than I did. But I'm also lazy.

4. see note 3

5. the ball joint issue shouldn't bite you unless you've got a leveling kit installed. or you do alot of 4x4. ball joints are pretty static pieces when the truck see's only pavement. as for the bits/pieces looking cheap, take a look at a Dodge or Cheby. They're just a fragile looking. FYI, I've had my truck on 2 wheels and it held it's on pretty darn good...better than the lifted Bronco in my gallery did on the same trail.

but hey, for about $1,000 you can actually do something about the truck's performance. the vibration should be pretty easy to solve as well. An Edge and intake/exhaust will take care of your power/transmission issues. I understand if you're on a budget. just take it slow and you can make it the truck you want it to be.

 

Thanks for the responses. The truck does have 4 brand new tires from the dealer. You cant tell me that the xl is different than the other models besides cosmetic stuff and possibly sound deadners. I guess coming from my 71 this thing seems like a tin can. I didnt say the 4.6 didnt have enough power but the trans is not great i will look into a tuner though. I guess overall i thought it would appear to be more of a tough truck maybe it will prove itself because i really only use it for work. Does anyone know if theres a cruise control that can be added on?

 

Dude you are young they might be taking advantage of you. I would make a list of everything reasonable, take it back, leave it, till they fix it. Wether it's the law or not a reputable dealer will try to make you happy.