Finally...at last...I can get out of my 2 year lease on my 97 Off Road with the 5.4. This was without a doubt, the biggest POS I ever owned. 4 recalls, a junk auto., terrible brakes, a STUPID turn signal that will only stay on if the wheel is in the right position, and BAD traction. I will NEVER buy/lease another Ford truck again. Can't wait to gert back in my Bronco as soon as it is painted... Oh...and I have a 98 Contour SVT that just got its 3rd recall. Terrible, just terrible...

 

>Finally...at last...I can get out of my
>2 year lease on my 97
>Off Road with the 5.4. This
>was without a doubt, the biggest
>POS I ever owned. 4 recalls,
>a junk auto., terrible brakes, a
>STUPID turn signal that will only
>stay on if the wheel is
>in the right position, and BAD
>traction. I will NEVER buy/lease another
>Ford truck again. Can't wait to
>gert back in my Bronco as
>soon as it is painted... Oh...and
>I have a 98 Contour SVT
>that just got its 3rd recall.
>Terrible, just terrible...


I hear you! I guess they dont make them like they used too! i have Had VERY GOOD luck with my 93. Never had any serious anything go wrong with it. I know couple of guys who have newer F-150's that were ALWAYS Ford men, They all(most of them) have new Silverado's. I don't think I would ever buy a Silverado, but I won't get a new F-150, thats for sure! Ford says that the newer engines are FAR superior to the old V-8's. Bull-Butter! Thats the biggest load of crap I've heard in a long time! The 3 I've driven sucked! I wish they would have kept the old 5.0 and 5.8 around. They may have not lost some customers!!!!!!!!

 

I guess I am at the wrong forum. Nothing but bad input on The Ford F150 here.......Well I'am not married to Ford nor do I care about Dodge or Chevy. I can honestly say out of the 7 trucks I have owned my 97 f150 is the most enjoyable truck I have ever had. No problems with tranny or engine or really anythig to speak of. AND I USE IT!!!! Pulling trailers, work use or what ever. Looks good and runs strong. Am I the only one who likes the F150??????????

 

Dont get me wrong I love the truck itself; ride is good,dependable looks good,shortbed it real light in rear although im used to longbeds so maybe its normal.Only problem I have is that Ford wont stand behind it.As noted earlier mine is rusting with under 36000 on it although just over 3yrs old by 3months when I found it.Ford talks a good game about "customer satisfaction" being their "main goal",check their cust serv website. I asked to speak with a supervisor,who called a couple days later when I was out of town,Upon calling them back with ref #,was told I had my chance to speak to supervisor and missed it!Sent email same sup left message on cell #,never tried home # I also gave rep, They really go the extra yard I guess.If u want good looking truck buy what suits you,if u want a truck that maker will stand behind look elsewhere. I only asked for half the repair bill---$100.Guess when theyre selling cars fast enough customer dont matter,Illremember when times get tough for them again because with service as they have it will come

 

Gus,
Obviously you don't work on cars/trucks for a living as I do.
Yes, some Ford autos tend to self destruct. E4ODs were the most common, the aod, you refer to was the best auto ford ever made. I have seen several with over 500k and still going.
As far as GM garbage, any and all of theirs will not last more than 70 to 100k without dying unless used strictly on the highway. The 6.2, 6.5, 6.5 turbo, fake (converted 396 big block gas) diesels do not last, and will self destruct by 100k (even the best maintained ones do this) usually by breaking the crank at the #1 main bearing journal. I have yet to see any navistar blow up in this way (porosity exlcuded).
My Lightning will take your 99 GMC and spit it out, by the way.
Wait until the 99 blows 3 or 4 motors, my customers with them are having this happen. (at least 10). They have been told by the dealer there is a "problem" with 5.3 and 6.0 liter motors and don't yet know why.
As far as Ford's knocking when you start them, that's par for the course, especially when you don't use the motorcraft filter. I worked for 10 years at a Limo company that used Ford products mainly, and we got letters from Ford stating to stop cold start knocking, use the new filter with a special type of anti-drainback valve. Most aftermarket filters valves don't seem to work.
Also, all the 4.6 motors we had would run at least 500,000 miles, with valve stem seals every 150k.
The few GMs we had, went bye bye. Because of electrical, trans and engine failures, at far less miles than either the Fords or the few Dodge vans we had.

I do understand, that all the car companies want is our money. But after working in this field for 14 years, I have seen alot, and for the most part a Ford product is superior to a GM.

 

Fred,
I attended a noteworthy technical school for auto repair and maintenance. And I worked as a wrench for 5 years while getting an engineering degree. I quickly grew tired of getting rust and crap in my eyes and waking up with sore feet. I still love to work on cars, but now I only do it as a hobby. So, I do feel that I am still a mechanic. Most of my friends are mechanics, and most are most reluctant when it comes to repairing Fords. It seems Ford takes deliberate strides to make repair information hard to get. Ever buy a simple part like brake pads and have to have the production date? I have but only on Fords. This along with the always higher number of recalls conferms that Ford does more feild testing by customers than GM does. Don't use the recall search on this site. It doesen't work.

"My Lightning will take your 99 GMC and spit it out, by the way". You need to read a little closer. In my post I say that I have a Ford three times. If you want to race the GMC, lets do this. Since the Z71 is at home on the strip as your Lightning is in the sand, lets do both. We will race at the strip and then up the local sand dune, add the times together, and then declare a winner. You want to put some money on it?

Do you really think GM can stay in business building $30,000 trucks that only last only 70K miles? I don't think the public is that dumb. Locally (Chicago) a 3 year old 50,000 mile Z71, X cab, will still bring $16,000-$20,000. Seems like way to much for a truck that will require $2,000 worth of work in less than 20,000 miles. Those trucks should be almost free if what you say is true.

The knock that I have has been explained as cold start piston slap. I'm not going to freak out over it, my wife had a 2.3 Mustang that did it for 150,00 miles and never failed. Check out F-150online people there are having their engines replaced because of the knock. Do you really think Ford would replace a engine if they could fix the knock with just an oil filter?

I do agree that GM is behind and always has been when it comes to diesels. That is simply not the case with gas engines. I also buy cars wholesale for a local dealer, and the cars we most avoid are Tempos and anything Ford with a 3.8 in it.

Overall I feel that both companies make very good products. Each has some defects in design and function. The competion between the companies will continue to improve both lines of vehicles. I just feel that broad sweeping statments like yours are worthless and not baised in fact. If my truck gets totaled tommorow, I will most likely get another F-series. The F series just feels right to me. Doesn't mean everything else is crap.

 

like I said, hate to ruin your day, but i ownboth a GM and a Ford, but since the S10 inception in 1982 I have owned one and have been loyal to them, why? They have been loyal to me, I NEVER got rid of one before 160 to 180,000 miles , that is when the little thigs started happening, alternators, water pumps, fuel pumps, etc... and I am in the Highway and bridge business, mine are almost NEVER on the road, I currently have a 1996 GMC Jimmy, app. 141,000 on it as of today and you wouldn't know it from new still, got this one leather and all, also have a 1997 Ford F150, it sits in the garage, bought it in Sep. 97, has only less than 12,000 miles on it. I could drive either one on a daily basis and bought them both for that reason, but you see which one I drive , and mostly due to the fact that I know it will get me there, stay off the road all day, and still get me home every night without calling a tow truck, so to each his own opinions, I do not know whatyou have done to other GM's to get less than 80,000 out of them, but I also hope you don't have children either, something lasting that long could only have been beaten,whooped, and abused, but then agin, mine is every day and still goes strong. To each his own.

 

>I am considering buying a 1996, 97 or 98 extended cab 4X2. Can anyone give me advice as to which year and engine type is the best? I plan to keep this truck until it dies and want something thats low maintaince and reliable. Also is there an older model that really stands out as a great truck.

 

I've had my 97 f-150 3 1/2 years now, and i love it! only spent $35.00 on repair excluding normal maintenance. I just turned 94,000 miles two days ago, no problems other than the 15 mpg. very dependable!

 

since I recently found cracks in door pillar on driver side Ive been telling others at gas stations ,parking lots etc to check theirs. out of 7 other trucks only one did not have crack.Dealers here say they have no other complaints and mine is first theyve heard of it. Stop the BS Ford and fix the problem. It would be interesting to see what media consumer watch dog reports could do with this one.maybe this should be forwarded on if someone knows a major group

 

I checked my doors on my pampered 98 f150,I have cracks!!!! I have 34000 miles on it. I had #4 coil go out on a 1500 mile trip last week, burns 2 quarts of oil every 3500miles. I have owned and used all lated model brand trucks. and what is really sad is this has been the best. My 79 f150 4x4 short bed resto should be done in a couple of weeks!!!!!!! Any one want to by the Best of the late model POS'S full size trucks has to offer? As soon as old blue hits the road I'll have a awsome looking red and silver 98 F150 for Sale.
I'll be looking for a 71 sport custom short bed to restore for my wife. Never again will I be at mercy of a fully computerized pos again. until uncle sam makes me crush blue. It may not sound like it but my blood runs blue. Ford had better get it together before a jap company builds a real full size. My 79 was used on a farm for 15years (NO CRACKS) IT cost my $12,000 to do a frame off!
and I bet I get my moneys worth this time!!!!

 

contacted local tv stations consumer investigations reports ref door pillar cracks.they are interested in doing a story soon.looking for documentation to air,so anyone else with problem send messages to jmccollum@hearst.com,hes with action 12, WISN-TV, Milwaukee,wi,maybe if this makes news locally a national program such as 20/20,dateline etc will also pickup.please send name ,yr of trk,miles ,and location of crack to him. maybe then Ford will do something for those of us "out of warranty"

 

I love my 98 f-150 s/c s/b 4x4 4.6L engine.
I have had my truck for a year now & enjoy it
more every time I drive it.I am a mechanic
as well,and have looked over my truck very close.
My only consern being that the frame seems rather
light duty.The engine has never failed to impress me with plenty of power & not bad fuel mialage.I pull a 19'boat over some pretty good hills,with power to spare.A big improvement over my 90 f-150 5.0L wich was plauged with oil leaks,lack of power & poor mialage.The fit and finish of everything from the engine compartment to the interior is excellent. The paint quality has also been greatly improved. So far there are no cracks in the doors, but I'm watching.I have had my truck off road a few times & the 4x4 system has perfomed excellent.
I would definatly buy another f-150.

 

 

I have a 99 Lightning and I am having problems. It "bogs" at WOT when the boost guage hits 8 or more psi. It is completely stock, and I have not done any "tweaking." I took it into the dealer who replaced the fuel pump and the fuel filter. I run 93 octane gas from Shell, same place, consistently. Problems have been occurring for about 2 months.

Funny thing is, it does not have this problem when the engine is "cold" and it does not happen every time I get on it.

I can't figure it out, and it appears the dealer can't either. Can anyone make a suggestion?

Thanks-

Mike (indemnitor@juno.com)