The best work truck
 

I've read a few Ford vs the competition threads which I thought were short on facts and figures. I challenge anyone to prove this truck isn't the best value in a work truck. This isn't a commuter truck. The Ranger is best for that. It isn't a luxury truck with heated seats. Check out the Lariat for that. I wanted to show you can buy a great work truck for less than $25K. This truck will tow a 9800 lb. trailer, plow snow off your property, haul 3000 lbs. in the bed, and go out in the pasture in a drivng rain storm.

It is a 2004 XL 5.4L 4X4 with the HD package. It lists for $28K. With the current rebate and a normal dicount you can buy it for $24K. Many of you will be able to get it cheaper, but anyone can get it at this price.

It is a 4X4 with the snow plow package. It has the 5.4L with 365 ft. lbs. of torque (almost 300 lb. available at 1000 rpm). It includes the trailer towing package. It has the 35.7 gal. fuel tank, 17" 7-lug wheels, 10.25 HD diff., HD shocks, the big alternator, and 4:10 gears with limited slip.

After work, you can pull a camper, go off-roading, or haul furniture for your sister's friends.

Is this a 150 or 250 you're talking about?

For less than $25K you can get an F350 4x4 with the V10, 4.30 gears, air, cruise, plow package, and a few other goodies. I'd say that that would be a better work truck - more payload, more towing capacity, more torque, more horsepower, stronger full-floating rear axle. And, you can even get a 6-speed manual tranny.

However, the heavy-payload F150s are a good combination of work truck and commuter vehicle - I've owned both a heavy-payload F150 and a Superduty, and each has its pros and cons.

LK

Is that new or used? If that's new then I might need to start looking myself.

That's new - actually, my truck was slightly under $30K and it was a crewcab XLT (4x4, V10, 4.30s, and extra bits like the adjustable pedals and 6-CD changer). With the current incentives you can get a regular-cab XL like I mentioned for about $24-25K, which includes destination but doesn't include sales tax.

Edited to add: I just priced one out like I described (V10 F350 4x4, air, cruise, 4.30s, skid plate package, heavy service suspension package), and it came to $28,485 MSRP and $25,166 invoice. Right now Ford has a $2,500 rebate on the SDs, so with a little haggling you could probably get that truck for $23,000-$23,500 (even less if you're a good negotiator). That's with the 6-speed manual - but you could get the auto for about $1,000 more.

LK

I did a little figuring when you mentioned that. I looked up the KBB on my F-250 I have, Trade is 6900, Retail is 10,355, and Private party is about 8,600. I figure if I sold mine for 9700 (a high average between the 8,600 and 10,400), and the price (invoice) of one on the lot in the next town is $29,644, and with the $9700, thats $19,944, try to get $200 under invoice, $19,744, then with the $2500 rebate, thats $17,244, tax would make it about $18,000.

That's for an F-350 XLT SRW Regular Cab V-10, 4x4, auto, Wedgewood blue, FX-4, cab clearance lights, heated mirrors, 4.30, special wheels, and the other standard features. Not bad, from what I see.

build and price a new Ford truck
 

Sorry, I should have stated it as a 2004 F-150 XL 4X4 8' bed.

Although I couldn't get one to price out as low as LK did, the F-250/350 trucks do have a $2500 rebate vs. the $1000 rebate of the F-150.

If you would like to price your own truck, click here Ford truck pricing .

It shows retail sticker, invoice price, and explains rebates and /or financing deals. You can also pick colors.

Happy shopping:-tap :9

That doesn't sound bad - it's more expensive because of the XLT and the added features, but most of that will come back to you if/when you eventually sell it.

I used to always buy XLs, but I found that the resale values on the XL trucks was terrible - which is one of the main reasons I went with the XLT this time. Same thing with the manual tranny - I prefer a manual, but around here a 2 or 3-year-old SD with a manual tranny has about a $3,000 lower resale value than the exact same truck with an auto.

LK

Re: build and price a new Ford truck
 

I just re-priced it on Ford's site to see if I made a mistake, and got the same numbers I posted earlier. That's a regular-cab SRW F350 4x4 XL(8' box) - with the only options selected being the V10, 4.30 limited-slip rear, cruise/tilt, A/C, and the heavy service suspension package. You'll never find one like that on a lot, but if you did that's what it'd cost. :)

It is *really* tough to find XL trucks on the lot, let alone one with the 6-speed stick.

LK

MY m250 is a 2003 XL regular cab 4X4 in arizona beige. I have the 5.4, 4.10 gears limited slip, towing package, Snow plow prep package, cruise/tilt/aC ,cassette,auto, all terrain tires,and cloth seat. stickers just shy of $29k got it for $25.5K with a bedliner. I specifically wanted an Xl trim truck, cause I have no need for all of those extras. I'm a fan of the work truck like trucks. I think it is better than the f150 HD dues to having bigger and stringer drive train. I found this truck on the lot, but If I would have orderd one, I would have gone witht he V10 and manual trans, everything else the same.

You guys must like big loans! I paid 10k for my used truck it runs like new after about 2k of fixes.

I've got one, how about a 85 F250 XL extra cab long bed, with a 6.9L turbo diesel 4.10s and auto tranny for $800. It needed a new starter, passenger window motor, and injector return o-rings. After about five hours of work and roughly $275 in parts the thing runs like new and will pull a house. The best part is I paid for it all out of one paycheck and don't have any more payments. The original owner towed a fifth wheel so he put in fun things like a Jake brake, trailer controls, battery seperator, the 4.10 rear end, and an upgraded turbo and exhuast. A very rare find but if you ask me it's the ultimate work/tow vehicle.

Simple question "what's the best work truck?"

Simple answer Ford Super Duty F250/F350 XL trim level.