A question for for lovers of the Ford F150?

Question

For those of us who have never owned a Ford Truck but like what we see, why should I buy a Ford F150 over any other brand? What has the service life been for you? Has it been trouble free? Is it built like a 20 year truck? Do they build them like they used to, so to speak?

Answer 1

This question will get a lot of opinion vs. facts.  Let me give you the facts: Ford has been the #1 selling truck for 31 straight years. The F-150 uses a fully boxed frame for a lot less flex in the body. Additionally, the cross braces are through welded. That allows the truck to last longer. Ford uses rear shocks mounted outside the frame rails vs inside the frame rails like on the GM trucks. That provides a lot more leverage to manage the road imperfections with. Ford has a higher rated payload and towing capacity maximums. The front end of Ford trucks are much better built. The front structure of a GM truck is based on the fenders providing all the support. Ford uses structure behind and under the fenders, not just the fenders.  Along with the additional structure: Ford uses a laminated steel that keeps the cab quieter. If you drive them both on a proving ground type rough road: the Ford is CLEARLY the better built truck. Most people don't operate on proving ground type roads. Ford also has developed and used a Personal Safety System that has been so successful in occupant protection that next year; it's equivalent will be required on all vehicles sold in the US. As to the last part; do they build them like they used to? No, and thank God! They have advanced so far beyond what they used to build! The capacities of a 2004 F-150 5.4 liter properly equipped will out tow a 2004 Super Duty with the same engine! What used to be called a 1/2 ton now has the capacity of over 1 and 1/2 tons! Coil over shock front suspension instead of twin I beam, overhead cams instead of push rods, fuel injection instead of carbs, leaf springs in back that are now the same width as the Super Duty!  All improvements!  The new 2009 raises the bar even higher!

Answer 2

I work on them day to day and depending upon how you keep them up is how they will survive.

I've owned a f-150 for 5 years personally and other than a seat belt that wouldn't retract and a tail light full of water, only maintenance for me. I've had Chevy owners who have replaced instrument clusters, steering shafts etc in the same 5 years and use the truck as I do.

All makes have their issues and will not deny that.

Also to answer the guy who said Chevy is better due to registrations etc etc... remember this, Ford mainly sells to a work truck crowd, Chevy aims more for a private owner crowd. The Ford is usually at 200K+ miles within 5 years and is usually beat up by crews to the point they are torn apart. (because most people don't care if they don't own the vehicle)  Most chevys I see are owned by individuals and are used as such . I've worked on all the major models and can tell you from experience that where one is weak the other is strong but for most purposes, Ford builds their trucks more for a work crowd than a family crowd as GM does.

But in my area, we still see lots of 20 year old F-150s and c-1500s running around (almost no Dodges for some reason) so make your decision by what you see on the road.

Answer 3

you know as a kid growing up chevy trucks where on every farm yo u could buy one dirt cheap and was easy to work on and after driving and rough riding my cars and truck many many of many above 50... ford as let me down the lease... fords are tough to beat ive had about 25 chevy's and broken every one and ive had only a hand full of ford and only broken one... and i wasnt driving just on the roads i was in the woods thru muddy  corn fields gravel and dirt roads.... running them harder than most poeple give me chevy and i can break it in a few days but i can drive a ford forever

Answer 4

If properly taken care of and maintained any vehicle can last for a long time.

To the person above me if what you are saying is true then why is it that the F-150 was the highest selling truck for so many years? I have owned both Fords and Chevys and from personal experience will not be buying any more Chevys our Fords can tow and carry more weight than any of the Chevys we've had. Beide just because you don't see the Fords on the road doesn't mean they aren't out there, most of the Wreckers in my area are Fords towing Chevys to the shops for repairs.

Answer 5

There's a good reason that there are more Chevy trucks on the road today than there are Ford trucks.  

They last longer.  

I'm not saying Fords suck...heck, I was in service at one of the largest Ford dealerships in the country....I've owned plenty of Fords.

But Chevys are simply better trucks, today, and always have been.

Watch how many 20 year old POS trucks you still see running, doing dirty jobs....most of them will be Chevys.

Look up all the DMV records in all 50 states...you'll find that there are more Chevys still registered than any other brand.

And also remember, the F-150 outsells the Silverado (not Chevy/GMC together, but it beats Chevy by itself).....so there SHOULD be more Fords on the road....but there are NOT.

That said, Ford trucks and GM trucks are the best in the business today.   Quality-wise, it's GM, Ford, then off in the distance, everyone else.  

Edit:  For the person below me who evidently couldn't connect the dots, here is what I was saying spelled out for you:....there are more Chevys registered and on the road than Fords.    That's an indisputable FACT.  

But Ford sells more than Chevy.....yet more Chevys are still RUNNING.    What does that tell a person of even below-average intelligence?  

Chevys LAST LONGER.   If they don't last longer, and Ford is the best-built truck, then why are there more Chevys on the road???

One of you Ford fanboys PLEASE answer this question.   The only logical answer is, Chevys last longer...and again, I'm not saying Ford's aren't good....just Chevys are obviously better....or they wouldn't sell less and have more of them on the road.

And Ford does NOT outsell Chevy and GMC combined, and it should be counted that way since Chevy/GMC are the exact same truck.

edit:  gearbox must have missed all the rear end problems, electrical problems, and engine problems the F-150's have had just this decade.   I worked at one of the largest Ford dealerships in the country for about 17 years, so I saw plenty of problems with them.    All vehicles that get used have problems.   That's a fact.    And that's just the 150's...we won't even talk about how much trouble they have had with the Powerstroke diesels in the larger trucks.  

It's not a fact that most Fords are work trucks.   Chevy sells PLENTY of fleet vehicles, too.    The reason there are more still registered is because they last longer, plain and simple.