'04 F150
Question:
And soon around 2006, the Tundra will be built deep in the heart of Texas, in San Antonio. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> > Funny thing about those crash test results. The Toyota Tundra had some of the > > best crash test result. However, it has by far the worst injury loss rating of > > any full size 4WD pickup and is worse than a Ford F150 2WD by a significant > > margin. It has to make you wonder whether those test actually mean anything. > > IIHS gives the Tundra high marks in all crash evaluations, despite it poor real > > wrld history….. > > It has always been my opinion that the Japanese car markers are very good at > > meeting very specific targets while entirely ignoring the underlying goal of > > the requirments. > Isn’t the Tundra built at the NUMMI (GM/Toyota joint venture) plant in > California? > No, the Tundra is built in Kentucky. The Matrix and Pontiac Vibe are built in > California. > Ed
Response:
> > Funny thing about those crash test results. The Toyota Tundra had some of the > best crash test result. However, it has by far the worst injury loss rating of > any full size 4WD pickup and is worse than a Ford F150 2WD by a significant > margin. It has to make you wonder whether those test actually mean anything. > IIHS gives the Tundra high marks in all crash evaluations, despite it poor real > wrld history….. > It has always been my opinion that the Japanese car markers are very good at > meeting very specific targets while entirely ignoring the underlying goal of > the requirments. > Isn’t the Tundra built at the NUMMI (GM/Toyota joint venture) plant in > California?
No, the Tundra is built in Kentucky. The Matrix and Pontiac Vibe are built in California. Ed
Response:
Funny thing about those crash test results. The Toyota Tundra had some of the best crash test result. However, it has by far the worst injury loss rating of any full size 4WD pickup and is worse than a Ford F150 2WD by a significant margin. It has to make you wonder whether those test actually mean anything. IIHS gives the Tundra high marks in all crash evaluations, despite it poor real wrld history….. It has always been my opinion that the Japanese car markers are very good at meeting very specific targets while entirely ignoring the underlying goal of the requirments. see http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ictl/ictl_4wd_pickup.htm and http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ictl/ictl_2wd_pickup.htm Ed – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > The big question is how well the ‘04 F-150 extended cab version will do at > this web site, http://www.hwysafety.org/ > because the ‘03 and earlier models did poorly. Ford did a good job with the > ‘02 Explorer, hopefully they did their homework with the F-150. > wth
Response:
> Funny thing about those crash test results. The Toyota Tundra had some of the > best crash test result. However, it has by far the worst injury loss rating of > any full size 4WD pickup and is worse than a Ford F150 2WD by a significant > margin. It has to make you wonder whether those test actually mean anything. > IIHS gives the Tundra high marks in all crash evaluations, despite it poor real > wrld history….. > It has always been my opinion that the Japanese car markers are very good at > meeting very specific targets while entirely ignoring the underlying goal of > the requirments.
Isn’t the Tundra built at the NUMMI (GM/Toyota joint venture) plant in California? — Dan 1992 Sport 4.0L 4×4
Response:
Looking from the front, they remind me of the SportTrac….. and that leaves me with mixed emotions. I almost forgot… the grille goes with the hood, a la Dodge… — Jim Warman
Response:
The big question is how well the ‘04 F-150 extended cab version will do at this web site, http://www.hwysafety.org/ because the ‘03 and earlier models did poorly. Ford did a good job with the ‘02 Explorer, hopefully they did their homework with the F-150. wth
Response:
> (snip) Ford did a good job with the > ‘02 Explorer (snip).
You got that right. The IIHS (the same site as hwysafety) has the Explorer as a "Best Pick". http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/summary_midsuv.htm http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0125.htm At a restaurant the other night, we overheard some older man tell his friends that "Buick has an all-new [sic] SUV coming out, so we’re going to take a look at it next week. I think it’s called the Rainier." His wife said something like "we heard it’s going to be the best." I was trying to hold back from banging on the table laughing. The wife was begging me not to say anything. People amaze me. Aside from a new grill, ugly old-folks Buick interior, and rear signals changed from amber to red, the Rainier is a now-recycled Bravada, right down to the tubby-ugly rear end, rubbery steering, high sensitivity to crosswinds, solid rear axle that hops all over the place in bumpy turns… And then there are the IIHS’ tests: http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/0119.htm Add this to Edmunds’ test of the Explorer (1 versus 4 for the TrailBlazer), and Consumer Reports’ pick of the Explorer (1 versus 4 for the Envoy), and you have to wonder if people *bother* researching how they’re going to spend their money—especially this *much* money. If I had told this uninformed OF about this, he probably would have said, "but the Buick won’t roll over." So I didn’t bother. Go buy the POS Oldsmobuick without looking at anything else. To quote a line from "The Money Pit," "I hopa you choke." <snicker>
Response:
From Richard Our local dealer got some in this week. They are BIG, but I still kinda like the ‘01 body style better at least for the SuperCrews. But of course it could grow on me……. /Richard
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Like I’d mentioned some time ago, I’d write about my first impressions of > the new F150…… > We got 3 in on Thursday. I had some big jobs on the go so I didn’t get to > PDI any of them though I took the time to take a hard stare. All ours are > 4WD (2WD are remarkable when we do see them in any pick up). > There are a vast number of unique manufacturing techniques (for the Ford > half ton, anyway)….. starting with the boxed frame….. right from front > to back. While it appears to have a lot of torsional strength, it is going > to be a real challenged to properly install a fifth wheel hitch on the > contoured rear clip….. the frame material itself is much thinner than > conventional frames and this will add to the heaache. I’ll be interested in > seeing how Reese, DSP, et al handle this. > Sticking with the frame, the upper rear shock mounts are outboard of the > frame rails…… It’s no secret that getting the shocks closer to the > wheels improves their control. In this case, the upper shock mount is > attached to a tubular crossmember. Looks strong enough for most cases but I > think a shock that is overly agressive (or roads that are overly agressive) > may have an effect. Time will tell. > Moving to the front end, the torsion bars are gone… coil over shocks with > big honkin’ bushings look like they can handle most anything we’re going to > see. The rack and pinion steering is a welcome idea. Upper control arms look > like cast iron and lowers look like aluminum or another light coloured > metal. Provisions for cmaber/caster adjustments appear to be at the lower > control arms though the adjusters aren’t factory installed. It finishes off > with a cast crossmember at the bottom. Looks good. > Fuel filter looks easy to get at though relatively unprotected from mud – a > big thing in our area. We’ll likley have to spend some time cleaning the > connections for filter replacement. The rest of the undercarriage is pretty > sanitary and looks like it should be fairly easy to work on – getting rid of > those torsion bars is going to reduce labour costs for a lot of things > underneath. > Engine compartment looks good… at first look, the plugs are easier to get > at (5.4 three valve) and the valve covers are metal. Air filter is in a > little drawer…. should take almost 30 seconds to change. > The interior… well, what can I say….. I think I’ll go in tomorrow so I > can take one for a spin…. The chairs are the most comfortable I have seen > in a pick up. The quarter windows actually roll down. Driivers chair is a > study in ergonomics. The whiote face gauges are really retro….. don’t know > if that will wear off with time, but they are easy to read. Console shift > isn’t available in all models…. bummer 8^( > Heading back outside, short people are going to have a lot of fun…. at six > foot with long arms, I have a real struggle to touch the floor of the box > while standing on the ground….. the "lift over" is about as high as I have > ever seen. A torsion bar in the tailgate makes it a real treat to open and > close (and the gate is still easily removed and installed)… light as a > feather. This is a tall truck and many parkades might be out of the > question….. the 18 inch wheels seem to suit it well but will take some > getting used to for this ol’ dawg. That 300hp engine has a bunch of torque > where it counts….. it’s almost too easy to light up the back tires if you > get rambunctious. > One thing I better mention before I forget….. looks like a class 3 or > better hitch at the back and it is part of the bumper….. nice touch and > looks good. > First impression is a big thumbs up….. if’n ya got nuthin’ to do Satruday, > go down to the dealer and take one for a spin….. > — > Jim Warman
Response:
Like I’d mentioned some time ago, I’d write about my first impressions of the new F150…… We got 3 in on Thursday. I had some big jobs on the go so I didn’t get to PDI any of them though I took the time to take a hard stare. All ours are 4WD (2WD are remarkable when we do see them in any pick up). There are a vast number of unique manufacturing techniques (for the Ford half ton, anyway)….. starting with the boxed frame….. right from front to back. While it appears to have a lot of torsional strength, it is going to be a real challenged to properly install a fifth wheel hitch on the contoured rear clip….. the frame material itself is much thinner than conventional frames and this will add to the heaache. I’ll be interested in seeing how Reese, DSP, et al handle this. Sticking with the frame, the upper rear shock mounts are outboard of the frame rails…… It’s no secret that getting the shocks closer to the wheels improves their control. In this case, the upper shock mount is attached to a tubular crossmember. Looks strong enough for most cases but I think a shock that is overly agressive (or roads that are overly agressive) may have an effect. Time will tell. Moving to the front end, the torsion bars are gone… coil over shocks with big honkin’ bushings look like they can handle most anything we’re going to see. The rack and pinion steering is a welcome idea. Upper control arms look like cast iron and lowers look like aluminum or another light coloured metal. Provisions for cmaber/caster adjustments appear to be at the lower control arms though the adjusters aren’t factory installed. It finishes off with a cast crossmember at the bottom. Looks good. Fuel filter looks easy to get at though relatively unprotected from mud – a big thing in our area. We’ll likley have to spend some time cleaning the connections for filter replacement. The rest of the undercarriage is pretty sanitary and looks like it should be fairly easy to work on – getting rid of those torsion bars is going to reduce labour costs for a lot of things underneath. Engine compartment looks good… at first look, the plugs are easier to get at (5.4 three valve) and the valve covers are metal. Air filter is in a little drawer…. should take almost 30 seconds to change. The interior… well, what can I say….. I think I’ll go in tomorrow so I can take one for a spin…. The chairs are the most comfortable I have seen in a pick up. The quarter windows actually roll down. Driivers chair is a study in ergonomics. The whiote face gauges are really retro….. don’t know if that will wear off with time, but they are easy to read. Console shift isn’t available in all models…. bummer 8^( Heading back outside, short people are going to have a lot of fun…. at six foot with long arms, I have a real struggle to touch the floor of the box while standing on the ground….. the "lift over" is about as high as I have ever seen. A torsion bar in the tailgate makes it a real treat to open and close (and the gate is still easily removed and installed)… light as a feather. This is a tall truck and many parkades might be out of the question….. the 18 inch wheels seem to suit it well but will take some getting used to for this ol’ dawg. That 300hp engine has a bunch of torque where it counts….. it’s almost too easy to light up the back tires if you get rambunctious. One thing I better mention before I forget….. looks like a class 3 or better hitch at the back and it is part of the bumper….. nice touch and looks good. First impression is a big thumbs up….. if’n ya got nuthin’ to do Satruday, go down to the dealer and take one for a spin….. — Jim Warman
