Would you buy the new Ford F-150 with the Aluminum body?

[hangfirew8]

Sorry 2005 was the breaking off in head spark plug era. Around 2000 was the ejecting spark plug era.

-HF

 

[GL0B0TREE]

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/mepages/aluminfo.php

Just because Ford says it's aircraft-grade aluminum, don't bet the farm on it.

I'm sure Ford will offer the same quality aluminum engineering that they gave us with the 3 thread aluminum Triton V8 heads.

-HF

appearance is remarkable! tx Henry Ford

 

[sunfish]

I wont be buying a new truck of any brand, too many good used truck out there for a hell of a lot less money! I also do not like truck/car payments and haven't had any in 25 years.

The aluminum will hold up just fine. Have wondered why it wasn't used regularly until now. Think it's a good move for Ford. Friend of mine just bought one, i saw it last night. Good lookin truck!

My next truck will likely be a Ford from the late 60s' to late 70s'. Don't really need another one right now though.

 

[ncpete]

I hope that it isn't so thin that it dents when you lean against it.

I hear that they were not going to charge more. They were going to eat the cost variance because they intend to sell that many more trucks that it will offset the loss.

My guess is that damage repair will be through the roof, so many of them will just end up totaled and insurance companies will cry like a smashed alley cat.

Actually, Ford expects that manufacturing volume will make up for the cost difference, and expects to lose the title of Sales Leader this year due to the down-time in the plants during switch-over from the all-steel body and the aluminum truck. I have driven the 2.7L with the 6 speed automatic and 4WD. If I can figure out a way to justify the truck payment, I will get one. Fuel costs will be just about the same for my 800 miles of weekly commuting as with my current Mazda Millenia - YEAH, new truck for me!

 

[STIHLTHEDEERE]

Just read an article on this very truck yesterday. Body damage(collision) will cost 200% MORE to fix than steel!!!! And then there is the "white death" aluminum corrosion. Wait til insurance companies get ahold of that. No aluminum fords for me.

 

[ncpete]

@STIHLTHEDEERE, what article? I have not yet seen anything like that, beyond pure speculation.

 

[Teddi]

Edmunds has a vid on YouTube. They smashed the bed then had the dealership's body shop repair it. Cost was approx twice what it would be to fix steel.

 

[fordf150]

Ford has been using aluminum body panels for a decade or better. This is just the first vehicle with an all aluminum body. Nothing but a bunch of hype. Just like the spark plug issues.

 

[Deleted member 83629]

ford is the only truck i will have anymore.

 

[hangfirew8]

It's all good. Ford owners will just pay more than others on there insurance premiums, that's all.

-HF

 

[Section VIII]

I voted yes because a truck is a truck. If you don't want it to get dented and busted up while using it as a TRUCK, then you should just get a sedan. As far as it costing 200% more to repair, I think it's due to it being new and the body shop not knowing how to go about fixing it.

At the end of the day, does your truck still haul the wood you need it to?

I'm totally satisfied with my Ram...other than I wish they offered it in manual and a long bed. I would've bought a 3/4 ton or bigger but I couldn't justify the need for one at the time (I still can't).

 

[Knobby57]

I hope that it isn't so thin that it dents when you lean against it.

I hear that they were not going to charge more. They were going to eat the cost variance because they intend to sell that many more trucks that it will offset the loss.

My guess is that damage repair will be through the roof, so many of them will just end up totaled and insurance companies will cry like a smashed alley cat.

Estimated body work costs will be 3x a regular truck . The cab will have to come off for almost any repair . I work at a 13 franchise dealership with the biggest Bodyshop in the county . We are going to refuse to work on then . The tooling cost to repair them is insane . You need all kinds of special tools and they cannot be used on steel . The tools need to be stored in there own room and the work should be down in a separate area . Our body shop just spent over a million upgrading paint booths and they where sticker shocked by what it would cost to get set up for the aluminum trucks


Sent from my phone when I should be working

 

[hangfirew8]

That's OK. So much Ford truck work already requires lifting the body.

-HF

 

[Termite]

Ford has been using aluminum body panels for a decade or better. This is just the first vehicle with an all aluminum body. Nothing but a bunch of hype. Just like the spark plug issues.

I did not think it was hype when I had 5 broken plugs in my 05. I did get them all out. Dealers must like the hype @ $1k for a plug change. $97 was the cost of 8 spark plugs too.
Last plug change I did on one of these I fogged the intake several time with this carbon break up stuff and all 8 plugs came out. Now correlation is not causation but it worked.
The engineering of that big wide motor stuffed up under that cowl making it necessary to lift the cab to do maintenance is lost on me. It is a pain on a pickup but think about it on an Expedition.

 

[fordf150]

I did not think it was hype when I had 5 broken plugs in my 05. I did get them all out. Dealers must like the hype @ $1k for a plug change. $97 was the cost of 8 spark plugs too.
Last plug change I did on one of these I fogged the intake several time with this carbon break up stuff and all 8 plugs came out. Now correlation is not causation but it worked.
The engineering of that big wide motor stuffed up under that cowl making it necessary to lift the cab to do maintenance is lost on me. It is a pain on a pickup but think about it on an Expedition.

And you just discovered the $5...5 minute thing that makes these plugs just as easy to do as standard plugs. Local Ford dealer charges a flat $400 parts and labor to do them.

 

[Termite]

And you just discovered the $5...5 minute thing that makes these plugs just as easy to do as standard plugs. Local Ford dealer charges a flat $400 parts and labor to do them.

I would do them all day long for $400. I am hurt I thought I was the only one to prep the truck that way.
I just finish going through my transmission. I figured I save about $2K.

 

[fordf150]

Can of sea foam down the intake. Usually that keeps it under 2 broken plugs and makes the job go easy. Only real PITA after that is if the valve cover leaked.

 

[anlrolfe]

So, let me get this right, an aluminum truck will suffer white death by corrosion but a Boston Whaler in salt water is OK?
Isn't it all a matter of the grade metal?
Maybe they should rivet it together and make it look like the Grumman built postal vans?? Those are holding up well.

 

[fordf150]

Im no expert but I don't think it is the salt that causes the corrosion. It is the calcium they add to the salt and brine that does it

 

[fubar2]

Hold out for some Stainless Steel.