Well, I figured since I compared the fuel efficiency of the Jeep Liberty to a regular ol' full size pickup truck, I ought to throw a truck in here somewhere. So, here it is. I used to always say that if I could have only one vehicle, a truck it would be. Of course, with the price of gas, I thank the Lord that I am fortunate enough not to have to buy gas for my truck everyday. I'll start with the rough part and work up from there....
Are the rumors true? Does the gas pump really shut off before one of these dudes is full? Yes it does. Most gas stations shut off at either $75 or $100. Then, you get the pleasure of assuring the attendant that you are for real and would like to pay even more. The F-150 has a 30 gallon tank so you can easily figure that it takes about $115 to fill up when empty. You think that's a lot, just try dragging your boat to the lake sometime. It costs me $115 to fill the truck and another $70 for the boat so before we even have any fun on the water, I am out almost $200. To think that owning your own boat used to mean that you could go out and have a great time on Saturday afternoon without spending hardly any money! Hahaha, the good old days (5 years ago!). Let's put this into perspective. Towing and hauling aside, the fuel efficiency of the truck is seriously about the same as a Jeep Liberty in the city. I drove about 600 miles, mostly highway, and averaged 18.7 mpg. In the city only, I average 14 - 16. In all fairness, this particular F-150 specimen has the larger V-8 engine, the 5.4 liter. True, I feel funny calling that large when I once owned a 72 Buick that had a 7.5 liter V-8 but times change and this is what it has come to. Hey wait, that Buick weighed almost the same, had more horsepower, was easier to work on, and got the same miles per gallon and even a little better in the city. What's up with that? I digress. The Ford is available with a 4.6 liter V-8 as well and I would highly recommend that one over the larger engine. It is a more fuel efficient engine and the difference in power will not matter to 95% of us. It will still pull a rather heavy trailer, haul over 1/2 ton of payload, or cart your cowboy/cowgirl around just fine. A good friend of mine once told me, "Why buy 4 horses and have to feed them when it only takes 2 horses to pull your cart?" At this time of ever increasing fuel prices, more relevant words would be hard to find. Anyways, the smaller V-8 will get just over 20mpg on the highway. In fact, if you really pay attention to what you're ordering and you get the high ratio rear end coupled with the smaller V-8, and the right tranny, you'll really be surprised at the difference these things can make. I know, most people buying them pay no attention to the rear end ratio nor which automatic transmission it has hooked to it but these things do make a difference and at this time in history, every mpg counts! If you're interested in a truck and don't understand this, talk to someone who does before you order yours...you won't regret it.
Now for the good stuff. To call one of today's trucks just a good ol' truck, is kind of a farce. They are nothing like the trucks of yesteryear. That can be both good and bad but be that as it may, it's just the way it is. This XLT trim truck is nice. The interior is comfortable and has the same modern amenities that can be found in most cars, such as power windows, locks, mirrors, automatic lights, cruise, tilt steering, auxiliary music port, etc..etc. It does seem a little plain inside to me but I think that's just because there is so much room and only so many goodies to fill it with. I feel good in this truck....the driver's position in the cab, the smoothness of the drivetrain, and the excellent visibility from the driver's seat are impressive. The fit and finish of both the interior components as well as the exterior are great. Additionally, there is a lot of storage space both in the doors as well as in the center console. This truck had 2 captain's chairs for the front passengers with a very large center compartment between them. I'm not kidding, you could easily fit an igloo ice chest inside of the compartment! This particular model is called the supercrew because it has a full four door cab which includes a full size bench seat in the rear. The thing I don't like about that is that the extra cab space cuts into the length of the bed. This bed is actually shorter than even a standard short bed truck...one foot shorter I believe. Anyways, it has more than ample room for most people but if I'm buying the truck because of it's hauling capabilities, I want a bigger bed. If I'm buying it just because I want a truck to drive everyday, this one is perfect because it has the extra interior room without increasing the length of the chassis and therefore making it more difficult to maneuver in tight spots and traffic. Overall, the F-150 has a smooth and quiet ride, again, a departure from many of the trucks that we grew up with. Of course, deep in it's heart it is still a truck. The ride is more stiff than you would experience in a car but you can't pull an 8,000 pound trailer or haul over 1,000 pounds of payload with your car, right? All in all, trucks have come a long way. Of course, being old-fashioned, I miss the old trucks with hard floors, side vent windows, and beds with wooden floors. You remember, the kind that you didn't have to worry about spilling something in or getting in with dirty feet. You could go to the boat ramp, slosh around in the water, and jump back in the truck without missing a beat. It would bring tears to my eyes to do that to one of these new models. Of course, back then, you also had one bench seat and anyone who couldn't fit inside could ride safely in the back...because back then, we all had enough sense to stay seated when in motion. No one had to tell us, we just somehow knew and never had a problem. Or maybe it was the fact that we knew if we had gotten up and acted like idiots, our butts would've been sore from the bustin' we would've gotten as the truck came to an immediate stop? Anyways, I'm getting off topic again! The new F-150 supercrew is a nice ride with plenty of interior room for a family or group of friends. Speaking of a group of friends, make sure they all chip in for some gas money cause your gonna need it! All joking aside, although the mileage isn't what we may consider GOOD comparatively speaking, it's actually not too bad for a full-size truck. Trucks such as this F-150 have come a long way and are certainly worth a look if you need such a vehicle.
My report card:
styling: B+ (only so much you can do with a truck)
comfort: A
Ride: A-
Economy: D (although not so bad for a big truck)
Drivetrain: A-
Overall: B+
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