Back in the original Super Duty thread, I asked this, but I'm going to repeat it here since a lot of new folks have joined and may be able to help me. I am looking for suggestions for bumpers for my 99 F350 DRW. In the front I'm looking to mount a 12K winch, and would like a pushbar / headlight protection system too. This is a diesel, so I have to keep some air flowing up there. In the rear I want to put a winch too (I have a Warn XD9000i but this may be too high profile) and still have a 2" Class IV or V receiver.(1000 tongue, 10000trailer) Right now I have the factory receiver and the space from the top of it to the tailgate when open only clears the XD9000i by 3/8". Maybe if the bumper has an inch more drop to the receiver, and I'll get rid of the factory receiver? [The primary use of the rear winch will be to pull stuff into the trailer, but I want it to be beefy enough that it can also back me out. By the time I pay for the truck and the bumpers, I'm not sure there will be enough money left to buy a new winch] The truck is a dually and I liked a rear bumper I saw that wrapped around to help protect the fenders. I know, I want everything. I started to design one to build a rear bumper myself,but started getting nervous about engineering the 2" receiver load. What have other people seen?
Dealer sent me email today to let me know my truck arrived. Says they just need a day to prep it, and I can come get it on friday! Wahoo!
Brutus, here in Seattle at the stations I frequent, Diesel and Regular Unleaded are the same price...
I'll be taking my laptop into the new truck, and my next message will be composed while sitting in the front seat with the PSD running! (while parked, of course)!
longhair, regarding the hitch receiver height...I installed a DrawTite Class IV receiver and it sits about 3" below the plastic center part of std. bumper. Model #41922 rated at 10K tralier and 1K tongue weight using conventional ball hitch. This may help with the clearance. By the way, this specific hitch fits all 250/350 SD and clears the spare tire.
summitx, even if you'd been able to get the number for VOPC from ford-diesel.com, you were still requested not to talk to anyone so you'd only have been (well, should have been) bugging an automated system. (And I don't think that call rate affects delivery date.
northpole1, as a later reply indicated, check your credit union. When we ordered our truck (not delivered yet), Ford Credit beat our bank but our credit union beat Ford Credit.
On 6/24/99, I ordered my black '00 SuperDuty XLT with V10, ext. cab, 4x4, plow package, 3.73 rear end and a few other goodies. The dealer figured I'd get it by the end of August. The dealer's latest story is that I oughta get it in a couple of weeks, and that the reason for the delay was that Ford was slapping all the V10 engines into Excursions.
OK...a question (and one I've posed in other topic groups here): Anybody have any experience with putting dual exhaust on a Ford V10? The going story is that it makes it sound like a lawnmower, i.e. very high pitched compared to the big V8 sound we all know and love.
cowpokes, Thanks for the advice of what topic I should be posting messages to.
All, Thanks for all the VERY helpful advice on where to look for info and what to look for. It has been educating.
I picked up my VORA last night (dated 1/31/00) and it looked good. It had priority 10 and had all the right items listed. I am now in the waiting queue. The unfortunate thing is I found this website a day too late. The VOPC was removed right after I started looking. I am planing on depending on the dealer for info on status. Too bad Ford doesn't make it easier for consumers. Any other advice on keeping tabs on the order would be appreciated.
F350 XLT CC V-10 Auto, Camper Package (for my Lance camper), TT mirrors, Privacy Glass, Trailer Package, Hitch Receiver, Roof Lights, ESOF, sliding Rear Window, and yes black clearcoat !!!
djpstman, you might check out topic #891 Cabover Camper Chat. There are a couple of Lance owners over there. Most of them own Chevys, but they're all good guys.
If you want some more feed back about Lance Campers or have some to offer, another good site is www.happycampers.net. Go into the Chat area. You can do a search by key words, such as "Lance".
thanks for the info on drawtite location. My truck doesn't have a bumper to compare it to, but next time a truck passes through the dealer lot down the street I'll look at the factory bumper to compare.
I may have to trip up to you to buy fuel Actually I am hoping to schedule six weeks in Summer 2001 to travel to Alaska ( I would love to be able to say my truck had been to Prudhoe Bay)
Meanwhile, in tropical NJ, the 87octane is at 1.37, diesel at 2.22 (truckstop on highway was 2.31). I got lucky and refilled home heating oil at "only" 1.79. Hopefully this will all settle down within a month, or I'll have to go back to my 8mpg '86 gasser (0-60 in 46seconds with all the weight)
What is with this?! I went out at lunch and checked prices around Norman, OK. Regular gas is around $1.27 and diesel is a couple of pennies cheaper. Quite a disparity in the price of diesel around the country don't ya think? Sure does cloud the issue for those of you trying to decide between PSD and V10! Good Luck.
Traditionally they raise diesel and sometimes gas prices in the Northeast in the Winter and blame it on a shortage because the refineries have to produce so much heating oil!! Which probably most of us think is a bunch of **. I don't currently live there but have relatives there and they always complain about it. Mainecowgirl is that what you see/hear?
Let me warn you about your planned trip to Prudhoe Bay. While it's true that private vehicles are allowed on the haul road now, the area around Prudhoe is still owned by the oil companies. About ten miles before the end of the road there is a gate, and only company vehicles and tour buses are allowed beyond that. My point is you will drive all that way just to miss your goal by 10 miles.
Brutus: Thanks for the info on the ALCAN. Actually, I drove it myself about this time last year and it was -38 in Beaver Creek, plus a big chunk of the highway was under construction around there. They were blasting even in February, and it beats me how our Canadian friends can stand to drive on those boulders. Some were the size of VWs and "Chebys".
Picked up my rig from the dealer last Friday: F-250 XLT/SC/LB/V-10/AT/4WD/3.73. Oh baby, what a big, black truck! Not a squeak or rattle in the first tank of gas. Rides a little stiffer than I expected and it seems like the shift from first to second is a little late. Also, there is less leg room than I remembered. I'm average height (5'10") and though my rugby knee demands a little extra extension I can't imagine you six-footers would be comfortable on long drives.
I'm really picking at minor things, though. It's a great truck. Almost got it stuck in a muddy lot testing out the 4WD, but with all-season tires in lieu of all-terrains that's not surprising.
(heimy, I ordered virtually the same truck you did [tow package instead of plow package] in mid-November. Your dealer must be FUBAR.)
That tow hitch is nicely fitted below the bumper, BTW. Maybe it's not as strong as an aftermarket hitch, but you barely know it's there.
Now, to the bad trip: the dealer tried to screw me on price at the last second. I set up a deal for $750 over invoice with the fleet manager when I ordered the truck. I had offers for $350-$500 over invoice from other local dealerships via 'net bids, but I stuck with these guys. Now that deal was set for almost three months, and as we're doing the final paperwork the salesman tried to tack on another $750 for a "pre-delivery inspection fee". Bull, that was just his attempt to carve a chunk of cash out of me on a deal he had almost nothing to do with. I knew it and he knew it. I cursed, pounded the table, and had to threaten to tear up the $28,000 cashier's check before he gave up.
This is extraordinarily lame. Hardball negotiation and/or sleazy tricks are par for dealing for a vehicle on the lot, but when you order a vehicle you remove most of the overhead risk that validates those kind of tactics. If you put down a $500 or $1000 deposit the dealership is virtually guaranteed to make money on the truck, unless it has an option mix that's extremely difficult to sell. In my case, they knew they could sell my truck for one or two thousand dollars more off the lot, once it had arrived, so they were essentially leveraging their profit guarantee of my deposit to make more money selling it to someone else. That's low.
So, for you folks in the CA central valley, do not patronize Future Ford of Roseville unless you have locked in a real steal of a deal, and absolutely do not deal with Kevin Franks. The only way to get rid of jerks like this is Darwinian culling. George Baraga, the fleet manager, is a nice guy but you damn well better insist he handle your order from start to finish and not hand you off to some sleazeball on the floor.
BTW, ol' Kev' called me up this morning about filling out the Ford sales survey. "C'mon in and I'll have your truck detailed and gassed up!" Like that's gonna stop me from writing up such a blistering slam they'll have to mail it in an asbestos envelope!
I installed a BORLA cat-back system on my V-10 and LOVE IT!! True, the V-10's don't sound as good as the V-8's because with the V-8, there is some delay in cylinder firings which gives the deep resonance. With a V-10, you don't have delay in firing so it doesn't sound as deep. If you don't put a good free flowing muffler on the truck it will sound like a "rice-burner" motorcycle...not to cool. With the BORLA, it is more throaty espcially when the gas is mashed. I paid $499.00 for my BORLA which uses T-304 stainless(truck will rust before exhaust does), goes around factory spare and receiver hitch, and has some kool tips in back! Any other questions....feel free to email me....
The dealer gets a holdback equal to 3% of MSRP, which is about $1,000 on these trucks. So, they make that, plus whatever they sell the vehicle for over dealer invoice.
The place I saw the diesel price was advertising 87 octane for $1.32 and diesel for $1.35. I didn't drive in and verify it, but I will be filling up tomorrow. If it's different, I will let you know. The cheapest 87 octane gas I found in town was $1.28.
northpole, I drove through Beaver Creek around minight. I may have been dozing. My dad, being retired and having nothing better to do, offered to fly to Dallas and make the trip with me since he RVs all the time. In my infinite wisdom, I agreed. I should have known better. I've shared the driving on the Alcan many times and have driven it alone. Anyway, after a couple of weeks in each other's company, we were getting on each other's nerves. Good thing they have strict handgun laws in Canada (kidding, of course). When we left Ft. Nelson, our goal was to drive all the way to Anchorage, stopping only for gas and food. We made it as far as Tok. Those last six hours or so of driving required a four hour crash in the camper. My dad is a great guy, and he RVs alot, but future road trips together are out.
Sangerplr, I ordered an F350 CC in December (which I'm still waiting for) and my single biggest gripe is that there are no rear seat headrests. It is both a safety issue and a comfort issue -- I guess I'll have to jam a couple of pillows in the rear window. I can't imagine what Ford's design engineers were thinking! If I knew what other features would be available for the 2001 model year, I'd be inclined to cancel my order and wait it out another 6 or 7 months. I'd also add keypad entry, 6-CD changer, heated mirrors, -- basically the same amenities offered in the Excursion if these options were available. Has anyone heard what's coming down the pipe for 2001?
djpstman- What's a VORA? Might you mean DORA? For info. on tracking your truck's build/ship progress, go to topic #605, post #588. You'll have to backtrack through all the Super Duty posts, as topic #605 has been archived.
bobh12- Diesel prices and home heating oil prices have skyrocketed here in the Northeast (I'm in Maine) in the past three weeks. Both of these fuels are essentially the same thing, so it makes sense that their prices run similar paths. Reason given by the suppliers: high demand (it's been generally much colder than normal over the past month) and low supply. Lots of product was supposedly shipped to Europe early in the winter as they were having below average temperatures then, so that left less here on the east coast. Also, inventories were low to begin with as last heating season was a mild one, and suppliers didn't want a lot of extra product on hand like they ended up with last year. At least, these are the reasons given by the suppliers. Others have their own opinion about what is behind these dramatic price increases.
My example of a decent dealership: Capital Ford in Raleigh NC, salesman Ed Sanders.
I spent several months looking at trucks, so he saw me 2 or 3 times before I actually went in to purchase..
I ordered my F250 SD, and then (just after he pushed the button to send the order), we talked about price.. We settled on a price (it was less than $500 over invoice), and I left.. I didn't get anything in writing though.
When he called after the truck arrived at the dealer, he re-confirmed the price we agreed on, and then informed me of another special Factory-customer rebate ($500) because of Fords commitment to 'helping out' hurricane victims.
It would have been 'easy' for him to have hidden that $500 but instead I ended up getting my SuperDuty for under dealer invoice..
There was no pressure to purchase any dealer add-on's, extended warranties or the like..
I don't like it either. Those with 99s will have to confirm, but it seems like that model year had headrests for the rear seat. Sangerpls, have to admire your commitment to safety for adding them. It bothered us not having them in the extended cab we had before. It's inexcusable that they're missing from ANY truck with rear seating--crew cab or X cab. There's more relief between the seat back and the rear glass in the crew cab, sure hope it's enough.....
No headrest in my 99 Supercab. I remember it being a point of discussion in 1998 when the Superduty trucks first came out.
Heated mirrors would be real nice. I'd like to see some kind of heated windshield wiper also. Someone mentioned that last year and I chuckled, but then I agreed with them later. We get these wet snows sometimes mixed with rain and temps right at or above freezing. The ice builds up on the wipers and they become useless, even with the defroster on full hot. If they could find a way to get just a little warmth to those wipers and melt that snow, it would be great.
I picked up my truck yesterday, 2/9/00, ordered 10/8/99. I haven't had much time to drive it yet but first impressions are, this is a nice truck!
After waiting 4 months I was given the con by the sales manager when I went to get the truck. He said there had been a price increase and wanted about $200. above the price agreed to on 10/8/99, in writing, but not an invoice. I said, show it to me on the window sticker but he could not because it was not there! I checked! I also said we had an agreement and this was totally unprofessional and an obvious attempt to gain more profit in an unfair method. If my wife wasn't present to calm me down I may have become really upset. After litening to him and another salesman for close to 2 hours I reluctantly agreed to split the difference with him.
It is obvious to me he was trying to take advantage of the situation since V10 Super Dutys are almost impossible to get in this area and he knows he could sell it that same day, at or above window sticker. After having time to think about this, I am pissed! I can't wait until I get the Buyer's Survey to fill out! It's not the amount of money but the principle of being taken advantage of! If they would of made any real effort to get my truck I would be more inclined to pay the extra amount but all they did was enter my order in the computer.
Maybe I should of argued this more but in reality who wants to wait another 4-6 months to get another truck over a $100 dispute?
Thanks to all the people on this site for the great information! I hope to remain a member here for a long time!
That was me that asked for them last year. I must admit that I was a little surprised that folks up North were pooh-poohing the idea. (You weren't the only one.) I guess plain snow is easier to deal with (I know that the roads here are much better after 4" of snow vs 1/2" of "Jersey Junk". (A horrible mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain just around 32F.) I haven't solved either the mirrors or wipers yet. I did do an internet search for heated wipers and came up with some intended for tractor trailers which should fit. (temporarliy misplaced the info) Fifteen years ago I added a pad (6x9x1/8) to the back of my mirrors to heat them, but can't find them anymore. I got distracted on the other projects for the truck (Building the cap and roof rack) and silly things like working for a living, so I haven't gotten back to it. (I'll probably solve the problem in August - and fix the A/C at home in December
These's a guy (beagle1) who posts over at ford-diesel.com that put the heated Excursion mirrors on his SD truck. Sounds like an easy mod if you already have the power mirrors, you just need to run an extra wire for the heat function and install a switch. I'm sure if you do a search on that web site you can find the Ford part #s and prices.
You may have made out pretty good on your truck price. While most purchase agreements give you a refusal option if the price increases, like you said, they can always sell a super duty. I'm real surprised your sticker didn't show the increase, as my invoice and sticker did when I picked mine up last Friday. There was a $170 increase in January, normally dealers just pass it on unless it's a vehicle they don't want to carry in inventory. Personally, I didn't even argue, for that kind of money I was just real glad to have the truck.
On another note, there were comments here a while back about winter handling, and particularly for duallies. We got some fresh snow yesterday, so I took my truck out and played in an unplowed parking lot. I've driven in snow all my life in New Zealand, Alaska, and my state of residence, Minnesota, so I do have some experience. I was really impressed with the handling of this truck, the tracking was as impressive as a front wheel drive compact. The truck is empty, and has stock all season tires, so I can only see it improving in the future. My guess is the weight of these things sticks them pretty well, I had to work hard to get it really broke loose and wild.
Going to order a new 2000, sd,v-10, auto, rear end?, 4wd, lwb.
We presently have a 99 sd, psd, auto, 4wd, lwb, trailer tow. The supspension has always felt mushy to me when cornering. Should we consider the heavy duty options? I had a 95 f250 4wd and it was quite firm. Any opinions appreciated.
Whereas I don't have my truck yet (the dealer ordered the wrong color, one month lost), would someone please reply as to whether or not the rear turn signals are amber? Also, has anyone measured the width between the wheel wells? I suppose they should be about 50 inches apart at the floor. Normally, I'd just look at another SD, but here in England, they are kinda scarce. (Maybe mine'll be the first!)
Whereas I don't have my truck yet (the dealer ordered the wrong color, one month lost), would someone please reply as to whether or not the rear turn signals are amber? Also, has anyone measured the width between the wheel wells? I suppose they should be about 50 inches apart at the floor. Normally, I'd just look at another SD, but here in England, they are kinda scarce. (Maybe mine'll be the first!)
It was my understanding that orders placed and aceepted before the end of December (with a price code of 017) should have the price before the increase in January.
If a dealer is upping the price on a truck ordered before the end of December, I'd be real unhappy. I've already confirmed with my dealer that the pre-increase price is what I'm paying (have the order confirmation with price code 017 as well as price confirmation written by the dealer in hand).
Dave84, Yes I should have said DORA, I had VORA on my mind. Thanks for the suggestion, I will check those out. This site has been a tremendous help. In 1993 when I ordered my last truck, I depended on the dealer entering all the information correctly. I didn't have a mechanism for checking the order out. Fortunately, I got what I ordered. I just want to have an idea of when the truck is coming so I can sell my 93 F250HD in time. Difficult timing. I am afraid to sell it now, even though demand is high in New England in the winter. I would hate to be without my truck in the spring when my camping season starts.
I ordered my 2000 PSD Auto F350 CC LB DRW in mid Nov. Status continues to be Clean and Unscheduled. I spoke with the dealer yesterday and was told that the DRW is causing the delay and if I changed my order to SRW, I could probably get delivery sooner. Our plans are to be fulltimers and pull a 5th wheel, probably 34 to 35 foot. I ordered the DRW and trailer package believing I will get better road stability. Anyone out there that can give me assurance or is the SRW one to consider. Thanks
Can't say from personal experience, but my secretary and her husband have a 35' fifth wheel and have had very good success for at least 10 years now with Ford diesel duallys. They had an older PSD and they tried a new Ch**y with a 454 gasser. But they traded it in after 3-4 months on a 350 SD DRW diesel. The other brand didn't have enough "grunt."
From what I've heard on this forum,I'd say wait on the DRW. Be patient a day or two and you'll probably get some feedback from other folks here. You might also want to check earlier posts (there're 100's of them) on this site.
For what it's worth, I went by two dealers today northeast of Atlanta. One, Akin Ford in Winder,GA must have had 20-30 duallys of one kind or another, all diesel. If you're anywhere near them(less than 500 miles) you ought to give them a call. Another place, Jefferson Motors, Jefferson, GA had 5-6 and they're 12 miles away from Akin Ford. Jacky Jones Ford in Cleveland, GA (where my order is) usually keeps about 6-8. They're not scarce around here, but it seems that CC's may be what's being run through the plant right now. Good luck.
... you better get your order in SOON. Reportedly the order book will close in 6 days. I believe others have mentioned the close out date in previous posts so here's another data point.
Stopped by my dealer today trying to get an update on my oder (00, F350 CC Lariat auto v10 srw lb 4x4 and more), no new - still clean and unscheduled. Ordered 10/31, VOC 11/2. BUT they are not certain because the info they have hasn't ben reliable over time (maybe UPS will help).
I saw a few other SDs on the lot, most sold. Very anxious for mine. If anyone is looking for an Excursion, they had 5 or 6 unsold on the lot, various configurations (VA Beach, VA).
I still haven't figured outthe disparity in information we've heard about production at the KTP versus backorder. Seems like they ought to be working 25 hours a day. What about a new plant (or new line at an existing plant) that will take care of demands west of the Mississippi and leave the KTP for us folks east of the Mississippi? Any FoMoCo folks out there that can provide some insight??
rbw69: 35' trailer is pretty long. From all I've heard, you'll really want the dually.
fyi: I filled my tank again today, mpg came out to 15.59 mpg.. This is with my typical to/from work driving 21 miles each way, mixed driving.. I still have my 'spark knock' type of sound when accelerating, but I still havn't had time to get it to the dealer to look at.. I guess I was sortof hoping it would go away by itself. Given that the power is good, and the mpg is good, I'd hate for the dealer to do more damage than good.. But, I've recently read that you could damage the engine if you drive it when it pings..
I had the same reaction to the diesel, esp. 2x4. Don't forget the diesel is 7-800 lbs. heavier than the gas engines, so the front end is loaded more. If you live in snow country, see if you can't test drive a V10 with the snow plow package (5200lb front springs). I drove a couple of them and thought they handled well. Ford also offers max front GAWR as an option with the same springs. Curious - what made you decide to trade the PSD for a gasser?
Had a message from my dealer today when I got home from work asking me to call him. I had a little leap in my heart thinking that maybe I would be the only person on the planet to hear that my truck had been scheduled after only three weeks. Well, I called and the real news was that his Ford rep had told him that orders for V-10's were now on indefinite hold. He wanted to let me know and to see if I wanted to switch to the PSD. One thing about all the research I did before my order, I really know what I want so I decided to wait and not make any changes. I am sure because I live in a bit of a 250SD hinterland I am up against demand from the rest of the country. Just wondering if anyone else has heard this news?
STAY WITH THE DRW.A FRIEND AT WORK HAS THE 35FOOT FIFTH WHEEL. THE TRAILER IS TO MUST FOR ANYTHING ELSE. HIS IS THE Y2K 350 V10 CC AUTO 430 REAR. SO JUST SEAT AND WAIT WITH THE REST OF US PLEASE.
Like the rest I'd advise waiting for the dually. Your dealers rationale is subject to questioning though, I ordered Nov 23rd, was scheduled within a week or ten days and took delivery last Friday, and it is most certainly a dually. By reading all the past posts it seems as if it's always something being rumored by a dealer, but good allocation seems to be the real deal maker. I could be wrong. I checked my invoice after reading a response to my earlier post and I did have a 17 price code, but I'm not going to go back after the fact and argue my price increase, $170 more with the truck in hand I can live with. I did talk em into a set of factory mud flaps though, so that helps ease my mind.
Jepsonfam, after the first of the year, Ford started manufacturing the SDs in Mexico (don't ask me to spell the name of the plant, it's north of Mexico City . The Mexican plant was used for the 450/550s and now does the 250/350s. It looks like the trucks manufactured in Mexico are bound mostly for the southern "boundary" states. If your VIN starts with 3, it came from Mexico. The impression I have gotten from ford-diesel is that quality from the Mexico should be as good as KTP.
I wonder if anybody knows were I can order an 2000 SD shop manual? I got my truck this month and the dealer didn't raise the price on me. I would think when you sign a contract at a said price. they would have to honor the price.
I wonder if anybody knows were I can order an 2000 SD shop manual? I got my truck this month and the dealer didn't raise the price on me. I would think when you sign a contract at a said price. they would have to honor the price.
Your configuration is much more common than mine, and on this and other forums (www.forddiesel.com and www.fordtrucks.com) most folks average in the 13s with the 4x4 auto 5.4L..
There's even variation in the V10 mpgs that folks post.. So, if you are getting lower than average with the V8, you'd probably have gotten lower than average with the V10..
My wife and I picked up our F250 Lariat, CC, 4X4, PSD + goodies today. After about 100 miles, all I can say is that this baby is, well...it's...AWESOME!
Everything went smoothly at the dealership. Salesman honored the $500 over deal we struck last December (never mentioned anything about the late December price increase). Got some low-grade pressure from the finance guy to buy extras I don't want (undercoating, etc.), but that was easily dealt with. All the options were delivered as ordered, and the truck was clean and well-prepped.
Mainecowgirl: We ordered Dark Toreador Red with no lower accent, and it looks great! The chrome really sets off well against the red. Some folks like the accents, but I think that the single color truck looks really clean.
Ttruck is fun to drive. It's a nice firm ride - no question you are in a truck, but it doesn't beat the hell out of you either. Visibility is really good for something this big. I really like the way they dropped the driver and passener side doors at the side mirrors - really helps visibility to the blind spots.
When we were looking, I test drove a 99 PSD, and the 2000 engine seems quieter to me. Also, I can't hear any turbo whine, and best I can tell, I don't have the fuel cackle problem (I'll have to look and see if my #8 injector is a different color).
Tonite as my wife and I came out of an event, we noticed our truck was parked next to a Dodge RAM 3500 dually. Both trucks were back-in parked, so we really got a good side-by-side comparison. While the Dodge is wider at the back end, the 4X4 F250 sits higher and looks bigger. Also looks a lot better in my opinion :-)
Can't say enough good things about Sound Ford and my salesman, Don Wellner (Don handles internet/fleet sales). Anyone in the Seattle area looking to order should give Don a call. My truck was delivered earlier than the promised date, at the agreed on price. If my delivery experience is any indication, Sound Ford seems to have a good allocation:
Ordered: 12/8/99 Built: 1/24/00 Delivered to Dealer: 2/9/00
I'm going to enjoy driving this baby for the next few days (when I can get it away from my wife), and I'll post more after I get some additional mileage under my belt.
damn, you did good, ordered my 250 psd lariat cc sb 2wd 12/18 ,,,still clean...... dealer said it would be about 2 wks to get a build date. I would like my truck by march 15.
by the way, i will be pulling a 33 ft 5th wheel. My trailer guy and my dealer say i have enuff truck to do the job i want.
hey you married guys,,,,,,monday is valentines day.. let your wife drive the damn truck for that day,,,,,,,just so she knows you lover her
Longhair: Thanks for the info on the tailights and bedwidth. The UK requires amber turnsignals so I'll have to lose the backuplights and convert them to turnsignals. Either that or buy clear lenses and change the bulb color.
Gcorey1: http://www.helminc.com to order a SD Factory Service manual. Well over $200 if you include the wiring diagram...
As for the dealer recommending the SRW change for the 35 foot fiver, I'd say it's another example of dealer just trying to make a quicker sale. He doesn't get his (or her) commission until the truck arrives and you get it. It's not that a SRW won't tow the trailer, and almost certainly do a fine job doing it, but certainly the duallys will give you better stability with that size trailer. You didn't mention the weight of the trailer, but if you have a heavy one (Teton homes style), the duallys become important from a hitch weight point of view. The point is that a truck manufacturer should err on the side of safety. In other words, never encourage anyone to buy less truck.
FYI, my folks own a 35 foot fifth wheel and tow it with a 97 PSD dually with 4.10. They have about 50,000 miles on the truck, 80%+ of it towing the trailer. They feel the duallys were essential. They do not have one of the super heavys. Their trailer weighs a little over 11,000 pounds. If you're full timing, wait for the duallys.
mainecowgirl, you did your research and decided the V-10 was the engine that was best for you. You're right to suck it up and wait a little longer to get what you want. This is a $30,000+ investment. Like I said above, the salespeople don't get paid their commision until the truck is delivered to you. Hence, they have incentive to direct your attention to something they can get quicker. I feel for these salespeople, because they have done their job and made the sale and now they are the mercy of the manufacturer who significantly underestimated demand. But their quarrel is with Ford, not the consumer.
I am aware that Ford is building the 250/350 in Mexico (Cuitalan???) [info from ford-diesel site]. You're right, that probably is the place where the western part of the U.S. will get their SDs from. In my case, I have a 3.5 month wait so far, I have no VIN, no anticipated delivery date, nada except an order and dreams (and frustration and a few other emotions). I suspect mine will be built at KTP since I am in VA.
Is it too early to have an idea what Ford will be doing to the 2001 Superduties? Maybe headrests for the rear seat of CCs? Any rumors or inside info to pass along?
has anyone had a chance to drive both a 250 and 350 and notice any difference in the ride? my understanding is that the 2 vehicles are nearly identical, with the exception of the front axle. true?
fyi, diesel fuel here in michigan is the same price as regular (+/- .02). up until the late fall, diesel had generally been from 10-30 cents less.
sdman- Congratulations on your new arrival. Now that my truck is on indefinite hold I have even more time to debate the color issue. I wish I could get a look at the Tor. Red with the lower black accent. Oh well, I could have worse trouble than debating the color of my $30,000 truck.
Brutus- My salesman is a great guy. Very low key so I am sure he is just trying to do everything he can for me. He knew I was really debating the PSD V-10 issue for awhile so that's why he inquired. I am just wondering how long indefinite is!
Does the Y2K F250 CC come with a 2" or 4" block? If it comes with a 2" block can it be switched to a 4" block? I assume the ride is higher with the 4" blocks.
My wife thinks ford is having a big laugh, there is no such thing as a Super Duty Crew...nobody waits 5-7 months for a truck. Heck you didn't wait that long for your wife to decide on things. Now she says she know what it like to live with a bear.....Ford says it's to go into production week of feb 13-21 and arrive at the dealer between march 6-13th, I'll beleive it when I see it.
Comments
I am looking for suggestions for bumpers for my 99 F350 DRW.
In the front I'm looking to mount a 12K winch, and would like a pushbar / headlight protection system too. This is a diesel, so I have to keep some air flowing up there.
In the rear I want to put a winch too (I have a Warn XD9000i but this may be too high profile) and still have a 2" Class IV or V receiver.(1000 tongue, 10000trailer)
Right now I have the factory receiver and the space from the top of it to the tailgate when open only clears the XD9000i by 3/8". Maybe if the bumper has an inch more drop to the receiver, and I'll get rid of the factory receiver? [The primary use of the rear winch will be to pull stuff into the trailer, but I want it to be beefy enough that it can also back me out. By the time I pay for the truck and the bumpers, I'm not sure there will be enough money left to buy a new winch] The truck is a dually and I liked a rear bumper I saw that wrapped around to help protect the fenders.
I know, I want everything. I started to design one to build a rear bumper myself,but started getting nervous about engineering the 2" receiver load.
What have other people seen?
Brutus, here in Seattle at the stations I frequent, Diesel and Regular Unleaded are the same price...
I'll be taking my laptop into the new truck, and my next message will be composed while sitting in the front seat with the PSD running! (while parked, of course)!
Can't help on the bumper issues.
northpole1, as a later reply indicated, check your credit union. When we ordered our truck (not delivered yet), Ford Credit beat our bank but our credit union beat Ford Credit.
OK...a question (and one I've posed in other topic groups here): Anybody have any experience with putting dual exhaust on a Ford V10? The going story is that it makes it sound like a lawnmower, i.e. very high pitched compared to the big V8 sound we all know and love.
Thanks for the advice of what topic I should be posting messages to.
All,
Thanks for all the VERY helpful advice on where to look for info and what to look for. It has been educating.
I picked up my VORA last night (dated 1/31/00) and it looked good. It had priority 10 and had all the right items listed. I am now in the waiting queue. The unfortunate thing is I found this website a day too late. The VOPC was removed right after I started looking. I am planing on depending on the dealer for info on status. Too bad Ford doesn't make it easier for consumers. Any other advice on keeping tabs on the order would be appreciated.
F350 XLT CC V-10 Auto, Camper Package (for my Lance camper), TT mirrors, Privacy Glass, Trailer Package, Hitch Receiver, Roof Lights, ESOF, sliding Rear Window, and yes black clearcoat !!!
If you want some more feed back about Lance Campers or have some to offer, another good site is www.happycampers.net. Go into the Chat area. You can do a search by key words, such as "Lance".
Actually I am hoping to schedule six weeks in Summer 2001 to travel to Alaska ( I would love to be able to say my truck had been to Prudhoe Bay)
Meanwhile, in tropical NJ, the 87octane is at 1.37, diesel at 2.22 (truckstop on highway was 2.31). I got lucky and refilled home heating oil at "only" 1.79.
Hopefully this will all settle down within a month, or I'll have to go back to my 8mpg '86 gasser (0-60 in 46seconds with all the weight)
Brutus: Thanks for the info on the ALCAN. Actually, I drove it myself about this time last year and it was -38 in Beaver Creek, plus a big chunk of the highway was under construction around there. They were blasting even in February, and it beats me how our Canadian friends can stand to drive on those boulders. Some were the size of VWs and "Chebys".
I'm really picking at minor things, though. It's a great truck. Almost got it stuck in a muddy lot testing out the 4WD, but with all-season tires in lieu of all-terrains that's not surprising.
(heimy, I ordered virtually the same truck you did [tow package instead of plow package] in mid-November. Your dealer must be FUBAR.)
That tow hitch is nicely fitted below the bumper, BTW. Maybe it's not as strong as an aftermarket hitch, but you barely know it's there.
Now, to the bad trip: the dealer tried to screw me on price at the last second. I set up a deal for $750 over invoice with the fleet manager when I ordered the truck. I had offers for $350-$500 over invoice from other local dealerships via 'net bids, but I stuck with these guys. Now that deal was set for almost three months, and as we're doing the final paperwork the salesman tried to tack on another $750 for a "pre-delivery inspection fee". Bull, that was just his attempt to carve a chunk of cash out of me on a deal he had almost nothing to do with. I knew it and he knew it. I cursed, pounded the table, and had to threaten to tear up the $28,000 cashier's check before he gave up.
This is extraordinarily lame. Hardball negotiation and/or sleazy tricks are par for dealing for a vehicle on the lot, but when you order a vehicle you remove most of the overhead risk that validates those kind of tactics. If you put down a $500 or $1000 deposit the dealership is virtually guaranteed to make money on the truck, unless it has an option mix that's extremely difficult to sell. In my case, they knew they could sell my truck for one or two thousand dollars more off the lot, once it had arrived, so they were essentially leveraging their profit guarantee of my deposit to make more money selling it to someone else. That's low.
So, for you folks in the CA central valley, do not patronize Future Ford of Roseville unless you have locked in a real steal of a deal, and absolutely do not deal with Kevin Franks. The only way to get rid of jerks like this is Darwinian culling. George Baraga, the fleet manager, is a nice guy but you damn well better insist he handle your order from start to finish and not hand you off to some sleazeball on the floor.
BTW, ol' Kev' called me up this morning about filling out the Ford sales survey. "C'mon in and I'll have your truck detailed and gassed up!" Like that's gonna stop me from writing up such a blistering slam they'll have to mail it in an asbestos envelope!
The place I saw the diesel price was advertising 87 octane for $1.32 and diesel for $1.35. I didn't drive in and verify it, but I will be filling up tomorrow. If it's different, I will let you know. The cheapest 87 octane gas I found in town was $1.28.
northpole, I drove through Beaver Creek around minight. I may have been dozing. My dad, being retired and having nothing better to do, offered to fly to Dallas and make the trip with me since he RVs all the time. In my infinite wisdom, I agreed. I should have known better. I've shared the driving on the Alcan many times and have driven it alone. Anyway, after a couple of weeks in each other's company, we were getting on each other's nerves. Good thing they have strict handgun laws in Canada (kidding, of course). When we left Ft. Nelson, our goal was to drive all the way to Anchorage, stopping only for gas and food. We made it as far as Tok. Those last six hours or so of driving required a four hour crash in the camper. My dad is a great guy, and he RVs alot, but future road trips together are out.
I ordered an F350 CC in December (which I'm still waiting for) and my single biggest gripe is that there are no rear seat headrests. It is both a safety issue and a comfort issue -- I guess I'll have to jam a couple of pillows in the rear window. I can't imagine what Ford's design engineers were thinking! If I knew what other features would be available for the 2001 model year, I'd be inclined to cancel my order and wait it out another 6 or 7 months. I'd also add keypad entry, 6-CD changer, heated mirrors, -- basically the same amenities offered in the Excursion if these options were available. Has anyone heard what's coming down the pipe for 2001?
Scott
What's a VORA? Might you mean DORA? For info. on tracking your truck's build/ship progress, go to topic #605, post #588. You'll have to backtrack through all the Super Duty posts, as topic #605 has been archived.
bobh12-
Diesel prices and home heating oil prices have skyrocketed here in the Northeast (I'm in Maine) in the past three weeks. Both of these fuels are essentially the same thing, so it makes sense that their prices run similar paths. Reason given by the suppliers: high demand (it's been generally much colder than normal over the past month) and low supply. Lots of product was supposedly shipped to Europe early in the winter as they were having below average temperatures then, so that left less here on the east coast. Also, inventories were low to begin with as last heating season was a mild one, and suppliers didn't want a lot of extra product on hand like they ended up with last year. At least, these are the reasons given by the suppliers. Others have their own opinion about what is behind these dramatic price increases.
Dave
Capital Ford in Raleigh NC, salesman Ed Sanders.
I spent several months looking at trucks, so he saw me 2 or 3 times before I actually went in to purchase..
I ordered my F250 SD, and then (just after he pushed the button to send the order), we talked about price.. We settled on a price (it was less than $500 over invoice), and I left.. I didn't get anything in writing though.
When he called after the truck arrived at the dealer, he re-confirmed the price we agreed on, and then informed me of another special Factory-customer rebate ($500) because of Fords commitment to 'helping out' hurricane victims.
It would have been 'easy' for him to have hidden that $500 but instead I ended up getting my SuperDuty for under dealer invoice..
There was no pressure to purchase any dealer add-on's, extended warranties or the like..
Heated mirrors would be real nice. I'd like to see some kind of heated windshield wiper also. Someone mentioned that last year and I chuckled, but then I agreed with them later. We get these wet snows sometimes mixed with rain and temps right at or above freezing. The ice builds up on the wipers and they become useless, even with the defroster on full hot. If they could find a way to get just a little warmth to those wipers and melt that snow, it would be great.
After waiting 4 months I was given the con by the sales manager when I went to get the truck. He said there had been a price increase and wanted about $200. above the price agreed to on 10/8/99, in writing, but not an invoice. I said, show it to me on the window sticker but he could not because it was not there! I checked! I also said we had an agreement and this was totally unprofessional and an obvious attempt to gain more profit in an unfair method. If my wife wasn't present to calm me down I may have become really upset. After litening to him and another salesman for close to 2 hours I reluctantly agreed to split the difference with him.
It is obvious to me he was trying to take advantage of the situation since V10 Super Dutys are almost impossible to get in this area and he knows he could sell it that same day, at or above window sticker. After having time to think about this, I am pissed! I can't wait until I get the Buyer's Survey to fill out! It's not the amount of money but the principle of being taken advantage of! If they would of made any real effort to get my truck I would be more inclined to pay the extra amount but all they did was enter my order in the computer.
Maybe I should of argued this more but in reality who wants to wait another 4-6 months to get another truck over a $100 dispute?
Thanks to all the people on this site for the great information! I hope to remain a member here for a long time!
Russ in central PA.
I haven't solved either the mirrors or wipers yet. I did do an internet search for heated wipers and came up with some intended for tractor trailers which should fit. (temporarliy misplaced the info) Fifteen years ago I added a pad (6x9x1/8) to the back of my mirrors to heat them, but can't find them anymore.
I got distracted on the other projects for the truck (Building the cap and roof rack) and silly things like working for a living, so I haven't gotten back to it. (I'll probably solve the problem in August - and fix the A/C at home in December
Dave
On another note, there were comments here a while back about winter handling, and particularly for duallies. We got some fresh snow yesterday, so I took my truck out and played in an unplowed parking lot. I've driven in snow all my life in New Zealand, Alaska, and my state of residence, Minnesota, so I do have some experience. I was really impressed with the handling of this truck, the tracking was as impressive as a front wheel drive compact. The truck is empty, and has stock all season tires, so I can only see it improving in the future. My guess is the weight of these things sticks them pretty well, I had to work hard to get it really broke loose and wild.
Going to order a new 2000, sd,v-10, auto, rear end?, 4wd, lwb.
We presently have a 99 sd, psd, auto, 4wd, lwb, trailer tow. The supspension has always felt mushy to me when cornering. Should we consider the heavy duty options? I had a 95 f250 4wd and it was quite firm. Any opinions appreciated.
thanks
JT
Whereas I don't have my truck yet (the dealer ordered the wrong color, one month lost), would someone please reply as to whether or not the rear turn signals are amber? Also, has anyone measured the width between the wheel wells? I suppose they should be about 50 inches apart at the floor.
Normally, I'd just look at another SD, but here in England, they are kinda scarce. (Maybe mine'll be the first!)
Regards,
Ray
Whereas I don't have my truck yet (the dealer ordered the wrong color, one month lost), would someone please reply as to whether or not the rear turn signals are amber? Also, has anyone measured the width between the wheel wells? I suppose they should be about 50 inches apart at the floor.
Normally, I'd just look at another SD, but here in England, they are kinda scarce. (Maybe mine'll be the first!)
Regards,
Ray
If a dealer is upping the price on a truck ordered before the end of December, I'd be real unhappy. I've already confirmed with my dealer that the pre-increase price is what I'm paying (have the order confirmation with price code 017 as well as price confirmation written by the dealer in hand).
Yes I should have said DORA, I had VORA on my mind. Thanks for the suggestion, I will check those out. This site has been a tremendous help. In 1993 when I ordered my last truck, I depended on the dealer entering all the information correctly. I didn't have a mechanism for checking the order out. Fortunately, I got what I ordered. I just want to have an idea of when the truck is coming so I can sell my 93 F250HD in time. Difficult timing. I am afraid to sell it now, even though demand is high in New England in the winter. I would hate to be without my truck in the spring when my camping season starts.
From what I've heard on this forum,I'd say wait on the DRW. Be patient a day or two and you'll probably get some feedback from other folks here. You might also want to check earlier posts (there're 100's of them) on this site.
For what it's worth, I went by two dealers today northeast of Atlanta. One, Akin Ford in Winder,GA must have had 20-30 duallys of one kind or another, all diesel. If you're anywhere near them(less than 500 miles) you ought to give them a call. Another place, Jefferson Motors, Jefferson, GA had 5-6 and they're 12 miles away from Akin Ford. Jacky Jones Ford in Cleveland, GA (where my order is) usually keeps about 6-8. They're not scarce around here, but it seems that CC's may be what's being run through the plant right now. Good luck.
Stopped by my dealer today trying to get an update on my oder (00, F350 CC Lariat auto v10 srw lb 4x4 and more), no new - still clean and unscheduled. Ordered 10/31, VOC 11/2. BUT they are not certain because the info they have hasn't ben reliable over time (maybe UPS will help).
I saw a few other SDs on the lot, most sold. Very anxious for mine. If anyone is looking for an Excursion, they had 5 or 6 unsold on the lot, various configurations (VA Beach, VA).
I still haven't figured outthe disparity in information we've heard about production at the KTP versus backorder. Seems like they ought to be working 25 hours a day. What about a new plant (or new line at an existing plant) that will take care of demands west of the Mississippi and leave the KTP for us folks east of the Mississippi? Any FoMoCo folks out there that can provide some insight??
35' trailer is pretty long. From all I've heard, you'll really want the dually.
fyi: I filled my tank again today, mpg came out to 15.59 mpg.. This is with my typical to/from work driving 21 miles each way, mixed driving..
I still have my 'spark knock' type of sound when accelerating, but I still havn't had time to get it to the dealer to look at.. I guess I was sortof hoping it would go away by itself. Given that the power is good, and the mpg is good, I'd hate for the dealer to do more damage than good.. But, I've recently read that you could damage the engine if you drive it when it pings..
Shotgun1, you have anyone look at yours yet?
I checked my invoice after reading a response to my earlier post and I did have a 17 price code, but I'm not going to go back after the fact and argue my price increase, $170 more with the truck in hand I can live with. I did talk em into a set of factory mud flaps though, so that helps ease my mind.
I got my truck this month and the dealer didn't raise the price on me. I would think when you sign a contract at a said price. they would have to honor the price.
I got my truck this month and the dealer didn't raise the price on me. I would think when you sign a contract at a said price. they would have to honor the price.
There's even variation in the V10 mpgs that folks post.. So, if you are getting lower than average with the V8, you'd probably have gotten lower than average with the V10..
Y2K F250 XLT SC 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS
Everything went smoothly at the dealership. Salesman honored the $500 over deal we struck last December (never mentioned anything about the late December price increase). Got some low-grade pressure from the finance guy to buy extras I don't want (undercoating, etc.), but that was easily dealt with. All the options were delivered as ordered, and the truck was clean and well-prepped.
Mainecowgirl: We ordered Dark Toreador Red with no lower accent, and it looks great! The chrome really sets off well against the red. Some folks like the accents, but I think that the single color truck looks really clean.
Ttruck is fun to drive. It's a nice firm ride - no question you are in a truck, but it doesn't beat the hell out of you either. Visibility is really good for something this big. I really like the way they dropped the driver and passener side doors at the side mirrors - really helps visibility to the blind spots.
When we were looking, I test drove a 99 PSD, and the 2000 engine seems quieter to me. Also, I can't hear any turbo whine, and best I can tell, I don't have the fuel cackle problem (I'll have to look and see if my #8 injector is a different color).
Tonite as my wife and I came out of an event, we noticed our truck was parked next to a Dodge RAM 3500 dually. Both trucks were back-in parked, so we really got a good side-by-side comparison. While the Dodge is wider at the back end, the 4X4 F250 sits higher and looks bigger. Also looks a lot better in my opinion :-)
Can't say enough good things about Sound Ford and my salesman, Don Wellner (Don handles internet/fleet sales). Anyone in the Seattle area looking to order should give Don a call. My truck was delivered earlier than the promised date, at the agreed on price. If my delivery experience is any indication, Sound Ford seems to have a good allocation:
Ordered: 12/8/99
Built: 1/24/00
Delivered to Dealer: 2/9/00
I'm going to enjoy driving this baby for the next few days (when I can get it away from my wife), and I'll post more after I get some additional mileage under my belt.
by the way, i will be pulling a 33 ft 5th wheel. My trailer guy and my dealer say i have enuff truck to do the job i want.
hey you married guys,,,,,,monday is valentines day.. let your wife drive the damn truck for that day,,,,,,,just so she knows you lover her
be happy
Gcorey1: http://www.helminc.com to order a SD Factory Service manual. Well over $200 if you include the wiring diagram...
Ray
As for the dealer recommending the SRW change for the 35 foot fiver, I'd say it's another example of dealer just trying to make a quicker sale. He doesn't get his (or her) commission until the truck arrives and you get it. It's not that a SRW won't tow the trailer, and almost certainly do a fine job doing it, but certainly the duallys will give you better stability with that size trailer. You didn't mention the weight of the trailer, but if you have a heavy one (Teton homes style), the duallys become important from a hitch weight point of view. The point is that a truck manufacturer should err on the side of safety. In other words, never encourage anyone to buy less truck.
FYI, my folks own a 35 foot fifth wheel and tow it with a 97 PSD dually with 4.10. They have about 50,000 miles on the truck, 80%+ of it towing the trailer. They feel the duallys were essential. They do not have one of the super heavys. Their trailer weighs a little over 11,000 pounds. If you're full timing, wait for the duallys.
mainecowgirl, you did your research and decided the V-10 was the engine that was best for you. You're right to suck it up and wait a little longer to get what you want. This is a $30,000+ investment. Like I said above, the salespeople don't get paid their commision until the truck is delivered to you. Hence, they have incentive to direct your attention to something they can get quicker. I feel for these salespeople, because they have done their job and made the sale and now they are the mercy of the manufacturer who significantly underestimated demand. But their quarrel is with Ford, not the consumer.
Is it too early to have an idea what Ford will be doing to the 2001 Superduties? Maybe headrests for the rear seat of CCs? Any rumors or inside info to pass along?
fyi, diesel fuel here in michigan is the same price as regular (+/- .02). up until the late fall, diesel had generally been from 10-30 cents less.
00/350/srw/4x4/cc/sb/psd - have not...
Brutus- My salesman is a great guy. Very low key so I am sure he is just trying to do everything he can for me. He knew I was really debating the PSD V-10 issue for awhile so that's why he inquired. I am just wondering how long indefinite is!