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List options that you wished truck makers offered.

white250white250 Member Posts: 68
edited March 2014 in Ford
I wish Ford offered heated mirrors for the F250, darn things ice up on me all the time !!. Also, a power rear slider would be cool. My wife drives a sport trac, I just love that power rear window in it.
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Comments

  • vwracervwracer Member Posts: 90
    instructions for dummies on how to drive them long things.
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    There are aftermarket power sliders available. Why don't you get one from there and install it yourself? It might even come out cheaper than Ford would charge for it.
  • white250white250 Member Posts: 68
    I just found that out today !! thanks
  • jcave1jcave1 Member Posts: 137
    The "X" comes with heated tow mirrors, why not F-250? Can't scrape ice since the mirror is polycarbonate or some such stuff and it scratches.
  • jdtopperjdtopper Member Posts: 58
    It would be nice not to beat yourself half to death on the road just because you're empty most of the time.

    Something that you could adjust from the cab that would stiffen the suspension (springs and shock damping) when you're loaded and soften it when you're empty. Air-bags and air shocks can make them stiffer, I know, but don't do anything about making them softer.

    Maybe they could come up with a way that you could un-latch a spring leaf or two and open up the rebound damping orifice in the shocks when you're empty, then hook 'em back up when you need the support.

    It's just a pipe dream, and probably would never work on trucks, but some cars are user-tuneable, and lots of motorcycles are, so why not my truck?
  • jim4444jim4444 Member Posts: 124
    And not just on $40,000 full size luxury trucks.

    For people who get snow a few months out of the year, it would be about the same cost as 4wd but less to insure because it isnt meant for off roading.

    In fact it could fall into the safety category.
  • rfrossrfross Member Posts: 15
    How about a small Turbo-Diesel option for the S-10/Ranger/Tacoma/Dakota size trucks? Something that will get 30 mpg on the highway yet still have the capacity to tow at least 3,500 pounds. Make it available with a stick or automatic in either 2wd or 4wd models.

    Heated exterior mirrors!

    Electric rear defogger instead of slider on compact/mid-size trucks.

    Keyless entry/power locks without having to purchase power windows, too!
  • mrb11mrb11 Member Posts: 58
    Built in air compresssor
    Hard tonneau cover
    Adjustable shocks
    Broader range of tire upgrades
    Your choice of hitch class
  • automiteautomite Member Posts: 17
    never like the tire looks and size offered on pickups. they never seem tall enough for my taste and they always look cheap. would like to see an oversized tire/wheel/suspension option,along with a choice of tire manufacturer. i especially would like to see more serrerated or raised black lettering avail. i hate the looks of white lettering sidewall. give me a choice of a quality tire; the cost is going to be past on anyway. one comment about color choice on ford superduty. was happy to see the new color, dark shadow grey metallic this year, but whats with the 2-tone combo with black on bottom as only choice? where is a silver bottom [the likes of which i saw on a supercrew]? silver would look real good. black looks ugly. hope a ford rep sees this and brings about this option for 2003 models. would rather be sending this msg to a ford website dedicated to viewing comments from customers, but dont see one.
  • dbossmandbossman Member Posts: 28
    Don't like the engine choices on the Ford SD's. 5.4 is underpowered, 6.8 too thirsty, and the PSD is really for commercial apps.

    How about a 5.4 with a rootes type supercharger? Torque when you need it, without the gas mileage penalty of bigger cubes.
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Let the sun shine in!
  • pipesmokerpipesmoker Member Posts: 23
    ** Add keyless door pad entry option to Super Duty F-250 that is available on Explorer, Expedition and Excursion.

    ** Add heated mirrors option.

    ** Add automatic sliding rear glass option.

    ** Upgrade the stereo in Super Duty F-250!!!! The current stereo in the F-250 is cheap sounding!
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    I'm not trying to start a flamewar here, but lets put it this way: we are talking about trucks here, not socker-mom mobiles. Keyless door pad? What's next? a DVD player so drivers can watch movies while driving back to town? Leather? These are trucks, and they ought to stay that way. Let the crap like keyless entry stay offered on Ex* Ford SUVs, after all, ability to open a door without having to pull out a key is vital while getting groceries.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Those that can't afford it....well they say stuff similar to what you're saying.
  • white250white250 Member Posts: 68
    I,m glad your not a automotive engineer....hehe
    If so, we all we be still driving 70's style trucks....lmao
    I don't know where you have been, but the truck market has done a 360 degree turn in the past few years, people want all the convinences of home & office in their trucks and then some. Not just for work anymore !!
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    Why don't you put a bathtub in the back of your truck so you can brag about it to your baseball dad buddies?

    white250: I'm a software engineer...scary, eh? :)
    When it comes to certain things, I believe in "if it aint broke, don't fix it" principle. Thus I think trucks ought to stay trucks, and if people want crap like DVD/mp3 players, they need to get a Town and Country. Ideally each car should perform duties fit for its class. Trucks should work, not accumulate leather seats, mp3 players and things like that. Think of how stupid Chevy commercials would be then (ones with dirty workers, jumping into a truck with leather seats and watching their favorite movie on a DVD during the lunch break).
    Technical advances are fine, better engines are fine, I just think automakers ought to hold their horses on the interior design.
  • white250white250 Member Posts: 68
    I don't know about you but if I was dirty, I would much rather sit on leather seats. It is much easier to clean than cloth.
    I have a brother that is a electrical engineer for ford & another brother that is a mechanical engineer for chrysler....sometimes I wonder how these companies build vehicles...lmao...I hear horror stories from these two..
  • vwracervwracer Member Posts: 90
    how about a removable rear seat in the extended cab
  • ryanbabryanbab Member Posts: 7,240
    all you have to do is remove 4 bolts

    hence removable ext cab seat
  • jimvetajimveta Member Posts: 96
    I agree with most of the people here as far as
    the more options, the better.

    I mean I dunno.. how is a "truck" defined? What
    some people may see as diluting the truck genre
    I see as improvment. If it doesn't comprimise
    the truck's abilities, then why not offer it?
    Well, I guess I can understand maintaining the
    "tough truck" image, but then again.. it's just an
    image and all relative anyways.

    Being a software engineer as well and one in the
    unix world, there are those hardcore people who
    believe in command line interface only, nothing
    automatic, no abstraction, etc. So while I use
    my gui primarily to have even more text filled
    terminals, there are some things microsoft has
    that we don't which would be very useful and
    convenient.

    So why pigeonhole something? If a truck's gonna
    have tunes, we might as well have MP3 players
    included.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    some are resistant to change. I wonder how many do their laundry by hand using those crank ringers to help dry their clothes...hey if it ain't broke.......
  • tonyytonyy Member Posts: 26
    I want a "full size 4X4" without the shock and park brake line above the bottom of the rear axle.
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    Using a laundry machine instead of doing it by hand is a time-saving device, thus an improvement.
    What improvements does keyless entry pad offer on a truck that's advertised as a tough work horse, hauling crews of dirty bluecollar workers to and from construction sites?

    jimveta: Using GUI over CLI offers some degree of ease of interface, I don't argue there. I use both on my linux machines. However, where do you draw the line? Whats next? DVD player in the HD/SD trucks? How about a nice expensive stereo system? Keyless entry? Leather seats? Rear seat climate control? People who want that in a truck ought to buy a van instead.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Remote door locks and keypads

    Remote door locks opens the door faster with less effort. Keypad entry sure beats calling AAA when you lock your keys in the truck. Then again, breaking the window is quicker than both.

    "People who want that in a truck ought to buy a van instead."

    You'd haul manure in a van?
  • eric2001eric2001 Member Posts: 482
    Or you can call the 800 # for On-star and they will onlock it right then, at no charge. No AAA for your Denali, or do you like breaking the glass (ha-ha).

    If people are willing to pay for the options, why not have them?

    How many people use the crew cabs to haul the family around with the travel trailer out back? Its still a truck, but the DVD player would sure keep the kids quiet for the trip. So why is that a bad thing?
  • mullins87mullins87 Member Posts: 959
    I'm glad trucks today are as nice as they are. I spend a lot of time in mine and those comfy captains chairs and nice stereo make the trips more enjoyable. But, I do wish someone would offer an all metal, no plastic anything, truck that its sole purpose is to get the job done. You know, the kind of truck that scares women and small children, couldn't tear it up if you tried, ride like a log wagon, beast of a machine that only a diehard truck fan could appreciate.
  • mledtjemledtje Member Posts: 1,123
    is a small hi-torque diesel engine that weighs no more than a gas V8. Maybe a 3.5-4 liter 6 cylinder diesel to replace the 4.8L gas V8 I currently have. And how about an NV4500 trans behind it. And the option of 2500 series front differential and rear end in a 1500 truck.

    Then you can have good torque, reliability, fuel economy without the weight penalty that hurts when you venture off road. Normal diesel weight also hurts load capacity.

    My Silverado LS has every luxury I want as standard equipment, so no problems there. Well, maybe a mount for my laptop so I can view the realtime map linked into the GPS so I'm never lost!

    Mike L
  • saddaddysaddaddy Member Posts: 566
    Can you elaborate on what kind of navigation setup you have with the GPS and laptop - as far as what software you use and how it works. I am looking to do the same thing here in the next couple of months. What do you have to keep the laptop charged?
  • jdtopperjdtopper Member Posts: 58
    I'm interested in laptop-based GPS & mapping capabilities too. There used to be PCMCIA GPS cards that you could slip into a slot in your laptop, but I haven't seen any lately. I have some moving-map software now, but it's strictly aviation oriented. No road info at all.

    One thing about the software: If you haven't already bought something, get the software that uses GPS data and vector-based coordinates to determine where you are on the map. I think it would take too much room on the board for me to explain just why it's better, but you will find that it is much more accurate than software that simply plots a GPS coordinate against a scanned chart image. If you want to know more, drop me a line. Maybe between the three of us (and anyone else that's interested) we can find a system out there that does just what we're looking for...
  • mledtjemledtje Member Posts: 1,123
    I have a Garmin E-Trex Vista, with Garmin US Roads and Recreation software. I've never found a road or dirt trail that isn't included in the map package. Small dirt trails in Death Valley, fireroads in the Sierra's, out of the way places in Alaska, they are all in there. You can go to the Garmin website and try out the software at:


    http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/


    On the right side of the screen, in the box labeled 'MapSource Map Viewer', select US Road and Recreation - Continental US (or any other map set you desire) and you can pan around and zoom in for all the detail you need.


    Mike L

  • xyz71xyz71 Member Posts: 179
    I would like to see 2wd low range - for when I am backing up my boat / in a tight spot & on concrete.

    Take it one step more. Since most people almost never use low range why not have options on the transfer case ratios offered. (I will use rear end gear ratios to explain what I mean because most people can relate to them). Why not have hi similar to 3.42 rear end and low range to simulate 4.10's. That way if you are on a flat open road running empty you could have the TC in high - if you are towing in the hills you could put the TC in low and have the benefit of "4.1" like gearing.
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    I have the Etrex Vista also, with Garmin topo CDs, and also Metroguide USA. With Metroguide, you can enter a numbered street address, or intersection, to bring it up as a waypoint. Doesn't do the turn by turn navigation like Street Pilot, but it gets me there. The topo has a bunch of trails on its data base too, but you've convinced me to get the roads and recreation. It would be nice to have just the roads and trails without the clutter of the contour lines, which I seldom need.
  • mledtjemledtje Member Posts: 1,123
    With a manual transfer case, I can get into 2wd low range. I just have to pull the 4wd fuse, then it won't engage the front axle disconnects, but the lever will put the transfer case into low range.

    Won't work with Autotrac.

    Don't you get a similar gearing change by shifting the automatic into 3rd?

    Mike L
  • mledtjemledtje Member Posts: 1,123
    I have the Topo's but almost never use them. Maybe for hiking, but then I don't have the laptop, so it it what I can load into the GPS.

    I just got the moving map working, and haven't had a real chance to give it a good test yet. Maybe next weekend when we take a dirt trail up the California lost coast into Shelter Cove. The MapSource shows a whole bunch of dirt roads meandering the hills, and I believe the moving map will keep us on the correct path.

    Mike L
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    You can load in both the topo and recreation maps of the same area into the Vista at the same time, and then display one or the other, depending on your preference or need. You just select which map you want displayed in the setup screen of the Vista. If both are selected, one map will display as the default, and the other won't be displayed.
  • saddaddysaddaddy Member Posts: 566
    Do you put it in your laptop and let it navigate while you are driving? This is the type of software that I am looking into. Something that will show the road Im on, a little dot that's me, and exits that I should take, and so forth. I know that Delorme Road and Street atlas is designed just for this. It even takes voice input. You can even go into it and schedule a trip and it will show you when turns are coming up and stuff. Does Roads and Rec do the same thing, basically, as far as helping you navigate?
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    No, roads 'n recreation won't do that. With the Garmin Mapsource CD roms, what is really intended is for you to download the maps themselves into the Garmin GPS receiver from your PC. Streets, trails, and other points of interest, restaurants, hospitals, and shopping are displayed on the LCD graphic display screen. On my Etrex Vista, you can enter an address, which comes up as a waypoint on the LCD screen. It's easy enough to navigate to it, but it doesn't do the turn-by-turn prompting that you have on a laptop display. It does show the streets, shows your position as an icon in the center, and moves the street map underneath as your position changes.

    I carry it in my pocket when I'm trailriding, or set it on the dashboard of my truck if I'm somewhere unfamiliar. My brother uses his Vista this way. He also has a Street Pilot with easy to view color LCD screen. He's done the moving map thing on his laptop too. And it works, but eventually, you tire of the hassle driving with your laptop. You know what happens if you have to slam on the brakes, and it was sitting on the front seat next to you.

    With the roads and recreation, it does the same thing as I described above for the Metroguide software, but does not have the address lookup. With Metroguide, you can enter 3600 W. 44th Pl., and it will come up as an icon overlayed on the street map. With Roads and Rec, there's no such feature, but your current position is always shown in the center, with the map moving underneath. The roads and trails are identified. You can select to have the LCD display more information, or less if you don't want it cluttered.
  • textruckrtextruckr Member Posts: 22
    I would like to see the Big 3 start offering a factory installation on the foldover style gooseneck hitch. Too many "custom truck shops" end up butchering the bed when installing these things aftermarket. I have even seen cases where the cross braces were *welded* (!) to the frame.
    Other neat goodies for a truck?
    how about an engine-driven air compressor
    an inverter (120V 15 amps should be fine)
    and the tool boxes that used to be mounted in the front half of the bed in front of the wheels - remember those?

    Texas Trucker
  • mledtjemledtje Member Posts: 1,123
    Basically, we use our moving map feature to supplement paper maps. My wife is my copilot, and sometimes she had a hard time finding where we are on the map. And the maps don't have near the off-road detail we've found on the Roads and Rec CD.

    Mike L
  • jdtopperjdtopper Member Posts: 58
    if your computerized maps are scanned images? Or are they "built" from a database using vector graphics?
  • mledtjemledtje Member Posts: 1,123
    No, I don't know. There might be some information on the Garmin website: www.garmin.com

    The have Topo's or maps with roads, rivers, rr's, etc. I would hope they use a common database, and simply change the way they display the data for the different types of maps.

    Mike L
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Delorme Topo are vector graphics. National Geographic Topo are just bitmaps of USGS topographical maps. The Garmin Topo maps are vector, with common database and shared user interface. The Garmin Topo is weak compared to the Delorme Topo, which gives you 3D viewing options, shaded relief etc. The advantage to the Garmin would be if you have a Garmin GPS, you can load the maps into the GPS receiver itself for display on the LCD.
  • jdtopperjdtopper Member Posts: 58
    My hope is to find a GPS card that plugs into a laptop slot. That way, the GPS card feeds position info directly to the software and I don't need to have a separate GPS (hand-held or panel mount) unit and a bunch of wires cluttering up the cab. Also, the display on the laptop would be many times larger than the displays on the hand-held units.

    I know that most, if not all, of the systems these days work the other way: the PC is used to download info to the GPS, which then plots the data on it's own display. I also know that the PCMCIA cards existed at one time; I just can't seem to find one now, when I already have the laptop and some aviation-based software.

    I suppose the best of both worlds might be a combination of hand-held and laptop based systems, so that you could hook the two together and use the laptop display while in the vehicle and download whatever you need for your hike from the PC into the hand-held.

    Ever hear of a two-way compatible system?
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    I think you can do that, but I haven't tried. I think by setting the GPS output of your Garmin to NMEA, your position is displayed as an icon overlayed over the center of a moving map. I believe this works with anybody's PC software that supports moving maps.

    I also think with Delorme products, (they have a good website), they also make a GPS antenna for use with a laptop. In reality, it's a full GPS receiver, but without LCD display or buttons. (And pretty inexpensive). As for how it plugs into your laptop, if not PCMCIA card, could be as simple as serial port (RS232 coms).

    I've found Delorme Topo to be mostly full featured, at times a bit buggy, but there is a newer version than I'm using.
  • lauriet1lauriet1 Member Posts: 87
  • thebudsterthebudster Member Posts: 5
    After reviewing the posts in this section I am amazed or is that amused at some of the narrow mindedness I see here. It is a good thing for mankind there were some individuals with the ability to see ahead and adapt to change. We are approaching the 2003 model year. Why should options fitting the needs for 2003 NOT be available to those who need and can afford "luxuries" in their truck???

    I for one would like to see more options available to meet my needs. Perhaps my needs are not the same as yours, but isn't that what makes life interesting, diversity. I take offense to scorpio's comment that those of us you want more should get a van...!!! He or she knows nothing of my needs or yours. Perhaps he could explain to me how exactly I could haul my 6 horses in the van so I I could be a little more comfortable. My wife, daughter and I travel 30,000+ miles each year pulling these horses. Should I not have the option to travel in some degree of comfort? Perhaps scorpio only has the need for a construction truck and doesn't need or desire things like heated seats, more comfortable seating (which would be much appreciated on a long trip) or a navigation system or better stereo or heaven forbid even a TV and VCR or DVD player. That's his choice. Why should we not be able to choose what works for us and pay for it. He doesn't pay.

    Since purchasing my most recent Ford SD I have added many comforts including front and rear TV,VCR,DVD monitors, in dash navigation (which has worked beautifully as the voice tells me where to turn as well as watching the map if I desire). We added a sliding rear window, heated mirrrors and mirror turn signals. I would have been happy to pay for these at time of purchase form Ford had they been available.

    Needs and useage for trucks has change as we become increasingly more mobile. And although most may not want lots of "luxury" or "comfort" options, why should those of us who do be subjected to the narrow mindedness of some of the posts presented here. We are willing to pay for options, you don't have to.

    ...and all I wanted to do was to see if the 2003 SD changes and options had been posted by anyone.
  • saddaddysaddaddy Member Posts: 566
    Come on man, give me a break. Just like you just stated your opinions, scorpio or whoever you were complaining about was only stating theirs. Just as we should be respectful of your need for luxuries, you should be respectful of the belief of others that such things are not needed. It works both ways, believe it or not. Try not to get bent so out of shape and offended when someone says something you don't like. It happens, and, trust me, life will be much less stressful when you just laugh at things that aren't exactly as you want them. Chill out and be a little less closed-minded.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Taking on host duties now? Trying to send PF to the unemployment line? ROTFLMFAO!!
  • kg11kg11 Member Posts: 530
    We take a lot of abuse for driving something that only gets 10 MPG,pollutes more,takes up more space in the parking lot and does more dammage in an accident because we like what we drive and are willing to pay for it.Why should I be required to endure a spartan cabin just because my vehicle is capable of moving large loads?If I want it and I can pay for it,who elses business is it?I'm not appologizing for driving whatever I want.

    kip
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    You know....it's all fine and dandy while those options are offered as extras on vehicles. However, the current trend is to make them standard, so that dealers can pull the "it's standard, so it's free" scam. It's not free, and why am I supposed to pay for it if I don't want it? I certainly don't want to take it out of the truck later and sell it. You can certainly ride in comfort, as long as that comfort does not infringe on my rights as a consumer by forcing me to pay for that comfort as well.
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