My 14 F-150 limited has just 2700 miles on it and it has been in the shop constantly, worked on by 3 separate dealerships on 5 different occasions for the same vibration problem that everyone seems to think is tires. New tires and constant rebalancing didn't solve anything.


So I have a friend of a friend who owns a Ford dealership in another state who has offered to give me what I paid for my 150, and put me in a new 15 F-250 4wd Platinum at $1k below invoice plus all the rebates off of that price. I have NO legitimate need for a diesel but that truck is a seriously nice piece of hardware. My payment would go up sharply even with the discounts he's giving me simply because it is a $60k plus truck. $650 now, $880 for the 250! Am I wrong in thinking the diesel will hold it's value better over the next 2-3 years since the 14 150 is already the "old body style" for that truck? I can handle the payment but the extra costs to owning a diesel not to mention the insurance increase is also something to consider.


What should I do? Keep the 14 150 or dump it while I have a chance to get my money back out of it and get the big dog????

 

Increased payments, increased (sharply) maintenance costs for the diesel.

Not worth it, there has to be another option, such as getting Ford customer care in the loop on the driveline vibration problems with the truck you have.

 

An increase of $230 month for the next 5 years is something I personally wouldn't do. How much would it cost to get into another F150 of the same trim? How about dropping from a Limited to a Lariat to keep the same payments?

If money isn't an option do what makes you happy. But $880 a month would get old REAL fast to me and my budget. My wife did a $700 a month payment on a EB Expedition in 2003. That was a long 5 years.

 

If you can comfortably afford the F250 and it's added costs if ownership then do it!! I love the Super Duty!

 

Precisely why I intend to drive the wheels off my 04... $880 a month is more than my house payment..... If you need a 250 go for it, but it sounds like it is something you just want... Diesel fuel is quite a bit higher now so you won't see savings there. Maintenance is going to be a lot more too. Why not trade in for another 150? Before you do any of that I'd look into the Lemon Law.... 5 times for the same issue and not fixed sounds like you may have a winner....

 

do what your budget allows. If you are going to stay in the F150, absolutely start to explore other avenues for support: CSM, different dealership, etc.

I am looking at a 250 myself... love the truck.

 

How about this..http://www.dmv.org/automotive-law/lemon-law.php If they put different wheels and tires on from another truck-not just tires-does it still do it? Is it only at a certain speed? There is no way I could pay that much for a truck and then pay more for another one because the first one wasn't right.

 

lemon law?

 

The issue is vibration from 65mph and up. Everything else about the truck is fine. Unfortunately for me almost all of my driving is on the interstate at speeds of 70-78mph. If I just drove it around town and didn't have to travel for a living I'd never have been bothered by the issue. Ironic isn't it? Of course I get the same terrible 14.9mpg that I got with my 13 eco but I've learned to live with that.


I've been working with a Ford Customer Service rep from the 800 number in the owners manual. She has proven to be completely useless, with the exception of providing rental cars for me to drive the last couple of times the dealerships were troubleshooting the truck. Before that I was footing the bill for a rental out of my pocket so credit where credit is due, she has helped out with that.

Virginia DMV told me that if I have the truck branded as a lemon there's still no guarantee that Ford will buy it back. I'm scared to pursue that approach.


Basically what I think most of you guys are saying is the 250 is way too much money and if I've had this much trouble with my 150 why buy another Ford at all.

 

I don't think anyone is suggesting this.

I'd look into the Lemon Law in your state a lot harder. You already have spent a nice chunk in your F150. I know that is the route I would go.....

The ford rep on the forum is usually very good from what I have read, I'm sure she will chime in at some point today and help you out. I wouldn't cut my losses on this unless it was the last resort.