Hey fellas! Thought I would share that I have never really been a "Ford Guy." I have pretty much always owned GM products. I had been looking for a truck for some time. There were several trucks I compared, and all were similarly equipped within my price range of $11,000. I just needed a truck for traveling and towing. I don't know about you guys but I prefer traveling in a truck for various reasons, even if I take extra gas.
I narrowed my search to the 2 nicest GM trucks that I thought I liked, an '03 GMC and an '04 Chevy, but both had the same faults. First off, the 5.3 engine feels nimble and quick, but it doesn't make its power until almost 4000 rpm. While driving the trucks I noticed they were searching for gears alot. I find it hard to believe it would pull a trailer very well. The interior quality was pathetic really. Creaks all over the place, door panels loose, seats showing wear, buttons were faded. Both of these trucks had under 100,000 miles, the interior shouldn't be that bad already (and these were the nicest GM trucks I looked at). I hate how low they sat as well. Finally, the ultimate kicker was rust. Both were either rusting or showing signs of rusting on the rear quarters and rockers.
I looked at 1 Ford truck, and I now own it. It's an '01 F-150 XLT 4x4. Options include the 5.4 V8, Tow Package (transmission coolor, wiring, and class 3 hitch), and Off-Road Package (Rancho shocks and skidplate). The interior is very nice, no tears or signs of fading, no wind noise, no rattles, or creaks. No rust on the exterior. Sits atleast 3 inches higher than a similar GM product, and the 5.4 has a much more truck friendly powerband. This truck has over 120,000 miles and is older than the 2 GM trucks I drove, yet it has clearly held up alot better. I gave $7500 for the Ford, around $3,000 less than the 2 GM trucks would have been. It just seems like I got a great truck for the money!
There are a few things I need to do for it to be good to go. A nice buff and wax, new brakes, tranny tuneup, engine tuneup, and put in new spark plugs so I know they will stay in the hole lol... It probably doesn't need any of these things but I don't want any surprises on its first road trip in a couple weeks!

Hard to believe I have a Ford... Could be worse I guess... Could have gone Toyota or Nissan, I can't imagine doing that though haha!

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~Pauly~

That is a really sharp looking truck! Good find and even better choice!

Like you, I'm not a fan of the 5.3. There are tons of people who rave about the 4.8/5.3/6.0 and I just don't understand the love affair. After owning countless 350s, the 5.3 is pretty much utter junk. It's in our 05 Suburban and it's anything special, that is for sure. Gas mileage is comparable to the 350, however it lacks in all other aspects. I do not like the drive by wire. The coolant system is weak (I'm on water pump number three, and have already had all the freeze plugs changed). It burns about a quart every 3,500 miles, and (like you said) it makes no power until 4,000 RPMs or more. The interior fit and finish is nothing special. And, the AC isn't the greatest. I guess I shouldn't complain too much...the truck does have only 98,000 miles. lol

Anyway, good find! I feel your pain about the 5.3!

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2012 Ford Fusion SEL, 2012 Chrysler Town & Country, 2007 Chevy Silverado LT, 1999 Pontiac Firehawk, 1979 Pontiac Trans Am

Aside from the abyssimal fuel mileage on our '01 Expedition EB, we've been pretty happy with it. It has 220k on it, and aside from needing a refreshed interior (new carpet, lower seat skins and seat heater work) it's still fairly solid. Not a fan of working on the Tritons though.

I did happen to install a JVC double din stereo in it. It will fit with a little carving behind the dash, but well worth it to have USB and Bluetooth features.

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2005 GXP - White Gold Pearl, no mods...yet.
2000 SSEi - Resurrection in progress. Built L67 w/L32 fuel rail, ported heads, and cam. Camaro front brake system, GXP cluster, and much more in planning.

Looks like a nice clean truck, and decent miles on it too for an '01. Between the lower miles and the really clean body, it should serve you for quite a while. There's a dwindling number of these with both a clean body/lower miles. The color should be very truck-friendly as well

I have pretty much the identical truck - an '00 F150 SuperCab XLT 4x4 short box, with the Off Road package, but with 205k on it. Has the exact same interior, wheels, etc. as yours, but it's green on the exterior, and has the 4.6L (which is a bit wheezy at highway speeds). Like you said, the around-town torque is nice, and it seems like the quality of it is good, as it's held up quite well and seems solid. Took mine on a 6 hour highway trip recently, 1/2 2-lane, 1/2 4-lane, with a good half dozen full-throttle passing spurts, and still managed 19.2 mpg with it, which I was impressed with, as it seems the downfall of most Ford trucks versus the GM's is the mileage. Drove back on all 4 lane at 65-70mph, with probably at 1000-1500 lbs in the back, and managed 18.7 mpg. I was surprised, as in all city driving it gets 10-13 mpg. Overall, I've been pretty pleased with it in the year I've owned it. Like you, I've never been a Ford guy in the past, but after driving the competition on my last couple purchases, I've ended up liking the Fords.

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~Ben


2010 Chrysler 300 Touring Signature Series, Cool Vanilla - chrome 18's, MyGig touchsreen, all the toys.
2004 Chevy Avalanche LT 4x4, WBH, Arrival Blue Metallic - CAI, MBRP cat-back exhaust, lots of mods and all the options.
2004 Ford Mustang Premium convertible, Screaming Yellow - 18" staggered Bullitt wheels, 1.5" drop Eibach springs, CAI.
1973 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 Brougham, Antigua Blue - 23 ft, 5200 lbs, and 472 cubes of luxo-barge goodness.
1998 Chevy Corvette convertible, Light Carmine Red Metallic

Not too bad, it should serve you well.

We've had 5 5.3/6.0's, and haven't really had any issues with them. I don't really feel like they are under-powered, nor poor motors at all. I guess a lot of it has to do with how they've been maintained since new...

As far as travelling in a truck, I only do it if I need the truck for a truck reason. I prefer driving a car in new places, as it's much easier to maneuver, more comfortable to me, and obviously costs less. To each his own, though.

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

I don't either, but the purpose was to move my grandpa from WI to MN, so it was probably one of the few instances my truck has ever left town. Found a matching topper for it for $50, and filled the thing from floor to ceiling. Don't think I could've pulled that off in anything else in my garage, and actually, it was fairly comfortable to ride in, though I prefer taking the Fusion on road trips.

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~Ben


2010 Chrysler 300 Touring Signature Series, Cool Vanilla - chrome 18's, MyGig touchsreen, all the toys.
2004 Chevy Avalanche LT 4x4, WBH, Arrival Blue Metallic - CAI, MBRP cat-back exhaust, lots of mods and all the options.
2004 Ford Mustang Premium convertible, Screaming Yellow - 18" staggered Bullitt wheels, 1.5" drop Eibach springs, CAI.
1973 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 Brougham, Antigua Blue - 23 ft, 5200 lbs, and 472 cubes of luxo-barge goodness.
1998 Chevy Corvette convertible, Light Carmine Red Metallic

We've done plenty of travelling in our truck, but it has been stuff like driving to Fargo with the truck and flatbed to get some stuff we bought to make a smokehouse, and moving my sister to St. Paul, etc. Rarely do we get in the truck and go wherever just because it's a truck and we like driving it. I enjoy driving all of our vehicles, and they each have their niche they fit into nicely.

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Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

Exactly, same here.

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~Ben


2010 Chrysler 300 Touring Signature Series, Cool Vanilla - chrome 18's, MyGig touchsreen, all the toys.
2004 Chevy Avalanche LT 4x4, WBH, Arrival Blue Metallic - CAI, MBRP cat-back exhaust, lots of mods and all the options.
2004 Ford Mustang Premium convertible, Screaming Yellow - 18" staggered Bullitt wheels, 1.5" drop Eibach springs, CAI.
1973 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 60 Brougham, Antigua Blue - 23 ft, 5200 lbs, and 472 cubes of luxo-barge goodness.
1998 Chevy Corvette convertible, Light Carmine Red Metallic

Truck looks clean! Hope it serves you well.

I'm just not a Ford guy and will never own one. (I also get better discounts through work at GM than I do at Ford. We supply all steering components in GM, Chrysler and Ford trucks since mid 80's)

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Eric

2005 SLE, Greystone Metallic, 152K.

A few mods..

I'm not really saying the 5.3 is a bad motor, but I will say the 5.4 triton has a better power curve. It really has good power from 2000 to 4000 rpm which is better for truck applications. I don't plan on winning any drag races against a Chevy, but I know it will pull a trailer better. The 5.3 works well from 3700 to 4800, and because of that there isn't enough hp or torque to keep the truck from shifting down under load, alot... I'd rather have the ol' 5.7 for a GM truck.

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~Pauly~

A good no-nonsense truck, and looks very tidy too. Nice find!

Racing = 5.3

Towing = 5.4

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Well I've had the truck tuned up and it's ready to go. Even though the dealership had done an oil change, I changed the oil anyway. Changed to Mobil 1 and K&N filter just like in the GXP. Cleaned out the air intake and dropped in a K&N air filter. Replaced the serpentine belt and the PCV valve because both were about shot. I gave it a good buff with Wizards Turbo cut, then Finish Cut, then Wax, then Sealer. Shampooed the seats and the rest of the upholstery. Cleaned the plastic and vinyls with Surf City Garage products, and cleaned up the tonneau cover with Surf City Leather restore. Tire blacked the plastic bed insert and powerwashed it out (kind of slippery now lol, but clean!). Steel wooled all the chrome and waxed over.

Just one issue... My wife washed the truck one day and used Eagle One Aluminum wheel cleaner on the rims and the product destroyed them! They are full of swirls, lines, and dark spots. I have always used Eagle One A to Z wheel cleaner, but she grabbed the wrong one. I can't seem to get the crap off that this product left behind... What can I use??? So far I have tried A to Z, aluminum polish, brake cleaner, and even some compound... nothing works!!! Is there something that might work? I'm sure they are alloy so I don't understand how this even happened!

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~Pauly~

May need to try an acid based wheel cleaner, be careful though.

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Nice truck! Nothing wrong with a Ford truck.....they are pretty tough.

If the brake switch recall hasn't been done, get it done! You will regret not doing it - viewtopic.php?f=7&t=22874&p=236203&hilit=expedition#p236203

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2012 Grand Cherokee Overland Summit - Hemi
1996 Thunderbird LX - 3.8