Thinking of buying Ford F150

Thinking of buying Ford F150

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v8ranger

Original Poster:

7 posts

194 months

Saturday 28th August 2010
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I'm looking to buy a Ford F150 Harley davidson Supercharged.(2002-2003).This will be my first yank car after several years with Range Rovers,i thought i would have some fun in one of these,are there any majors issues with this year model,and should i look-out for anything ????

andy rob

652 posts

221 months

Saturday 28th August 2010
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v8ranger said:
should i look-out for anything ????
yes ! srt 10 ram passing you

v8ranger

Original Poster:

7 posts

194 months

Saturday 28th August 2010
quotequote all
smilelaugh

KevF

1,994 posts

197 months

Saturday 28th August 2010
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andy rob said:
v8ranger said:
should i look-out for anything ????
yes ! srt 10 ram passing you
You are having giraffe......I have a 2007 HD saleen supercharged and an SRT Ram has no more power but weighs more....I have yet to come up against an SRT and lose....

V8Ranger...your best bet is speak to HDAdam on here mate. He runs a 2003 Shamu HD (two tone silver and black) and regularly dag races it as well and has got into the high 12's. It is also ultra reliable.

Plenty of Uk HD owners on Rebel-v8.com or your best bet would be to visit www.nhtoc.com (National Harley Owners Truck). Its a US based forum but contains everything you want to know about the HD's including any problems or recalls.

Hope this helps....


Kev...

v8ranger

Original Poster:

7 posts

194 months

Saturday 28th August 2010
quotequote all
Thanks for info,will have a look thumbup

HD Adam

5,144 posts

183 months

Saturday 28th August 2010
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andy rob said:
v8ranger said:
should i look-out for anything ????
yes ! srt 10 ram passing you
Bwa ha ha ha ha biglaugh


V8ranger

Nothing special to look for on the 03 model.

Obviously, normal rules apply so if it looks well cared for and has some history, that's good.

If it's been modded, that could point to "enthusiastic" usage but that's not always bad.
Make sure the owner knows what they've done and get the hand held tuner that came with it.

DennisCooper

1,340 posts

170 months

Monday 30th August 2010
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Ohhh man!

Had one of these imported (2003 all black Anniversary Edition) when it was like 8 months old in 2004 and just 3 months ago swapped it for another car. How I wish I hadn't now! I want it back!

Never had anything major go wrong with it at all, easy to work on and get parts as well. I had mine lowered though - imported a kit (I forget which one) from the USA and made it much better at cornering and taking sweeping bends without having to slow down wink So I'd recommend that.

Else, just enjoy that Supercharger whine! - dam, now I'm missing it more!!

I stayed all standard with the engine etc, although I was severely tempted at doing the 'top half of the engine' mod (sorry! I'm not a mechanic type!!) which was from the limited edition Mustang GT 500 (is that the name of it ?) car which I was told would take me from 340 BHP standard to around 520 BHP!

I miss it, as per what many USA car driver owner here will attest to, it caused no end of gawping, dropped jaws, shocked WRX and Porsche owners with aforementioned gawps and dropped jaws, people on the street stopping you and just saying things like 'wow' and 'i love it', groups of oriental tourists each with a camera taking photographs as your stuck in traffic in central London ! (I know I'm a celebrity SOMEWHERE on a forum in the far east!!) and of course plenty of other car enthusiasts who's words often consist of expletives beginning with the letter 'F' !!

I've been car and truck 'spotting' back in the USA again so I have a shortlist of the next USA vehicle I want wink just wish I could've held onto the F150 HD!

Cheers, Dennis!

v8ranger

Original Poster:

7 posts

194 months

Monday 30th August 2010
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I plan to use mine as a daily drive,what are they like for every day use,not too woried about mpg as i currently run a 4.4 range rover so used to filling that up.

DennisCooper

1,340 posts

170 months

Tuesday 31st August 2010
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Hi V8 Ranger

For a while when we first had the F150, we'd use it very frequently - not quite everyday, but as near to it. I found pretty quickly that when driven normally, the truck was very good on fuel, perhaps 10-15% more on consumption than perhaps a Range Rover, M5 V8 5 litre, TVR and other large V8 engine types cars and fun toys out on the roads. In short, I was thinking it'd suck up £5 worth of fuel just to start it. I was quickly proven wrong on that.

Moving onto comfort and the experience itself - then very very easy to use and drive everyday. Remember, it's exactly what these kinds of cars in the USA do - they get driven daily for work etc and the nice toy stays at home for evenings and weekends etc. The anniversary edition being just that little bit more luxurious with full leather, electric pedal box movement, electric drivers seat, 6 disc in dash CD changer etc etc. The very smooth delivery of the power in slow or stop start traffic means just a very light dab on the accelerator to get it moving - lots of low end torque and grunt basically. In normal flowing traffic much the same, all that torque, just lightly press the accelerator for a few seconds and bam you're doing 30 mph, foot completely off and the truck would just coast very easily without requiring constant throttle, a quick dab again to keep momentum going, of course, helping to save fuel that way and making good, easy and relaxed progress - it was a pleasure to drive like this. Of course, when needed a stomp on the throttle would ensure the supercharger whine made it's presence known and the rapid increase in vehicle speed to accompany it was fantastic!

Overall, a very easy truck to drive on UK roads everyday, if you have any concerns with it being 'finickety' or 'tiresome' or 'a bit of a pain to drive' then put those out of your mind as much as possible - I never ever once thought those things in the 6 or so years it was here.

Hope this helps, Cheers, Dennis!

HD Adam

5,144 posts

183 months

Tuesday 31st August 2010
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Spot on Dennis.

I used to use mine daily and never had a problem with it.

The only reason that I don't use it though the winter now is that I want to keep it nice(er) and not take it out in the slush & salt.

I use my Mustang as a winter beater now biggrin

v8ranger

Original Poster:

7 posts

194 months

Tuesday 31st August 2010
quotequote all
Thanks you for the replies,i am going ahead with purchase.just got to sort out insurance,best quote so far has been Ad/Flux with £589.

Regards.
Con

twiglove

1,178 posts

193 months

Wednesday 1st September 2010
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v8ranger said:
Thanks you for the replies,i am going ahead with purchase.just got to sort out insurance,best quote so far has been Ad/Flux with £589.

Regards.
Con
Shop around on the insurance, you WILL find cheaper than AF

FYI I am with MCE, also try competition car insurance smile

hearselover

305 posts

240 months

Monday 13th September 2010
quotequote all
v8ranger said:
Thanks you for the replies,i am going ahead with purchase.just got to sort out insurance,best quote so far has been Ad/Flux with £589.

Regards.
Con
Try A Plan also ive got 2 Yanks with them and there great. AF are a complete bunch in my opinion.

v8ranger

Original Poster:

7 posts

194 months

Monday 13th September 2010
quotequote all
Went with MCE got fully comp £492 with commuting and mileage of 7500 per year.only £60 more than Range rover i just got rid of. so well pleased.

PurpleTurtle

6,941 posts

143 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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Thread bounce on this topic. I'm considering getting one too.

I currently drive an E46 BMW M3 but only do about 4k pleasure miles a year in it, as these days I either work from home or commute by motorbike.

We also go to a lot of music festivals, and last weekend did Latitude in Suffolk, which was great, but took me, wife and 18 month old kid nearly 4hrs to lug all our stuff from our other family car to the camp site, needed three trips back to the car.

As I walked past the motorhome/caravan field there was a chap sat outside his caravan, large cold beer, feet up, reading the paper ... my itch to get a caravan and be done with the ball-ache of lugging loads of camping kit was scratched there and then.

So, we've found a van we like, but neither my M3 nor my wife's Honda is really appropriate to tow it, so it also points to a new tow car. I desperately don't want to be at the helm of some asthmatic eurobox that struggles to tow anything up the slightest of inclines, and I know a decent estate would be up to the job, but thoughts have turned to a big Yankee V8 as more than capable of doing the job, and ticking my 'must one day own a V8' box. Am looking at the Harley Davidson versions, approx 10-12 yrs old.

What sort of MPG should I be looking at? I'm used to 23-24mpg out of the BMW, so hopefully not much worse? Also what is the VED rate on these?

Edited by PurpleTurtle on Thursday 21st July 16:08

Fats25

6,260 posts

228 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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I have a 2012 F150 but in Raptor guise. I checked today and mine does 12.1mpg. American gallons I guess?

Fortunately fuel is cheap where I live, but I can imagine it will be pricey in UK. They are unbelievable vehicles though! I want to take mine home with me when the time comes. Is ridiculous - but amazing !

EViS

393 posts

162 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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I'm the second owner of my 2004 (new shape) F150. Only had it for around 2.5 years but my goodness can I never see myself buying a Jap pickup again. It's simply phenomenal in every aspect and being LPG converted, works out the same if not fractionally cheaper to run than the average UK diesel truck. A squeeze on UK roads? Nothing of sorts, fits through 6ft6 bollards (just) and has a great turning circle.

The rest has been covered by the above replies.

I'll probably keep mine for another year or two and then swap to a Ram or GMC, or simply to a newer shape F150. Purely to experience something different. However, although mine is not Harley trim, it's still fully loaded and if you want to take a look, you're most welcome, I may be swayed to let it go and upgrade early wink.

HD Adam

5,144 posts

183 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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My supercharged F150's get between 15 - 18 UK miles per gallon on average depending on use.

PurpleTurtle

6,941 posts

143 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
quotequote all
EViS said:
I'm the second owner of my 2004 (new shape) F150. Only had it for around 2.5 years but my goodness can I never see myself buying a Jap pickup again. It's simply phenomenal in every aspect and being LPG converted, works out the same if not fractionally cheaper to run than the average UK diesel truck. A squeeze on UK roads? Nothing of sorts, fits through 6ft6 bollards (just) and has a great turning circle.

The rest has been covered by the above replies.

I'll probably keep mine for another year or two and then swap to a Ram or GMC, or simply to a newer shape F150. Purely to experience something different. However, although mine is not Harley trim, it's still fully loaded and if you want to take a look, you're most welcome, I may be swayed to let it go and upgrade early wink.
LPG and insurance was my next consideration. Presumably you need ot tell your insurer about that mod? Do you mind me asking how much you pay to insure it?

I'm 44, full licence 27 years, completely claim free, full NCB so am hoping I could insure one for a reasonable amount.

Register1

2,130 posts

93 months

Friday 22nd July 2016
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When I lived in Houston, I was deciding to buy a Corvette or an F250 shortbed King Ranch. V8 Diesel
I decided on getting the Corvette.

Brought the vette back to Uk eventually, and after 18 months sold it.

Knowing full well, I should have got the truck.
the vette was OK, but in hindsight, I should have really got the 250 King Ranch