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Pickups Ford F-Series Article Comments - 2008 F-450 Super Duty Full Test
146 messages, Last post on Oct 26, 2009 at 7:20 AM
You are in the Ford F-Series Forum. Your Host is kcram
Article comments for Full Test: 2008 Ford F-450 Super Duty - For those hauling heavy loads — whether it's an extended horse trailer, a part-time home for recreation in remote areas or even a pair of hobby cars — your steed has arrived. (more)
I guess i'll start it off...it looks great, an ousome addition to the ford truck lineup. it really proves (at least to me) that a power-leading truck can also have that sort of style. they'll proably very common where I live...its no wonder the f-series trucks are all over south texas. 
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this is one awesome truck. picked mine up on a tuesday, had 5th wheel installed on wednesday and left on friday for the florida keys pulling a 40 foot toy hauler, with 3 Harleys. we estimate the total weight was in the neighbor hood of 18,000+ pounds. the water tanks were full of water, 6 adults luggage, food etc. 70 to 75 MPH were no problem, great handling! 
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I haven't had the opportunity to ride in a F450, but have a lotof experience in F-350's My reason for comment is I recently was subject to a ride in the back seat of a 2007 Chev 4500 pulling a 5th wheel w/6 horses. We were mostly on I-5. I have never had a more uncomfortable ride in my life. Not even the military 4x4s of the 60s & 70s were this uncomfortable. The front seats were air-rides. THe back seat was a nicely leather upholstered torture chamber. Seriously folks...It was a real ordeal. Don't buy a Chev 4500 if you intend to use the back seat for anything other than torturing prisoners.
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6 weeks ago I bought a new 2008 F-450 Lariat what comes with the new Diesel engine. At first the Diesel was impressive because just of the plain numbers: 350 HP and 650 NM torque. Also it is pretty silent compared to the model before. But there is a huge downside (or better to say: a couple of huge downsides). After the recall for overheating exhausts, the engine software was re-programmed what leaves us with the problem that Ford recommends to pull on the side of the road when the "service engine" light flashes. My particular problem is that even the light doesn't flash, the power gets limited as soon as the engine gets hot; and this happens already after 60 to 80 miles on the Florida Turnpike; I haul horses twice a week and it happens every now and then: with just 50 to 60 mph on the Turnpike it shuts down any acceleration and I have to wait until this goes away...accompanied by some extremely loud noise from the engine compartment sounding like a chopper is about to land right next to me. I'm worried what might happen when it's getting really hot in summer...probably I would be supposed to pull over with my horses (unfortunately my horse trailer has no A/C). The little card what Ford send me as an addendum to put it to the Owner's manual reads something like this: The engine might start again or may not. Please call your dealer when it does not re-start. Well, this is not what I was expecting from a "Heavy Duty" truck. My old 2001 F-350 V10 never gave me an issue like this. But there is much more what is troublesome with the new Diesel engine: The best fuel economy I could get within the last 6 weeks since I took delivery was 8.9 mpg (without trailer and any load on the bed). With my horse trailer I get 5.95 to 6.95 mpg on the highway (constantly 65 mph w/ cruise control on...). And of course in 2 wheel drive (not in 4x4). After a complaint I was ordered by my local dealer to fill out a "Customer Fuel Economy Worksheet"; it requires 4 complete fillings and recording the mileage driven. The readings (the last one is still to come) are 5.95/6.95 and 6.69 (all on highway). I'm just wondering what is going to happen when I drive this truck next week through town in Orlando. Ford Corp. representative and my dealer told me that my experience is "unique". But when I read James R. Healey's recent report on a test drive w/ the new F-250 in USA Today (released 04/26/08) I can just see that he also couldn't make more than 6.2 mpg. And of course I listented around: meanwhile I found 4 guys who're in the same situation...working on the Ford "Worksheet" and hoping for to get over this...The old Diesel made 14 to 15 mpg and the V10 what I had still made 12 to 13 miles (same trailer, same location). And when you see the Super Duty hauling heavy (Build Tough) on the company's web site or in the colored brochure: Don't get fooled. Heavy trailers today come with hydraulic disc-brakes or an electric-over-hydraulic brake system. Some light trailers as lawn trailers etc. (what you don't need an F-450 for) still work with plain electric brakes. Please read the Owner's manual (page 223) to see that the built-in Trailer Break Control (TBC) "has only been verified to be compatible with trailers having electric-actuated drum brakes...and not hydraulic surge or electric-over-hydraulic types". This is just poor performance by Ford Corp. because the aftermarket can handle this for years. I expressively bought my new truck to haul horses with a C&C trailer; but at the dealership (in rural North-Central Florida where this type of hauling is usual...) nobody told me that I would have to buy some aftermarket product (Reese breakmaster) to tow this trailer safely. Until today they tell me the sweet little story that the original TBC module is default and that a new one is on "back order"...for six weeks; I didn't dare to ask if I was supposed to leave my $56k investment in the barn until somebody shows mercy to deliver the right TBC. Well, they just should read the Owner's manual and find the manufacturer's statement as I did and they would know that it doesn't work at all. I should have kept my old truck instead of me letting been used as a guinea pig...spending 60 cents and more for a mile on Diesel. If it should come to a "buy back" they will probably ask me for an additional 30 cents per mile driven...If other owners having the same experience, this year's losses of the Ford Corp. will probably top the 12.4 billions of 2007. |
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Replying to: cptchetco (Apr 26, 2007 10:14 am)  Rocky |
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Replying to: ocalamax (Apr 30, 2007 1:54 pm)  -Rocky |
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2 weeks ago I took delivery of an 08 f-450 lariat diesel. I traded in a 04 f-350 king ranch disel short box single rear. This new truck is excellent in many areas. Interior noise is greatly improved Turning radious is mind bogglingly tight for a truck this size. It turns circles inside of my old truck, and makes parking a breeze. The side mirrors are the best I have ever seen. Power telescope and fold are awesome. Towing, I pull a 15000 pound boat and you can forget it's back there. I have electric over hydraulic brakes and the brake controller seems to be working fine. The ride is phenomal for such a large truck, but go slow on speed bumps or you could bust a molar. Now my big complaint... This thing sucks fuel! On my first drive not towing it dropped in performance on the highway? It got 8 mpg at 75 mph. My old truck got 17-18 at 75 to 80 mph. Average driving I am only getting 9.5 mpg. I have about 700 miles on the truck. My dealer won't give me a straight answer weather or not this is normal. He says it's not broken in and they have not sold any others yet. When I tow my boat I get between 4 and 6 mpg, this is ridiculous! If any of you have this truck let me know what kind of performance you are getting. By the way I have the tow package with the 4.88 rear end. I still love this truck but somthing has gotta give with the fuel consumption. Thanks, jb |
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Replying to: floorz (May 07, 2007 9:11 am) kcram - Pickups Host
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 Just go my F-350 King Ranch. $65,000 truck here is Canada. I have 900km on it, and it is going back. I dont care how much of a loss they hit me with...it is a complete travesty that Ford have allowed a vehicle (especially a diesel) to leave their factory getting a little over 8Miles to the Gallon. My 440-six pack gets around 13Miles to the Gallon. Please, if you are considering buying this truck I highly advise you to think again, unless you dont care about the fuel economy (of course I love the interior, the look...etc) Someone needs to be hung over this. Throw a hull underneath it and it would still be bad even by boat standards. What p's me off even more is that I spent thousands upgrading tires, rino-lining the box, torno cover.....and now it is going back! completely disappointed. My 2003 had twice as good mileage. Another complete bunch of B.S is all those car web-sites that are obviously being paid off by big vehicle companies...how did NONE of them pick up on this. Dont let this one go to rest guys...if you own this truck, go ballsitic at whomever sold it to you...it is Fords mistake, now they have to pay for it. start making noise..get posting. Aside from the obvious money issues (diesle is over $4 USD a Gallon in canada)I dont feel like stopping for fuel every 200 Miles on a road trip...screw that. lukeanorman  hotmail.com
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| "On the open freeway, there was little to indicate the F-450 was towing at all. The tongue weight settled out the ride quality, though the rig's fifth-wheel hook-up no doubt damped most of the tail-wagging-the-dog effect. The powertrain just hummed along, seemingly oblivious to the small house leeched to its backside. Our fuel economy over the course of towing 520 miles (including our hill sprints) averaged 6.3 mpg." | |
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