Potential ST owner seeks opinions

[Tim Reynolds]

Six time expert M-16A2

11 Bravo



How many airborne jumps versus airmobile ops have you done in the middle east? Just teasing, come home safe and buy a Sport Trac or at least come home safe!!



Dope on a Rope....Out

 

[Jason Mastro]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this, but I am VERY pleased with the quality of the paint job that came on my 2004 Black XLTP... Very reflective, and very little "orange peel". I got a brand new black vehicle from another manufacturer before and it was nowhere close to the quality of this..



plus, all 5 windows down and the sunroof, it is awesome to drive!



but one complaint is that they don't offer stereo controls on the steering wheel..

JM

 

[Mark B]

I'm coming up on 4 years with mine, no regrets so far. Had two minor CEL occurrences for emissions stuff that were fixed under warranty. Since the warranty ran out a year ago, I've spent all of $11.00 on repairs thanks to the excellent repair advice available here on MyST.com.



Loves the SUT platform and Sport Trac does it very well. Take care.

 

[Dre L]

It's been pretty damn reliable. I have a 2001, job2 trac with 55K miles on it. I drive in NYC and with the traffic, potholes, and NYC drivers, it has been a hell of a vehicle.



Mileage sucks in the city, I recently bought a scanguage and my typical city driving averaged about 9.2MPG. If you've ever driven in Manhattan, you'll know that the mileage on the sticker is for the rest of the country. Driving on flat hwy at a steady 60MPH was showing around 21MPG or better.



In my 55K miles, I have had:

Miles 026-500

-Tires: swapped due to firestone recall (they installed GoodYear RT/S, that is a godawful tire). Replaced with Pirelli Scorpion STRa tires at 40K (that is an awesome tire).

-Power locks: Jibroni on the assembly line forgot to install some module. Had 3 master mechanics at my horrible dealershit, Ford's regional, the shop steward, and the guy who worked on the assembly line trying to figure it out.

-Manifold gasket replaced.

-EGR replaced.

~10K:

-Torsion bar adjusted for leaning condition.

-Upper radiator hose replaced for a wear thru condition.



These are TSB's I didn't know about until too late (meaning if I had a good dealership, and knowledge of the TSB's I could have had them taken care of:

there are 2 small spots on my hood which the paint has crows feet.

the radio bezel paint is peeling slightly on sharp edges (around cig lighter)

the steering wheel paint is rubbing off where my hands go

I brought it in several times for a check engine light at hwy speeds during high RPM's. I got tired of them giving me BS and never fixing it, so I gave up. Turns out there is a TSB for an Exhaust Valve Hang Open condition at RPMs over 4800. It doesn't affect driveability or performance, but the computer sees it as a multiple random cylinder misfire. It only happens when the moon and stars are in the right position, so I don't really care about it, stupid computers.



I change my belt and hoses every 2 years to be proactive.

I change my oil every 3K with synthetic (I've moved up to Mobil 1 syn and love it).

I use a grease gun and grease needle to lube up the swaybar bushings.

I flush the tranny every 36K, and the cooling system when I change hoses.

I clean the throttle body and add a bottle of injector cleaner yearly.

I clean and oil the IAC valve every 6 months.

I clean my air filter quarterly.

I wax it fully at least once per year and re-coat a couple of times within the year.

I AM A MAINTENANCE WHORE HOOAH.



At around 36K I upgraded my shocks to a good set and added a heftier rear swaybar (you'll read a lot about that on this site.) In NYC, highways have speed bumps and craters on them. If I was driving 60MPH took a curve, and hit a bump, the back of the trac would kick out like it was airborne. Stiffer shocks, the thicker swaybar, and a nice set of tires, no problems now.



I changed my battery to an Optima Yellow when the Trac turned 4. I go by the build date as that's when these parts were put together. This battery is nice.



I changed all my dashboard lights to LED's when one of the OEM ones burned out. Should save me the trouble of having to do it again. I even found a couple that were burnt from the build (I never knew they were supposed to light up). I rewired those with some LED's, all good now.



My floor mat hooks have all broken off. I don't really notice them or miss them. can replace them easily, but don't bother.



I have a replacement windshield from Safelite due to crumbling NYC overpasses on highways. I forgot until now that it was a replacement.



I upgraded my stereo and speakers and added sound deadeners to the doors. I added a small strip of weatherstrip between the doors to stop some wind noise when the windows were up.



I had a CV boot changed due to a small hole, and had my new dealership reseal the front differential which st

 

[GccST]

I havent had any problems on my 04 XLT except some squealing brakes. I did change the shocks and sway bar though. Mastro, my 04 black XLTP has THE WORST OP that I have ever seen on any car.

 

[Frank Marano]

I love my ST, I can not complain. Besides some minor things, it has not done me wrong. [Broken External Image]:

 

[Ben Poche]

i love mine

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[Matthew W]

Dave - God speed your safe return to the U.S. !!



As for the Sport Trac - my 2004 is the second Trac that I have owned, and for good reason. If you check my library, you will see my totaled 2001 Trac (68,000 miles, no problems with it); I was run of the road and hit a cement culvert at about 40-45 mph. My rottie was in the rear seat (seat down with a pet barrier) and was unhurt & I received a sprained/strained right thumb ! I spent about 2 weeks looking over about a dozen other vehicles, but decided for the versitility, nothing is better than the Trac (the power/handling you can easily improve with a few mods). The only down side from my point of view is the gas mileage, but it is on the high side for any decent truck (I aveage about 16 mpg overall, mostly city driving). There is ample passenger room front and rear seats, the bed is useful for most needs, and when all 5 of the windows are down & the sunroof is open, it feels like a convertible !! If you can get it at the 'employee price' when you return, jump !!



Hey, let us know what you decide !!



PS - as you can see in the pic, my Rottie still luvs going for rides in her SportTrac



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[LoriMaury Kimbrough]

I have to say, we love our truck. We've had our 02 for almost 3 years and he has about 51K trouble free miles on him. A friend just bought a Hemi Dodge quad cab and my back seat has more leg room than his does! I think the ride is better as well. I will echo the need for new shocks and the EE sway bar.



Good luck with your ST purchase, I can't see why anyone would be unhappy with this truck.



Also, thank you for all that you are doing for those of us back in the good ole USA.

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[Adam Shirley]

Be safe and keep your head down. I'm an Infantryman in the USMC and we are all praying for you guys over there. M16A2 6th Award Expert here too... Just got off of the range last week. I am also from Alabama, but stationed in Hawaii. About the ST,I have a Black 02 and I love my truck! Minor problems here and there, I've had some issues with the brakes, but most of my problems could have easily been much less of a headache if there was a good Ford service department on this Island. The engine seems plenty strong to me. The versitility is great. My wife is short and she has no problems driving the ST. She says that she feels much safer in the ST that in our Cougar. The extended warranty is not worth the money. Gas mileage is not so good, and wind noise is pretty loud, but it is a truck. If you wanted excellent gas mileage and a quiet ride, you would be buying a civic or something. The sliding rear window is awsome and in those Alabama summers, you'll have the windows down most of the time anyway, so who cares about wind noise. My Dad owns Floyd Shirley Ford in Brundidge, Alabama; excellent service department and good prices. It is a small dealorship about 25 minutes from Ft Rucker. Stop by and ask to see Jerry Shirley, tell him Adam sent you and to give you a good deal. I wouldn't waste money on the stock painted running bars. They rust like crazy. Get the chrome!!! The Adrenaline ST's are sharp and come with the chrome bars. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any other questions

Adam S.

[email protected]

 

[Dan Otto]

If your not tired of reading! I add my AYE to the vote.

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[EddieS'04]

Dave...Thanks for your service. From this Vietnam Vet, please keep your eyes open. I saw alot of strange things happen to others when they got close to the end of their tour.

On the other hand I love my Trac. Owned it for 13months never been in the shop. I drive it more than my Mustang.

I hope there are some left to choose from when you get back to the world. They are going to stop production for a revamped '06 model.

If you hang around here much you will find a great bunch of guys. Loads of info. Many differing opinions about life, but we all have a "One Trac Mind"..:lol:



Be safe and Gods protection and blessings to you!

 

[Larry Phillips]

I'm extremely happy with my 2001. It just turned 100,000 miles before I came to Iraq. I wish I was home driving it. I'm extremely pleased with the ST itself, it's size, looks, and ergonomics. The engine could be a little more powerful, but a phone call to Wayne Foy at Hypnotic Illusions Automotive will fix that. The suspension is a little soft from the factory, but a good set of aftermarket shocks, and possibly a thicker swaybar will solve that problem. It's a great truck, and I hope you like it if you get one. As far as reliability, I've only fixed 1 thing the entire time I've had it, and that was a $60 DPFE sensor. Other than that, she's been really good to me...



Hurry home safely...



SSgt Larry Phillips, USAF

Ali Air Base, Iraq



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[Robert Poole]

DD,



Thanks for serving our country and doing what you Have to do. I have a 2001 Sporttrac with 90,000 miles on her that I JUST paid off I have had 1 thing go wrong in the 4 years that I have had her, it was a TPI sensor. Dealer fixed it under warranty. A few things, get the step rails, the shorter people will appraciate it greatly, the step rail and the *oh Jesus* handle makes getting into the trac very easy. mileage kinda bites, but when you drive a truck, you expect to slaughter more dinosaur juice then with a subcompact. The maintenance as far as oil, ete is very easy, I can crawl under the truck and do all the stuff, the filter is easy to get to as well as the oil plug. Spark plugs are more difficult, some people have gone through the side of the compartment inside the fender to change a spark plug. the bedliner is a composite plastic already, so buying a bedliner is unnecesary. You can get a bed mat from Rusty(A site sponsor) at a great price. the Trac has the option of a hard tonneau cover. Get it if you can. Most of the time it stays on the truck, but you can remove it. Do the suspension upgrade with better shocks and tires, the good yeartires suck.



If you have any other questions, feel free to ask, we here at the site are very good with questions and between all of us, we pretty much got it covered.



Have a good one



Bob



HooooRaaaahhhh *it is an Army thing* I'm a Desert Storm Vet

 

[David Crockett]

Thanks to all (again) for the responses, especially to my fellow service members, retirees, and those who offered prayers and words of encouragement. The days are long and hot over here, and the work we do in Afghanistan often gets over-looked by the media frenzy in Iraq. There is still an active "shooting-war" going on over here and our guys are still getting into pretty big fights with these Al-Qeada fools. It's always good to hear from good people who still remember why we are doing all of this.



Well, it's official. I've decided that the ST is the way to go. Regretably, I'll have to wait until I get back to my base in Italy next month to place the order (Adam S, I may contact you to discuss your offer....I'm familiar with your dad's dealership from a search of Ford dealers around the Ft. Rucker area). I'm hoping to be able to work a good deal through our Military New Car Sales Rep, which usually has good programs and rebates for Ford vehicles. A few of you have mentioned the X-plan and the Ford Family discount. Can anyone elaborate on these programs a little more? I had pretty much decided I'd prefer to get a used ST, but if I can get a good deal on a new one, I certainly wouldn't mind owning an '05 or '06.



My next big decision is whether to go for 4wd or 2wd. I've never really felt a need for 4wd and have been lead to believe that insurance rates and repairs are usually more costly than on a 2wd model. I've also heard that the 2wd ST is more succeptable to tip-overs than the 4wd, but I don't see how....less stiff suspension maybe? Anyone care to offer an opinion on this?



Also, I'd like to hear from ya'll as to which options and packages have proven to be worthwhile on your STs.



I've been very pleased with the number of responses I received from my original posting. ST owners seem to be a practical, good-natured, and down-to-Earth group. I hope I'll fit into the club when I get mine! Until then.



P.S: Tim R....Got lots of helo rides in Iraq. It's also the best way to travel over here in Afghanistan too, except when the bad-guys start shooting and the birds can't get enough lift due to the high altitudes. As for the jumps....I'm ending my career as a paratrooper (MOS 13F) with 85 jumps. Been on Airborne status my whole career with the 82nd and the 173rd. I have parachuted into DZs all over the world, including Kazakstan in '97, Kosovo in '00 (as a show of force), and numerous European countries for training events or demonstrations. The most memorable was when my Brigade opened the northern front in Iraq, back on March 26, 2003. Earned my star and arrow-head for that one. What a night! I'm going to Rucker so I can learn to fly helos, so I can finally have a soft landing from an aircraft!

 

[Dre L]

I think the thought process is that the 4wd is heavier with a lower stance than 2wd on rollover data.



I live in NYC and never thought I would need 4wd, but I use it quite often. It is better to have it than not.



I believe that 4WD with the limited slip 4.10 kicks in automatically like traction control, should you start slipping. At least that's what the dealer told me, I never bothered to verify that, but I had a pretty bad wipe out on a wet curve on a highway once that the Trac pulled out of damn well while I was in 2wd. Passenger side hit deep water, which I saw too late, on the curve at 60MPH and shot me into a spin. The front end did not spin compeletely, maybe 20 degrees left, then 10 right, another 5 left, before I knew it I had steered through it and regained control. I'm a pretty good driver, but I don't think that was all me that pulled it through that night.



My old Corsica would have 360'd down the highway several times right into a barricade.

 

[John Turner 3]

Much thanks for your service. Come home safe!



I have a 2001 Job One 4WD with just over 86,000 miles. I bought it used off the Ford corporate B-Lot in October 2001. The in-service date was April 2001. It is stock, no mods whatsoever.



It has been rock solid. No complaints whatsoever, except that it seems to need brake jobs more often than other vehicles. I had to replace the thermostat at 32K miles, other than that the only things I've done are routine, scheduled maintenance and a new set of treads at about 50K.



I used to own a F250SD crew cab...the ST is obviously much better on fuel economy. I get about 20 mpg on the highway using the cruise control and staying between 70 and 75 mph (life's too short to pay speeding tickets!!). I have made long and short trips, including Detroit to Boston and back (the long way around through Ohio). No problems at all, great vehicle. I have a 7-yr old German Shepherd, so the four doors and full back seat come in handy, and while the bed is a bit small, it has done everything I have ever asked it to do, and then some, so I can't complain.



I am planning to upgrade the suspension with new shocks and a new sway bar as recommended here, and I will probably upgrade the radio and speakers. Add a new intake, and I'll bet I get at least another 50-60K miles out of it, if not more.



I almost bought a new F150 this month with all of the deals, but I have less than a year to go on the payments for the ST and no signs of any major grief (knock on wood) so I passed on the F150. It will be nice not to have payments every month!!



Good luck with your search for a vehicle, I recommend the Sport Trac without reservation.