Potential buyer...car seats, 4k towing vs. FX4, and reliability questions

[Rob Cactus Gray]

No disrespect, but what if your kid is fat?

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[Rodeoman74]

No disrespect, but what if your kid is fat?

 

[Decayed]

No idea about the car seats but the rear doesn't look too different than other cars. What you want to do is gonna be tight no matter what vehicle unless it's a monster.

The "double dipping" perception is inevitable if they offer tow and fx4 separately since they both need upgraded radiators and fans.
IIRC FX4 gets a better drive ratio than stock and towing gives a slightly better ratio than fx4. You get a transmission cooler which will help off road as well. If you are serious about towing you definitely want the 7 pin connector and brake controller.

FX4 gives a better rear suspension which isn't on the website package description. The wheels and tires alone are worth the $800. Tow hooks are a necessity if you are really going off road along with the skid plate. The drive modes are nice, too. You also get the larger Lariat productivity screen.

The more you look into it the less it looks like double dipping. I got both because I want all the toys.

The ecoboost is the "revised" version where they fixed bugs. IIRC the trans has a good track record in other vehicles. Not worried about either. It looks like all the major components are tried and true which was a very smart move by Ford IMO and why I broke my "no first model year" rule for buying cars. I am wary of they hybrid system. It might be ok but I don't know much about it.

 

[Stevospeedo]

No idea about the car seats but the rear doesn't look too different than other cars. What you want to do is gonna be tight no matter what vehicle unless it's a monster.

The "double dipping" perception is inevitable if they offer tow and fx4 separately since they both need upgraded radiators and fans.
IIRC FX4 gets a better drive ratio than stock and towing gives a slightly better ratio than fx4. You get a transmission cooler which will help off road as well. If you are serious about towing you definitely want the 7 pin connector and brake controller.

FX4 gives a better rear suspension which isn't on the website package description. The wheels and tires alone are worth the $800. Tow hooks are a necessity if you are really going off road along with the skid plate. The drive modes are nice, too. You also get the larger Lariat productivity screen.

The more you look into it the less it looks like double dipping. I got both because I want all the toys.

The ecoboost is the "revised" version where they fixed bugs. IIRC the trans has a good track record in other vehicles. Not worried about either. It looks like all the major components are tried and true which was a very smart move by Ford IMO and why I broke my "no first model year" rule for buying cars. I am wary of they hybrid system. It might be ok but I don't know much about it.

The double dipping is more than just perception. It is reality.
If you got FX4 without the towing package or vice versa you would still be getting those extra options that overlap. And if you are already getting the Lariat, you are double dipping again for the productivity screen. There are good reasons to want all those packages and it is definitely unethical to not give a credit when you are getting multiple packages that have the same options in them. And the tires on the FX4 package are obsolute garbage and not true all terrain tires. Just like the "full size spare" does not have a matching rim and the tire is different than the other 4 tires. It is these kinds of shady practices that make people not trust car manufacturers, dealers, and sales people. There is no reason for it other than greed. If they need to make more money, charge more for the package. If you are paying multiple times for the same option, it is a pure money grab because they control the ordering process.

 

[Decayed]

The double dipping is more than just perception. It is reality.
If you got FX4 without the towing package or vice versa you would still be getting those extra options that overlap. And if you are already getting the Lariat, you are double dipping again for the productivity screen. There are good reasons to want all those packages and it is definitely unethical to not give a credit when you are getting multiple packages that have the same options in them. And the tires on the FX4 package are obsolute garbage and not true all terrain tires. Just like the "full size spare" does not have a matching rim and the tire is different than the other 4 tires. It is these kinds of shady practices that make people not trust car manufacturers, dealers, and sales people. There is no reason for it other than greed. If they need to make more money, charge more for the package. If you are paying multiple times for the same option, it is a pure money grab because they control the ordering process.

Don't get the lariat or any of the packages then? I didn't buy a lariat because it didn't offer anything I wanted or really needed. At least nothing that justified spending the money. I am getting the 4k towing and the FX4 package because the cost can be justified by the value it brings for me. But I didn't get the lux package, either.

I mean, the "Full sized spare" at least has a 17" rim and you can put whatever tire you like on it. Or just stick with the doughnut. But doughnuts suck, limit your speed and adversely affect handling. If you are far from home or towing this could be a real problem. You can still just buy a wheel and tire. Of course, when you price those out new, they cost more than what ford is charging. The cheapest 225/65/17 tire I can find is about $70 and a new rim is about $60.

The best part? YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Hard to believe you're complaining about Ford giving customers a path to the upgraded productivity screen without getting the lariat. It's almost like you hate having choices. What can they do to satisfy you?

Car buying decisions are usually as much emotional as they are rational and their marketing reflects that. Literally every car company everywhere does that.

And yeah, it's all about making profit, which is good because if you aren't making money, you're losing it. Even the government doesn't get to deficit spend forever, eventually it all collapses. Unless you make a profit. It's not a dirty word.

 

[Stevospeedo]

Don't get the lariat or any of the packages then? I didn't buy a lariat because it didn't offer anything I wanted or really needed. At least nothing that justified spending the money. I am getting the 4k towing and the FX4 package because the cost can be justified by the value it brings for me. But I didn't get the lux package, either.

I mean, the "Full sized spare" at least has a 17" rim and you can put whatever tire you like on it. Or just stick with the doughnut. But doughnuts suck, limit your speed and adversely affect handling. If you are far from home or towing this could be a real problem. You can still just buy a wheel and tire. Of course, when you price those out new, they cost more than what ford is charging. The cheapest 225/65/17 tire I can find is about $70 and a new rim is about $60.

The best part? YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Hard to believe you're complaining about Ford giving customers a path to the upgraded productivity screen without getting the lariat. It's almost like you hate having choices. What can they do to satisfy you?

Car buying decisions are usually as much emotional as they are rational and their marketing reflects that. Literally every car company everywhere does that.

And yeah, it's all about making profit, which is good because if you aren't making money, you're losing it. Even the government doesn't get to deficit spend forever, eventually it all collapses. Unless you make a profit. It's not a dirty word.

You are quite the Ford apoligist aren't you? I never said I wasn't buying the vehicle or the packages. That doesn't make Ford right to do what they are doing. You are absolutely ridiculous to defend Ford and tell another customer that they just shouldn't buy it if they don't like it. How much Ford stock do you own? Charging customers twice for the same options is unethical and wrong no matter how much you champion them. I think it is a great vehcile and offers some decent value, but the further you move up the packages you are really getting put through the ringer for no good reason other than greed. They can make plenty of profit on the packages while still not double charging people. Why are people that get multiple packages subsidizing people like you?

It is not a full size spare. It is a different diameter. It can not be used in a five tire rotation and should not be used long term. That information was not specified up front to the customer. It was a bait and switch and creative use of language bordering on fraud. Again, no idea why you are defending them so much.

 

[Jah.]

Fx4 package also comes with a heavy duty radiator and fan . this would also help to keep the trans cool . If you don't know it, all automatic transmissions have a fluid line that goes to separate section on the bottom of the radiator to keep the trans cool. If your always going to tow more than 3000 lbs I would go with the 4k tow package .

 

[Decayed]

You are quite the Ford apoligist aren't you? I never said I wasn't buying the vehicle or the packages. That doesn't make Ford right to do what they are doing. You are absolutely ridiculous to defend Ford and tell another customer that they just shouldn't buy it if they don't like it. How much Ford stock do you own? Charging customers twice for the same options is unethical and wrong no matter how much you champion them. I think it is a great vehcile and offers some decent value, but the further you move up the packages you are really getting put through the ringer for no good reason other than greed. They can make plenty of profit on the packages while still not double charging people. Why are people that get multiple packages subsidizing people like you?

It is not a full size spare. It is a different diameter. It can not be used in a five tire rotation and should not be used long term. That information was not specified up front to the customer. It was a bait and switch and creative use of language bordering on fraud. Again, no idea why you are defending them so much.

Literally the only major overlap between 4k towing and fx4 is the radiators but as they had to do that because both applications require it. Beyond that it's still $800 worth of stuff. As I noted before, the tires/wheels alone are worth that much on the fx4 if you wanted to replace them on the open market. The transmission cooler, 7 pin hitch with brake controller and drive ratio would also cost more than $800 $745. The point is that even if you exclude the "overlapping" options you are still getting value for your money. What's wrong with that? Are you advocating that options on one package should never be available any other way? That sounds like a bigger cash grab than what they are doing.

The "full sized" spare's WHEEL is the 17" and you can put any 17" tire on it you want. No where do they say they would put the same tire on it. I agree that they should have been more specific but it's only $115 and comes standard with the hybrid lux pack. They could have left it out entirely but instead they offer YOU the choice. You could also eschew the spare option and buy that on the open market. Again, why do you hate having choices?

Nobody is "subsidizing" anything for me. I'm getting both of the "overlapping" 4k towing and FX4 packs and think it's a good enough value for what I need. Otherwise I wouldn't buy.

Sounds like you would whine about free beer tuesday if you didn't like the beer they offered.

 

[Stevospeedo]

Literally the only major overlap between 4k towing and fx4 is the radiators but as they had to do that because both applications require it. Beyond that it's still $800 worth of stuff. As I noted before, the tires/wheels alone are worth that much on the fx4 if you wanted to replace them on the open market. The transmission cooler, 7 pin hitch with brake controller and drive ratio would also cost more than $800 $745. The point is that even if you exclude the "overlapping" options you are still getting value for your money. What's wrong with that? Are you advocating that options on one package should never be available any other way? That sounds like a bigger cash grab than what they are doing.

The "full sized" spare's WHEEL is the 17" and you can put any 17" tire on it you want. No where do they say they would put the same tire on it. I agree that they should have been more specific but it's only $115 and comes standard with the hybrid lux pack. They could have left it out entirely but instead they offer YOU the choice. You could also eschew the spare option and buy that on the open market. Again, why do you hate having choices?

Nobody is "subsidizing" anything for me. I'm getting both of the "overlapping" 4k towing and FX4 packs and think it's a good enough value for what I need. Otherwise I wouldn't buy.

Sounds like you would whine about free beer tuesday if you didn't like the beer they offered.

You are just rationalizing the unethical pricing scheme. If both the FX4 and 4K towing include upgraded radiators and fans, then if you get both there should be a credit. I am not saying what that credit should be, just that there should be one since either package independently includes it. It is up to Ford to decide how much. It is the same with hybrid's getting upgraded spare tires included for the same price as ecoboost buyers are paying with the spare. And that spare tire is not he same outside diameter as the other 4 tires. And the FX4 tires are crappy. They could have put the Falken AT3/W on all FX4 models for the same price or even less. These options were all specifically targeted to push customers to higher packages and that is not right. They make money on each and every option they sell. Artificially limiting those options and double charging for them is wrong. You seem more than happy to bend over and take it, but that doesn't mean the rest of us should just be happy we have the opportunity to buy from Ford no matter what they choose to do.

 

[akw135]

Entertaining for sure.

Quite possibly, with the equipment overlaps, the pricing of both packages, ford has already added in the savings to you for each package cost. Seems many are stuck on the fact that some packages overlap.

 

[OC-D]

I have a booster/with backrest and I wouldn’t put multiple rear facing and a booster. Multiple booster would work but otherwise it would be tight and getting in and out would be a pain. I think conceivably it’s a 4 seater or 4 + kid (ie 5 in a pinch). A rear/forward facing takes up a fair amount of room. Try to go to the dealer and mock it up if you can

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