Is The Maverick A Good Buy? Getting Cold Feet

[BillHanna]

I'm very happy with my 2024 EB. Only have 1000 miles on it so far (only had it 2.5 months). Wife complains we never take the RAV4 when we go out, because I prefer driving the Maverick.
I only wish I had gotten the predictive cruise control like we have on the RAV4.

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[Mark1]

There aren't many, really. I'd have to go back to the drawing board and save a bit more to look at a Ridgeline, Ranger, or Tacoma, which are all fine but a bit bigger than what I want (though my in-laws just got a new Taco and it certainly feels real fancy). It's too bad I can't really look at SUVs, but it's just too nice to have a bed you don't have to sweat about putting something like a lawnmower, or paving stones, or the like into.

I know I'll get slammed by the Blue Oval followers. I say be cautious with any purchase and don't just follow one maker because it's what you know. Mavericks have had at least 23 recalls. Ford has a new recall every month on something. They now have a third party that does Quality Reviews before being shipped and have been fined for taking to long to fix Recalls in many cases. They are number one the last 2 years and the most for all time Recalls since tracking started. Oh yes, all makers have recalls. Ford is number one with around 4000 or more, Gm is number 2 at just 3000. All others including Mack, Mercedes, etc are at our below 1000.
We won't know, unfortunately for another 4 years how they are for reliability. The eCVT they use in the Hybrid is supposed to be one of the best versions of it. Myself, right now I am not confident in it or Fords. Time will tell. With it's popularity, they have jacked up the price. Not like with full size trucks. I have had my 24 Maverick with 4100 in at the dealer many times with different bugs and on my second battery and now it is sulfating, due an unresolved charging issue they are supposed to be fixing. Almost 40 years since I bought my last Ford truck. Guess what it had some major issues. So maybe that's why I'm more apprehensive. I have had and have many vehicles and makes. Never spent so much time back at a dealer as I have now. I love this truck and the idea but the execution of it is terrible.

 

[Duke Nukm2001]

I almost bought a Maverick about a month or so ago to replace my 2004 Ranger (handing it down to my kid, what a champ the Ranger's been) when, on the way to the dealer, I received a call that a Stop Sale had been implemented and my wife and I had to turn around and go home empty-handed (I had already driven one previously but hated the stock interior). After sitting on it for a week, I decided to just go ahead and order one from a dealer closer to me with everything I wanted and nothing I didn't (Eruption Green XLT, Ecoboost, Black Appearance Package, Luxury Package, Spray-In Liner). Got the employee pricing, so we're sitting at $34,500 (this includes delivery/destination) plus registration, doc fee, etc. Since then, all I've had time to do is more research. Here, Reddit, YouTube, etc. The Maverick looks like everything I want, but the constant recalls and issues- leaks, battery drain, CLIPS even, etc. - have me a bit spooked as the build date (week of 6/30) grows ever closer. I have a whole checklist of things to look over and test when the truck is delivered, but that will only tell me so much and can't cover everything. You all have so much knowledge and experience. Are you happy with the purchase? Would you get one again? Would you recommend it to your friends and family? Are the stock speakers THAT bad? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

I ABSOLUTELY Love Mine! Upgrades: Thinkware Dashcam, and Patriotic rear window decal, nothing too fancy.

 

[Edge Haley]

Scott "Steeleye",
I don't want to be rude.
Would you mind sharing, how much the cost of installing the sliding window was?
Thank you,
GB

Rear window after-market with slider is on Amazon for $370...I'd imagine a couple of hundred in labor to install.

 

[Edge Haley]

I know I'll get slammed by the Blue Oval followers. I say be cautious with any purchase and don't just follow one maker because it's what you know. Mavericks have had at least 23 recalls. Ford has a new recall every month on something. They now have a third party that does Quality Reviews before being shipped and have been fined for taking to long to fix Recalls in many cases. They are number one the last 2 years and the most for all time Recalls since tracking started. Oh yes, all makers have recalls. Ford is number one with around 4000 or more, Gm is number 2 at just 3000. All others including Mack, Mercedes, etc are at our below 1000.
We won't know, unfortunately for another 4 years how they are for reliability. The eCVT they use in the Hybrid is supposed to be one of the best versions of it. Myself, right now I am not confident in it or Fords. Time will tell. With it's popularity, they have jacked up the price. Not like with full size trucks. I have had my 24 Maverick with 4100 in at the dealer many times with different bugs and on my second battery and now it is sulfating, due an unresolved charging issue they are supposed to be fixing. Almost 40 years since I bought my last Ford truck. Guess what it had some major issues. So maybe that's why I'm more apprehensive. I have had and have many vehicles and makes. Never spent so much time back at a dealer as I have now. I love this truck and the idea but the execution of it is terrible.

Not doubting you at all. According to my dealer I received the 127 Maverick off the assembly line in 2021...MY-2022 Hybrid - 31,000 miles and 3 yrs 7 months old. It does seem the newer Mavericks are have a few more recalls than the first two years. Have had one minor cable come unplugged and that was my only failure...display screen was blank. 3 recalls since Dec 2021, extremely minor software recalls and had them done all at the same time....definitely the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Also have an EcoBoost and it has had 4 recalls...all very minor and saved them up and had software updates done all at once.

Looks like Tesla nationwide has the most recalls but Ford places a close second...but so many of all car recalls are software updates...

 

[Mervin the Maverick]

You could always just buy a Santa Cruz.....

HaHaHaHa…. Satan Cruz

 

[Cocobean]

2023 Hybrid XL 6,000mi and absolutely no issues and no complaints; its been a great truck other than changing out the continentals for Falkens.
My thing is I’ve never gotten used to the dial shifter…
I'm old school and would have loved a standard shift option

 

[HenryFord]

Most of these forums magnify problems. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. I was watching Autoline After Hours this week talking about catching up with the Chinese. The guest said the quiet part out loud, and even left enough pause in his careful selection of words to allow the viewer to fill in the blanks. He said that the Chinese are building "fine" cars... But he lead that entire narrative up by talking about the recalls and negatives of American and other OEM's and then implied the Chinese are running with scissors iterating and failing at a much faster rate. And that they don't so much focus on their current failures and recalls, or even the quality at the moment. They are already pushing the next iteration. It is almost like they don't have any real concerns for present customer satisfaction, safety, reliability once they push it out the door. That was the impression their guest left me with. It is a different mindset and it does make me wonder about the quality and longer term reliability. What does their supply chain look like to get parts and repairs? We already see that part of the business suffering with the OEM's. If something breaks or you have an accident getting parts can turn into an adventure.

I recently watched an Out of Spec Review youtube video at the Ford Lightning plant. It is an eye opening look at how these manufacturing facilities are setup, how supplies, parts, machines, robots, and people are all married up in an intricate dance to bring it all together into a final product. The checks, inspections, and how tightly they control the supply to VIN down the line is actually pretty impressive. I think there is room for improvement, but it helps explain how when Ford does a recall they know the dates, number of vehicles, which specific vehicles, and how they managed to spot it. I was impressed. That all being said Ford is being eaten alive in recall costs and I think the end of the line quality control inspection process needs some work. When Detroit pushed everything out to external vendors they put themselves into a position where it is very hard to control quality. Next generation manufacturing plants aim to streamline this even more which is saying a lot. It is already pretty slick. Vertical integration will be required or an extremely tight control over external vendors would be required.

Here is the Lightning plant tour video. If anything it actually gives me a little more confidence than before I watched it despite all the recalls. The tour guide walking backwards the entire way was impressive.

 

[Mervin the Maverick]

I can't tell if serious or not, but the Santa Cruz isn't for me and in general it seems Hyundai are considered bottom rung for reliability. Heck, one of the videos I watched even compared the two and the Hyundai broke down (not that one example is representative of larger trends).

Hyundai offers a great warrantee, but look at it! It’s a starwars wanna be truckish thing. I thought that I would look there first, but I wanted a Hybrid.

 

[deanobc]

Absolutely no issues. Little things I would like changed, sure, but loving my 25 Lariat Hybrid AWD 4k tow package BAP in Space White.

I almost bought a Maverick about a month or so ago to replace my 2004 Ranger (handing it down to my kid, what a champ the Ranger's been) when, on the way to the dealer, I received a call that a Stop Sale had been implemented and my wife and I had to turn around and go home empty-handed (I had already driven one previously but hated the stock interior). After sitting on it for a week, I decided to just go ahead and order one from a dealer closer to me with everything I wanted and nothing I didn't (Eruption Green XLT, Ecoboost, Black Appearance Package, Luxury Package, Spray-In Liner). Got the employee pricing, so we're sitting at $34,500 (this includes delivery/destination) plus registration, doc fee, etc. Since then, all I've had time to do is more research. Here, Reddit, YouTube, etc. The Maverick looks like everything I want, but the constant recalls and issues- leaks, battery drain, CLIPS even, etc. - have me a bit spooked as the build date (week of 6/30) grows ever closer. I have a whole checklist of things to look over and test when the truck is delivered, but that will only tell me so much and can't cover everything. You all have so much knowledge and experience. Are you happy with the purchase? Would you get one again? Would you recommend it to your friends and family? Are the stock speakers THAT bad? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[dalola]

While it's not the unprecedented value it was in the first two model years, the Mav is still a great value, and one of one in the small truck market. If you want a new compact pickup today, it's the only game in town. You should be asking yourself what else you could get for your $35K....a number of new compact cars & SUV's, used mid/full size trucks.... It's really personal choice. Everybody is building decent vehicles these days, and everybody has issues/recalls/etc.. Really just comes down to needs/wants and what fits.

I will say, my Mav has exceeded my expectations. Coming from an F150, I was a bit skeptical this thing could perform like a truck, albeit a small one. It has done nothing but impress me with it's overall abilities, in all aspects, and continues to punch above it's weight class. Coming up on 60K miles, a variety of light off road, towing, hauling, commuting, it does it all comfortably, efficiently, and with a dash of fun. And the only issues I've had is a software update, and a new AGM battery courtesy of Ford. Even if cost is taken out of consideration, it's been one of the more satisfying & reliable vehicles I've owned over my 60 years, which is remarkable really. But that's just my take, yours may be completely different....

 

[RRJJINTN]

I ABSOLUTELY Love Mine! Upgrades: Thinkware Dashcam, and Patriotic rear window decal, nothing too fancy.

how did you run wire to rear camera ? getting ready to install mine.

 

[kevink]

As someone who generally dithers for an extended time I understand. It is a lot of money, even though most new vehicles out there are more expensive. And you never know whether you will get a lemon or one that seems like a lemon.

I ended up rushing it due to politics, so I didn't get some of the wants, though I got what I needed. Or as much as I needed a truck anyway

1600 miles, so still too early to know about reliability of mine. Drives better on the highway than my previous truck, a 1997 F-150, that I mistakenly sold 12 years ago. My hybrid handles better on the highway than I feared. Enough power. I do like having an available pickup again. My main alternative was an used Frontier for around the same price. That would have been more truck like handling, more capable as a truck, but then I would have had the unknown of how was it maintained. Was there some defect, and only a partial warranty unless I bought an extended warranty.

 

[kevink]

Is that the one through Granger? I've been eyeing that as well once I'm satisfied with the purchase and thinking long term.

I bought my warranty from them. The same price as the other dealer I could price online. Lots cheaper than my local dealer. I went with the 10 year 60K warranty since that is probably enough for my use case.

 

[kevink]

Anytime anyone on this board mentions the Santa Cruz it is a pretty safe bet they are not being serious.

When I went to see about a test drive no one even came out to see me, and I showed up on a Saturday and they didn't look busy at the time. I also wanted a factory installed trailer hitch, which would have been an even bigger requirement for me with the even smaller bed, and the SC doesn't offer that.

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