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Maverick or Santa Cruz for the long run?

Mannyr

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Hi all,
I have an order on a Maverick FX4, and I am really excited for it to move up the building ladder, I have tried to get a drive test a few times at my local dealership with no luck so far, at most I got to seat on a XL. I did managed however, to schedule a test drive for a Hyundai Santa Cruz, which I don't love on the outside, but I think is a cool little truck. My main uses for a truck are; random house shores, trips to the landfill, home improvement store, and most importantly to easily carry my MTB (most weekends) and a couple of small kayaks once in a while. I also have a large dog that needs a place to sleep on long drives. We (wife, dog and me) take drives to visit family and vacations that are bout 500 miles each way a few times a year, so we need a car that's comfortable and can haul bikes and camping stuff easily. Bottom line is I am trying to make a decision for the long run, I want to try to avoid the feeling that I should have gone the other way 5-6 years from now, whichever I pick I will try to use it until it dies, and avoid having to get a new car in the near future. Which one of this 2 truck you think will be have the best life span? that includes mechanically and also visually, I like to fiddle with cars to make them look better and I also take good care of them, I clean them and polish them a few times a year, as well as keep them up to maintenance. In general I try to not rough them so much, but thats the problem with my current car, I baby it so much that it becomes rather useless.
So which one of these two will survive the test of time in better shape?

Thank you for your comments šŸ¤˜
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ZachSD

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Maverick, for completely biased and arbitrary reasons. :rolleyes:
 

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Hi all,
I have an order on a Maverick FX4, and I am really excited for it to move up the building ladder, I have tried to get a drive test a few times at my local dealership with no luck so far, at most I got to seat on a XL. I did managed however, to schedule a test drive for a Hyundai Santa Cruz, which I don't love on the outside, but I think is a cool little truck. My main uses for a truck are; random house shores, trips to the landfill, home improvement store, and most importantly to easily carry my MTB (most weekends) and a couple of small kayaks once in a while. I also have a large dog that needs a place to sleep on long drives. We (wife, dog and me) take drives to visit family and vacations that are bout 500 miles each way a few times a year, so we need a car that's comfortable and can haul bikes and camping stuff easily. Bottom line is I am trying to make a decision for the long run, I want to try to avoid the feeling that I should have gone the other way 5-6 years from now, whichever I pick I will try to use it until it dies, and avoid having to get a new car in the near future. Which one of this 2 truck you think will be have the best life span? that includes mechanically and also visually, I like to fiddle with cars to make them look better and I also take good care of them, I clean them and polish them a few times a year, as well as keep them up to maintenance. In general I try to not rough them so much, but thats the problem with my current car, I baby it so much that it becomes rather useless.
So which one of these two will survive the test of time in better shape?

Thank you for your comments šŸ¤˜
Well trying to be as impartial as possible. Probably the Maverick. The interior looks cheap, yet looking around this truck, it seems the Ford really built some parts of this truck strong, to last. The biggest reason the Hyundai will last longer (IMO not based on facts) is I bet the Santa Cruz owner is less likely to use it for anything "trucky," than the typical Maverick owner.
 

pxpaulx

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If you're looking to put your MTB in the back over the gate, with the Santa Cruz you'll have room for your bike...but not another one, because it ends up needing to be completely angled across the bed - that small 6 inches makes an appreciable difference.

My wife and I drove Minneapolis to Toronto and back 2 weeks ago - no complaints on comfort. The seats are a little short and I'm a big guy - I thought it might be a little uncomfortable but I was wrong!
 

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If looks doesnt matter then 100% the Hyundai is the better vehicle. Hyundai are runners and they even know this with their warranty. 300k should be no problem.

Now ford i suspect 150k no problem miles. They also back this with their warranty (half of the Hyundai).

I personally would of went with hyundai if it wasnt so ugly. I buy vehicle for looks, thats why i own a bmw, good looking car but a peice of crap. I own a excursion, shit for gas mileage but likes the look.

Hyundai came along why with their quality and ford doesnt compare.
 

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Hereā€™s one personā€™s opinion - YMMV. I placed an order for a fully-loaded Lariat Ecoboost, no constraint items, on Sept. 1st. No feedback from Ford or my dealer, who answers every query with a "Donā€™t worry, you will get your truck." Yeah, Iā€™m sure I willā€¦someday. This is a work vehicle for me. Canā€™t move my inventory without a truck. Iā€™m sitting on an offer from Carvana that exceeds anything I ever imagined I would get, for my 2016 Transit Connect. Itā€™s only good for another week. My only real hurry here was to move my van before it officially clicks over to another build year, in order to get the most value from it. Otherwise my little van is a low-mileage cherry that could probably serve me until they take my license away. Itā€™s just the end of a normal 5-year trade-in cycle, and also my hauling needs have changed recently and the flat bed of a pickup would now be better for my business.

I have been pretty committed to my Maverick decision, but after 4 months with only silence from the Ford system and itā€™s dealer, I have had to accept that the promises made are pretty hollow, and itā€™s highly likely I wonā€™t see a vehicle until well into 2022, regardless of which version I ordered, especially after hearing they are now supplying Mavericks to other countries, while my order sits in the void. So I made a radical decision. I decided to explore the competition! I am now quite well-versed on the Santa Cruz. I have not cancelled my Mav order, but decided I would be flexible, and would take whichever vehicle I could get my hands on first. Hereā€™s my opinion, in a nutshell, on the differences between the two:

There is a core difference between the two in terms of base quality. The SC (and Iā€™m only looking at the Limited version) is definitely a more quality build. The fit and finish differences are apparent. I would expect the SC to have more insulation and sound deadening. There is a more quality feel to the SC interior, but oddly, for $42K, itā€™s missing a few things you might expect at this price point, and which ARE included on the Mav Lariat. The SCā€™s media are much more advanced than in the MAV, which sports a screen that looks like it was an afterthought or the result of parts shortages. However, the SC has an annoying touchscreen, devoid of knobs, and begging for dust and scratches. The SC offers a more powerful, but less fuel-efficient engine, but it also has dual port injection, instead of the single GDI injection on the Mav, which I consider to be potential trouble down the line. There is also obviously a notable price difference! A lot of what make the choice difficult is that each brand has itā€™s faults, and itā€™s a matter of which ones you can most readily live with.

I was ready to go with the SC, if I could get one. Hereā€™s the rub - I CANā€™T get either one! Hyundai doesnā€™t have a retail order system like Ford does. Dealers get allocated certain builds, and if you find out whatā€™s coming in, you can reserve one. So when you go to the Hyundai dealerā€™s web sites, you may see several vehicles which are in stock, or in transit, but when you call you find out most of them are spoken for. Then, if like me, you want a top-level build, good luck! The few available Limiteds areā€¦wellā€¦limited. Just as with the Mav, most vehicles arriving on dealer lots are mid-level trims, because they are most sellable. And as I found out, the Hyundai dealers are pricing just like the Ford dealers. Call and make an offer to buy at MSRP, without dealer add-ons, and it is very likely that the next thing you will hear is the phone hanging up! I found out that local Hyundai dealers in the largest city near me are putting adjusted prices of $14 K over MSRP on their (already overpriced) vehicles! And buyers are snapping them up!

So the only real issue now seems to be NOT one of choice, but whether or not you can even get your hands on the vehicle of your choice anytime soon. I have given up on the SC option, and am now still waiting in Fordā€™s silent universe for my build. Itā€™s a tough world out ther right now, even if you are flexible :(
 

pxpaulx

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Hereā€™s one personā€™s opinion - YMMV. I placed an order for a fully-loaded Lariat Ecoboost, no constraint items, on Sept. 1st. No feedback from Ford or my dealer, who answers every query with a "Donā€™t worry, you will get your truck." Yeah, Iā€™m sure I willā€¦someday. This is a work vehicle for me. Canā€™t move my inventory without a truck. Iā€™m sitting on an offer from Carvana that exceeds anything I ever imagined I would get, for my 2016 Transit Connect. Itā€™s only good for another week. My only real hurry here was to move my van before it officially clicks over to another build year, in order to get the most value from it. Otherwise my little van is a low-mileage cherry that could probably serve me until they take my license away. Itā€™s just the end of a normal 5-year trade-in cycle, and also my hauling needs have changed recently and the flat bed of a pickup would now be better for my business.

I have been pretty committed to my Maverick decision, but after 4 months with only silence from the Ford system and itā€™s dealer, I have had to accept that the promises made are pretty hollow, and itā€™s highly likely I wonā€™t see a vehicle until well into 2022, regardless of which version I ordered, especially after hearing they are now supplying Mavericks to other countries, while my order sits in the void. So I made a radical decision. I decided to explore the competition! I am now quite well-versed on the Santa Cruz. I have not cancelled my Mav order, but decided I would be flexible, and would take whichever vehicle I could get my hands on first. Hereā€™s my opinion, in a nutshell, on the differences between the two:

There is a core difference between the two in terms of base quality. The SC (and Iā€™m only looking at the Limited version) is definitely a more quality build. The fit and finish differences are apparent. I would expect the SC to have more insulation and sound deadening. There is a more quality feel to the SC interior, but oddly, for $42K, itā€™s missing a few things you might expect at this price point, and which ARE included on the Mav Lariat. The SCā€™s media are much more advanced than in the MAV, which sports a screen that looks like it was an afterthought or the result of parts shortages. However, the SC has an annoying touchscreen, devoid of knobs, and begging for dust and scratches. The SC offers a more powerful, but less fuel-efficient engine, but it also has dual port injection, instead of the single GDI injection on the Mav, which I consider to be potential trouble down the line. There is also obviously a notable price difference! A lot of what make the choice difficult is that each brand has itā€™s faults, and itā€™s a matter of which ones you can most readily live with.

I was ready to go with the SC, if I could get one. Hereā€™s the rub - I CANā€™T get either one! Hyundai doesnā€™t have a retail order system like Ford does. Dealers get allocated certain builds, and if you find out whatā€™s coming in, you can reserve one. So when you go to the Hyundai dealerā€™s web sites, you may see several vehicles which are in stock, or in transit, but when you call you find out most of them are spoken for. Then, if like me, you want a top-level build, good luck! The few available Limiteds areā€¦wellā€¦limited. Just as with the Mav, most vehicles arriving on dealer lots are mid-level trims, because they are most sellable. And as I found out, the Hyundai dealers are pricing just like the Ford dealers. Call and make an offer to buy at MSRP, without dealer add-ons, and it is very likely that the next thing you will hear is the phone hanging up! I found out that local Hyundai dealers in the largest city near me are putting adjusted prices of $14 K over MSRP on their (already overpriced) vehicles! And buyers are snapping them up!

So the only real issue now seems to be NOT one of choice, but whether or not you can even get your hands on the vehicle of your choice anytime soon. I have given up on the SC option, and am now still waiting in Fordā€™s silent universe for my build. Itā€™s a tough world out ther right now, even if you are flexible :(
Just a note that not having constraint items doesn't necessarily mean other add-ons might end up preventing your scheduling. Of course dealer allocations come in to play as well. Think of this from the perspective of the people doing scheduling. Ford has to build 8 trucks next week, and has 10 orders. No constraints. 2 of those orders include a tonneau cover, but the other 8 don't. If I'm looking at data in a spreadsheet, I apply a filter that excludes tonneau covers and have my 8 trucks to build.

The only thing I'm suggesting is to remove any individual add-ons that can be done at the dealer - a tonneau, mud flaps, floor mats, etc. Keep the lux packages, 360, fx4, sunroof, etc - if it can only be done at the factory, keep it! I've seen feedback following this suggestion where people get scheduled after making those small changes.
 
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Mannyr

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Hereā€™s one personā€™s opinion - YMMV. I placed an order for a fully-loaded Lariat Ecoboost, no constraint items, on Sept. 1st. No feedback from Ford or my dealer, who answers every query with a "Donā€™t worry, you will get your truck." Yeah, Iā€™m sure I willā€¦someday. This is a work vehicle for me. Canā€™t move my inventory without a truck. Iā€™m sitting on an offer from Carvana that exceeds anything I ever imagined I would get, for my 2016 Transit Connect. Itā€™s only good for another week. My only real hurry here was to move my van before it officially clicks over to another build year, in order to get the most value from it. Otherwise my little van is a low-mileage cherry that could probably serve me until they take my license away. Itā€™s just the end of a normal 5-year trade-in cycle, and also my hauling needs have changed recently and the flat bed of a pickup would now be better for my business.

I have been pretty committed to my Maverick decision, but after 4 months with only silence from the Ford system and itā€™s dealer, I have had to accept that the promises made are pretty hollow, and itā€™s highly likely I wonā€™t see a vehicle until well into 2022, regardless of which version I ordered, especially after hearing they are now supplying Mavericks to other countries, while my order sits in the void. So I made a radical decision. I decided to explore the competition! I am now quite well-versed on the Santa Cruz. I have not cancelled my Mav order, but decided I would be flexible, and would take whichever vehicle I could get my hands on first. Hereā€™s my opinion, in a nutshell, on the differences between the two:

There is a core difference between the two in terms of base quality. The SC (and Iā€™m only looking at the Limited version) is definitely a more quality build. The fit and finish differences are apparent. I would expect the SC to have more insulation and sound deadening. There is a more quality feel to the SC interior, but oddly, for $42K, itā€™s missing a few things you might expect at this price point, and which ARE included on the Mav Lariat. The SCā€™s media are much more advanced than in the MAV, which sports a screen that looks like it was an afterthought or the result of parts shortages. However, the SC has an annoying touchscreen, devoid of knobs, and begging for dust and scratches. The SC offers a more powerful, but less fuel-efficient engine, but it also has dual port injection, instead of the single GDI injection on the Mav, which I consider to be potential trouble down the line. There is also obviously a notable price difference! A lot of what make the choice difficult is that each brand has itā€™s faults, and itā€™s a matter of which ones you can most readily live with.

I was ready to go with the SC, if I could get one. Hereā€™s the rub - I CANā€™T get either one! Hyundai doesnā€™t have a retail order system like Ford does. Dealers get allocated certain builds, and if you find out whatā€™s coming in, you can reserve one. So when you go to the Hyundai dealerā€™s web sites, you may see several vehicles which are in stock, or in transit, but when you call you find out most of them are spoken for. Then, if like me, you want a top-level build, good luck! The few available Limiteds areā€¦wellā€¦limited. Just as with the Mav, most vehicles arriving on dealer lots are mid-level trims, because they are most sellable. And as I found out, the Hyundai dealers are pricing just like the Ford dealers. Call and make an offer to buy at MSRP, without dealer add-ons, and it is very likely that the next thing you will hear is the phone hanging up! I found out that local Hyundai dealers in the largest city near me are putting adjusted prices of $14 K over MSRP on their (already overpriced) vehicles! And buyers are snapping them up!

So the only real issue now seems to be NOT one of choice, but whether or not you can even get your hands on the vehicle of your choice anytime soon. I have given up on the SC option, and am now still waiting in Fordā€™s silent universe for my build. Itā€™s a tough world out ther right now, even if you are flexible :(
Wowwza, I appreciate your words, I think you have a very valid point regarding the quality differences, I have yet to see an SC in person and I have only seen the interior of the XL mav.
I hope you can get your truck soon and at a reasonable price.
 
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Mannyr

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If you're looking to put your MTB in the back over the gate, with the Santa Cruz you'll have room for your bike...but not another one, because it ends up needing to be completely angled across the bed - that small 6 inches makes an appreciable difference.

My wife and I drove Minneapolis to Toronto and back 2 weeks ago - no complaints on comfort. The seats are a little short and I'm a big guy - I thought it might be a little uncomfortable but I was wrong!
There is a thread in the SC forum that shows 29er MTB's loaded in the bed with no issues, I believe thats the case for the SC ones without the tonneau cover though. I would eventually like to get a softopper for whatever I ended up buying. Thanks āœŒ
 

WesM

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Its pretty much impossible to say which will have the best reliability. Fewer options will generally lead to better reliability, since there are fewer things to break. And the Maverick can definitely be optioned with less stuff than the Santa Cruz. But thats a pretty arbitrary way of looking at it and does not always hold true.

If you go the Santa Cruz route, I would avoid the double clutch transmission in the Turbo model if longevity is your goal.

If I were betting I would say the Maverick in Hybrid form will be the longest lasting truck. It 2WD, so there is not the complexity added by the AWD system. The Maverick Hybrid has the simplest mechanics and the electrical system will lower stress on the engine and brakes. But it really is just a guess.

Keep in mind the Santa Cruz does have about twice the warranty of the Maverick, so even if it does break more, it will get fixed on Hyundai's dime for longer.
 
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JASmith

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If you don't look back at the truck and think "that's cool", then you shouldn't buy it. If you don't like the styling of the SC now, you probably won't a year from now when its not as fresh.

However, if you're just looking at it from a practical perspective, if going turbo I'd say the SC is more likely to be reliable. First off its a 10 year powertrain warranty, and that's hard to beat. Secondly, its a direct+port injected engine, so it won't carbon foul which the ecoboost will eventually. Carbon fouling isn't the end of the world, its just another maintenance item if you are keeping it 100K miles+.

If you get the hybrid, hybrids tend to be reliable and you have 8 years warranty on the hybrid system. The hybrid is port injected, so it shouldn't carbon foul, and non-boosted engines tend to be lower maintenance in general since they are easier on the plugs and oil and no possibilities of boost leaks or turbo bearings and what not down the line.

There's also a naturally aspirated SC (not to be confused with hogwart's supernaturally aspirated engines), and it too is direct+port injected and is otherwise pretty much the same turbo block running almost twice the power but with less parts and less power I would think would last forever, and you've got that 10 year warranty. But its the same power as the hybrid, and yet half the fuel economy, so that's a huge bummer.
 

dalola

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I don't think the styling of the SC is going to age well at all. Subjective of course....

Regardless, I ordered the Maverick for a multitude of reasons, probably none of which are relevant to the OP's situation.

But, you wanted opinions, so here you go. šŸ¤ 
 

WesM

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Forgot to mention, if longevity is your goal, keeping the truck in a garage will help its reliability more than which manufacturer you chose.

Having lived in Virginia I know they salt those roads pretty heavily sometimes. Get the salt off the vehicle asap with a wash if longevity is the goal.

Also at least in my case, I avoid moon roofs like the plague. For some reason they always have problems on my cars, does not matter if it was my Volvo, Toyota or Honda, they all either leaked, or had issues with the drive motors. Had one get stuck in the open position and had to keep a tarp over it until I could get it fixed :ROFLMAO:
 
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Mannyr

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Forgot to mention, if longevity is your goal, keeping the truck in a garage will help its reliability more than which manufacturer you chose.

Having lived in Virginia I know they salt those roads pretty heavily sometimes. Get the salt off the vehicle asap with a wash if longevity is the goal.

Also at least in my case, I avoid moon roofs like the plague. For some reason they always have problems on my cars, does not matter if it was my Volvo, Toyota or Honda, they all either leaked, or had issues with the drive motors. Had one get stuck in the open position and had to keep a tarp over it until I could get it fixed :ROFLMAO:
oh, that jeep wrangler life style :ROFLMAO: . Thanks for the input
 
 




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