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Ford, MBenz Dominate with same Playbook


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Saw this article and did not get much out of it.

 

 

Had a F150 rental last week in MI that served as a great family hauler. It was a XLT and performed and drove well. But the interior to me is a big let down. Know i am in a XLT but not a fan of the design and layout. Hate the center stack with all the numbers for the radio. I've bitched about it before and realize this is subjective. My 18 year old daughter made a comment about the inside (totally un-provoked by me) that it just looked old.

 

Two additional comments. The center cluster between the speedo and RPM threw me off because it kept showing most of the times a 10 in upper left. My thought and same as my wife that it is the screen I am on-but flipping thru various screens did not change. Finally realized it was what gear I was in. WTF do I want to know what gear my auto is in? Nobody ever shows that and it is useless. If I was in sport mode or a Mustang, maybe but just in auto to show it is stupid.

 

Plus the top gauges indicators completely suck. They are wide and cover the pic of what that gauge is for. I saw on my buddy's F250 they made them way thinner and in the Expedition i rented they are digital.

 

 

 

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Saw this article and did not get much out of it.

 

 

Had a F150 rental last week in MI that served as a great family hauler. It was a XLT and performed and drove well. But the interior to me is a big let down. Know i am in a XLT but not a fan of the design and layout. Hate the center stack with all the numbers for the radio. I've bitched about it before and realize this is subjective. My 18 year old daughter made a comment about the inside (totally un-provoked by me) that it just looked old.

 

Two additional comments. The center cluster between the speedo and RPM threw me off because it kept showing most of the times a 10 in upper left. My thought and same as my wife that it is the screen I am on-but flipping thru various screens did not change. Finally realized it was what gear I was in. WTF do I want to know what gear my auto is in? Nobody ever shows that and it is useless. If I was in sport mode or a Mustang, maybe but just in auto to show it is stupid.

 

Plus the top gauges indicators completely suck. They are wide and cover the pic of what that gauge is for. I saw on my buddy's F250 they made them way thinner and in the Expedition i rented they are digital.

 

 

 

 

The lower trims look "old" because they still use all those buttons in the "work" level trucks.

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Two additional comments. The center cluster between the speedo and RPM threw me off because it kept showing most of the times a 10 in upper left. My thought and same as my wife that it is the screen I am on-but flipping thru various screens did not change. Finally realized it was what gear I was in. WTF do I want to know what gear my auto is in? Nobody ever shows that and it is useless. If I was in sport mode or a Mustang, maybe but just in auto to show it is stupid.

You'd be surprised. I always have the gear indicator active on my '13, and "how do I get the gear display back" is an FAQ on the F-Series forums.

 

It's a truck thing. You wouldn't understand...

Edited by SoonerLS
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I always keep the gear display on - I love seeing whether I'm in 8, 9 or 10 and when it shifts. I also like seeing which gears it skips based on how I'm driving.

 

I have no idea what you're talking about on the top gauges indicators. I don't have any issue with mine at all.

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Two additional comments. The center cluster between the speedo and RPM threw me off because it kept showing most of the times a 10 in upper left. My thought and same as my wife that it is the screen I am on-but flipping thru various screens did not change. Finally realized it was what gear I was in. WTF do I want to know what gear my auto is in? Nobody ever shows that and it is useless. If I was in sport mode or a Mustang, maybe but just in auto to show it is stupid.

 

 

It's easy to turn that off...just hit the '+' on the shifter and it will go away.

 

I ALWAYS have mine enabled, but I use my truck to tow. It's nice to know what gear it's in, plus I use the buttons to effectively downshift on my own (lock out the gear it is in to force a downshift instead of using 'M' mode) when coming to a stop to let the exhaust brake do much of the work stopping the truck instead of using the brakes. That indicator will also tell you what gears are locked out. If you only see 1-5, then 6-10 are locked out. It's a very cool feature.

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It's easy to turn that off...just hit the '+' on the shifter and it will go away.

 

I ALWAYS have mine enabled, but I use my truck to tow. It's nice to know what gear it's in, plus I use the buttons to effectively downshift on my own (lock out the gear it is in to force a downshift instead of using 'M' mode) when coming to a stop to let the exhaust brake do much of the work stopping the truck instead of using the brakes. That indicator will also tell you what gears are locked out. If you only see 1-5, then 6-10 are locked out. It's a very cool feature.

Interesting, I didnt know your Super Duty had a 10 speed :stirpot:
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Interesting, I didnt know your Super Duty had a 10 speed :stirpot:

 

You know, when I posted that, I thought "I should make a note that my SD's 6 speed display works the same as the 10 speed in the F150, because some smart azz is going to come along and say 'hey, the SD doesn't have a 10 speed!'"

 

But I didn't. And here we are. LOL! :)

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You know, when I posted that, I thought "I should make a note that my SD's 6 speed display works the same as the 10 speed in the F150, because some smart azz is going to come along and say 'hey, the SD doesn't have a 10 speed!'"

 

But I didn't. And here we are. LOL! :)

If you want one, wait a few years, its coming. And the way trucks hold their value its not like you would have a hard time getting out from under your current one.
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If you want one, wait a few years, its coming. And the way trucks hold their value its not like you would have a hard time getting out from under your current one.

 

2020 MY is what I heard for the 10 speed SD...does that still hold?

 

I'm planning to keep this truck for 10 years or so, so I likely won't be upgrading. We wold like to get a new fifth wheel in the next 18 months or so, plus too many other expenses coming up in the next few years to upgrade soon, though I would definitely love the extra gears and (hopefully) slightly better fuel economy that comes with them.

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You know, when I posted that, I thought "I should make a note that my SD's 6 speed display works the same as the 10 speed in the F150, because some smart azz is going to come along and say 'hey, the SD doesn't have a 10 speed!'"

 

But I didn't. And here we are. LOL! :)

 

I'm only pissed that Fuzzy beat me to it.....

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2020 MY is what I heard for the 10 speed SD...does that still hold?

As far as I know, yes. The whole truck is getting a facelift for 2020 as far as Ive heard. The transmissions for it will be built in Sharonville.

 

I'm planning to keep this truck for 10 years or so, so I likely won't be upgrading. We wold like to get a new fifth wheel in the next 18 months or so, plus too many other expenses coming up in the next few years to upgrade soon, though I would definitely love the extra gears and (hopefully) slightly better fuel economy that comes with them.

Probably a good idea to wait, especially with a brand new transmission like that.
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As far as I know, yes. The whole truck is getting a facelift for 2020 as far as Ive heard. The transmissions for it will be built in Sharonville.

 

Probably a good idea to wait, especially with a brand new transmission like that.

 

I'm hoping the fact that the F150 and Super Duty share the same cab will help it get regular refreshes now, unlike the way the truck stayed so similar from '99-'16.

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You'd be surprised. I always have the gear indicator active on my '13, and "how do I get the gear display back" is an FAQ on the F-Series forums.

 

It's a truck thing. You wouldn't understand...

Ummm Ive had plenty of trucks and think I would understand so not sure your point.

It is an automatic transmission and how would you use that function? Manual and towing I get it but it means nothing in auto mode to me.

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It's easy to turn that off...just hit the '+' on the shifter and it will go away.

 

I ALWAYS have mine enabled, but I use my truck to tow. It's nice to know what gear it's in, plus I use the buttons to effectively downshift on my own (lock out the gear it is in to force a downshift instead of using 'M' mode) when coming to a stop to let the exhaust brake do much of the work stopping the truck instead of using the brakes. That indicator will also tell you what gears are locked out. If you only see 1-5, then 6-10 are locked out. It's a very cool feature.

Thanks for clarifying how you use it. Still not sure how it matters on a auto but maybe Im missing something.

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I always keep the gear display on - I love seeing whether I'm in 8, 9 or 10 and when it shifts. I also like seeing which gears it skips based on how I'm driving.

 

I have no idea what you're talking about on the top gauges indicators. I don't have any issue with mine at all.

I was trying to upload a pic but was having issues. Lol.

Ok you have a new XLT I think? Top gauges-gas, coolant,etc are at the top. The width of that gauge is so wide that after it gets to normal operating temps you cannot tell which gauge is coolant and which one is engine pressure etc. you know your truck so it is a moot point. But Ford obviously saw the issue and changed it on the F250and Expedition. Small thing but it Should of never been built this way.

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And they're made for people with big hands/work gloves to use.[/quot

 

I heard the press release years ago and drank the koolaid. There is no reason to use the ten digit keypad on the radio IMO and think they need to redesign that entire setup. I saw that same set up in 2008 at fords dealer show in Las Vegas on the Fiesta and it hasnt Changed.

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Ummm Ive had plenty of trucks and think I would understand so not sure your point.

It was a joke.

It is an automatic transmission and how would you use that function? Manual and towing I get it but it means nothing in auto mode to me.

It doesn't mean anything to you, but it does mean something to a lot of people. That's why it's there.
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I was trying to upload a pic but was having issues. Lol.

Ok you have a new XLT I think? Top gauges-gas, coolant,etc are at the top. The width of that gauge is so wide that after it gets to normal operating temps you cannot tell which gauge is coolant and which one is engine pressure etc. you know your truck so it is a moot point. But Ford obviously saw the issue and changed it on the F250and Expedition. Small thing but it Should of never been built this way.

 

This is what my XLT dash looks like. I'm not seeing the problem.

 

automobiles-new-2018-ford-f-150-xlt-1195

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This is what my XLT dash looks like. I'm not seeing the problem.

 

automobiles-new-2018-ford-f-150-xlt-1195

 

I think he's trying to say that the needle covers the icon of what it is.

 

My question is - if they're all in the middle (where the icon is covered), does it really matter if you can see which is which, since they're all fine?

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I think he's trying to say that the needle covers the icon of what it is.

 

That is correct RMC. It is minor in scope but the point is how the hell does this happen? 15 mins into driving the truck I could not make out one gauge from another. Just stupid. Obviously they realized it or they would not have changed it on the 250 and Expedition.

 

 

?

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I think he's trying to say that the needle covers the icon of what it is.

 

That is correct RMC. It is minor in scope but the point is how the hell does this happen? 15 mins into driving the truck I could not make out one gauge from another. Just stupid. Obviously they realized it or they would not have changed it on the 250 and Expedition.

 

 

?

 

 

As I said above, I really don't see it as a big deal........if there were an issue, it'd be pointing one direction or the other and you'd be able to tell.

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