F250 For Sale

Submitted: Monday, Jan 23, 2006 at 21:07
ThreadID: 122433 Views:4176 Replies:2 FollowUps:2
This Thread has been Archived
The sale of Rods F250 fell thru so it is back on the market.
See previous post for details, he had a number of callers that he informed that it had been sold and a deposit taken. The purchaser could not get finance, so it is up for grabs again.

Ph 0418 138 353
email: rbetts@scenport.com.au

Jay
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Black Cobra - Thursday, Feb 09, 2006 at 09:52

Thursday, Feb 09, 2006 at 09:52
Hi, I am a new member and doing all the research into buying a BT in the future and I am oicking Stevens brains. I have been researching towing vehicles and was going to wait until the new 130 Landcruise was released but maybe a F250 might be better.

I am working in Iraq and have driven the F350's and are impressed with them so I was just wondering if Rods is still available.

Cheers

Stewart
AnswerID: 567807

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Thursday, Feb 09, 2006 at 23:03

Thursday, Feb 09, 2006 at 23:03
Well, Stewart, the Ranger here, a bit long winded but this is from the best of several articles on the subject. And to be fair I own both. Probably have the most heavily equipped 100 Series Cruiser in Australia, , aftermarket Safari turbo and Intercooler, ARB suspension, lift kit, long range tanks, front and rear ARB diff locks, 12,000 lb winch, and more gear than you really want to hear about all the way down to stainless water tanks in the front mudguards and a Glind HWS shower assembly and more. And yes, I bought Betts Ford, because first of all it was the most outrageously equipped Ford I have seen for sale, from the 15,000 lb winch and front and rear ARB diff-locks, adjustable on the fly air bags over springs, to all the rest… I will give you an analysis, from several of my articles and tips, updated here, without bias as I own both nearly the best equipped 100 Series and Ford around… I cannot compare to the 130 Series, as it is not here and not put to the test as yet.. I can say however, that there are no more Fords coming in, and as they crack down on overloaded Japanese tow vehicles, the Demand is going to increase with no new supply. I am counting on driving my new Ford for very little decrease in value in the next couple of years, and then decide to keep it or not. I believe that increasing Demand and no new supply means they will hold their value..

In the past, I have owned an F-350 for three years and went all over out Bush with it… I still own two Cruisers… Now, at 20', even 21', Toyota is still in the running.... However, there is another real issue in towing a larger van: It is not about off-road, all four wheel drives are a tractor in low range off the road. It is more of a safety concern on the highway... The Toyota is not a full sized tow vehicle for larger vans, on the global perspective, only here... It is an issue of the length of wheelbase for leverage on the van at high speed, when you have to make a radical maneuver to avoid an accident or a spilled load or a Bullock or something... The wheelbase of the Landcruiser runs out of safety margin somewhere around 21’... Even my own 100Series Landcruiser is up on its maximum limit with my 22’ van and it is just not safe if something happens to cause a radical move at 100 kph.. There is just not enough leverage to do it safely with the wheelbase of a Landcruiser, and that is where the F-250 or F-350 Ford, or Chev or Dodge trucks really shine. Each 10% increase in wheelbase gives about 100% more leverage on the caravan due to the fulcrum effect… Incidentally, the overall reports are that they get better mileage when towing as well. So, with your best interests in mind, you should consider the larger American tow vehicles for the long wheelbase issue, for vans from about 20’ and up. While Toyota will do it, up to 21’ with caution, Fords will just do it safer, and with more comfort, more power, more brakes, more room, and better fuel economy. Toyota is better if one is returning to life in the city, for parking. But if one is making a Lifestyle change out of the city, you would have to consider the Ford F-250 or F-350, or a fully imported Chevrolet or Dodge. The advantage of Ford is now a nationwide Dealership network and support in Australia.

So let’s be fair to both. I am not pushing Ford or Toyota, but here is I think a very fair analysis of the two in all categories of concern like extreme 4x4, comfort, fuel economy, “Driver Fatigue”, and most important of all: Safety. Sometimes I find that the arguments against Ford usually come from the camp that does not own one… In listening to an opinion from anyone who has not owned one, keep in mind that some of these opinions might be like the Aesops Fables of the Fox that could not reach the grapes so they must be sour…? What are we talking about? Extreme bone jarring 4x4 fossicking or pig hunting? Or long range travel? My Ford surprised every Toyota Owner that saw it in action, and in the Tractor Pull category it wins hands down.

Sure there are some extreme end differences: If you are into extreme fossicking or pig hunting and a smaller van say 18' then Toyota is still King. And if you were coming back to the City parking after short trips, then Toyota is still King… And in those sizes of vans under 20’, Toyota is still the king and you do not have to spend the big money on a new Turbo Cruiser, when there are many advantages to buying a good second hand Cruiser for half the money. I will list the engineering reasons to you if you request it, on our Bushtracker email, but we are getting off the track here with the advantages of a second hand cruiser over new, when we are talking about Fords and such… While Cruisers are still Number one, for smaller vans; with 21 or 22' or larger van and long distance travel, you need to look at the Ford... Ford wins hands down on things like the comfort zone and fuel economy. In many cases our Customers were a Toyota Man to the core. But towing long distance, battling fatigue, power, safety, comfort, about 90 or so have shifted to Ford... The Toyota is still king in the 4x4 Clubs and out pig shooting, but the longer wheel base comfort of the Ford means that after 8 hours towing where you would tired in the Toyota, you are still fresh in the Ford.... In extreme four wheel drive, you would arguably be better off in the Toyota, but how much are you going to do? Weigh that against how much towing and travel you are going to do, In favour of the Ford. And you would be shocked at just where my F-350 really went, in the extreme- Most would not even go there with their Toyotas… My Ford with the 7.3 litre, had awesome power only restricted by the rubber on the ground. In low range it was a tractor and would pull the van anywhere in the dry at an idle. In some conditions, in fact, because most of the Forestry mud bog holes were made by the shorter wheelbase of Toyota or Nissan, the long wheelbase of the Ford meant that either the front or the rear was out of the bog hole as it went through. Yes, because I did extreme 4x4, on my Ford I built a dual leaf spring bolt on cage between the chassis rails for my Ford in Australia to protect the transfer case. I also did a minor lift in the suspension and added air bags in the front to carry the winch and extend the suspension travel.... With these mods, in the end, I took it to places that were worse than most people with LC and Nissan would want to go. So you can do it. Another myth is narrow tracks, but I again did not find this an issue. Toyotas do not run on rails and all the wheel tracks of dirt tracks are almost a metre wide on each side where they wander all over the road. I did not find the little bit wider body of the Ford to be a problem. Lets get back to some real important issues, because in reality, I think the off-road is a 1% issue, in comparison with the Comfort, fuel economy, Driver Fatigue, and Safety issues at hand.

On the issue of "Comfort", I offer this proof: One of my Customers went on a two day Outback 4x4 exploration and covered about 1500 km in two days with me in my 7.3 litre Ford. Here is a Guy that is such a Toyota Enthusiast that he has even upgraded his Toyota Turbo Diesel to the first custom firewall Turbo 6.5 Detroit Diesel in a Toyota around.... Plenty of 6.2 V8 diesels added to Tojo, his was the first new 6.5. And even He was impressed by how well we travelled over rough ground and the power and performance of the Ford..... He just felt physically less tired than in the Toyota as well, and reported that we did the trip about 10% faster each way… I have owned at least 6 Cruisers from stock to custom with various suspension upgrades, and there is just no way that the short wheelbase of the Cruiser compares with the longer wheelbase of the Ford for Comfort... The Cruiser hits the rut, and with any speed the front suspension has not recovered when the rear suspension hits the rut and that is where you get the famous "Buck"... The longer suspension for instance in the Ford, is a longer interval, and this is a well known fact that it is just more comfortable... Hands down, I have owned both for a long time, and Chevy trucks and a Dodge, and there is no comparison, having owned a half dozen of each over the last 35 years, longer wheelbase is pretty well accepted as being more comfortable by almost anyone that has owned both.

The next thing I think should be emphasized is the Driver Fatigue... The little Japanese 4 litre engine is struggling a bit to get out of the way of traffic on the highway and hills when towing. Most people are tensing up trying to urge it along up the hills and such... Where the big Ford is comfortably running along passing them.. Also, with the Ford and it's increased leverage on the caravan, it is also indisputable that it has more control on the van... Less tension and stress on the Driver, means you are happier and rested on arrival...

On Safety: Yes there is just plain less stress on the Driver, not just for power and comfort. It is an issue of the length of wheelbase for leverage at high speed, when you have to make a radical manoeuvre to avoid an accident or a spilled load or a Bullock or something... The Ford just has a tremendous amount of more leverage on the van, a really huge difference that results in a substantial safety margin that could make all the difference in the world… The wheelbase of the Landcruiser runs out of safety margin somewhere around 21’ or 22’... Even my own 100 Series Landcruiser is up on its maximum limit with a 21’ van. Over about 21’, and there is just not enough leverage to do it safely with the wheelbase of a Landcruiser, and that is where the F-250 or F-350 Ford, or Chev or Dodge trucks really shine.

And on fuel economy, incidentally they get better mileage when towing as well. All report that they are getting an improvement in mileage over Toyota when towing, as your foot is all the way into the Toyota, where the bigger diesel in the Ford is just not working as hard.. Mind you, the Ford is the worst of the big three, reporting around 14-16 miles per gallon towing a big van.. Chev and Dodge are reporting better, with the Cummins diesel in the Dodge holding the record for the best… But still, the Ford has a Nationwide Dealership network for backup, and people are reporting that 14-16mpg towing a big van, some reporting more. Put it another way, we would have had 80 or better converts to F-Series Fords from Toyotas, and none to my knowledge back the other way. Probably the worst downside to the F-Series is the turning radius. You have to get accustomed to three point turns in the Bush or in the City, but I would say it is no problem and after a while you get used to it . I only sold my Ford to get a 15 tonne horse truck as I travel with 5 Quarter Horses, pulling my van behind… In the City, my Wife still drives a 100Series, but I drove mine around the city for three years, you get used to it, and I know which one is safer in an accident..

Now there is one other disadvantage, about the only one besides city parking which you can get used to, and that is that the Ford has a terrible turning radius.... But again, it is just an adjustment phase of six months, and you are so used to doing three point turns that you do not even think about it... You do not do a u-turn on an average street, you would back into a driveway and do a three point turn. At a big light, you swing a little left and wide to do a u-turn... You can get used to it. And when you drive one, it will feel big, but you get used to that and it is now your accepted norm... One more thing, I sure know which one I would want to get in an accident with... With my Toyota, if they pull out in front of me I am in trouble... With my Ford, if they pull out in front of me they are in trouble... is the feeling...

Hope this has been a help,
Kind Regards from the Ranger….

"The Last Stand In Open Country"

Member
My Profile  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 845349

Reply By: Turist - Thursday, Feb 09, 2006 at 18:09

Thursday, Feb 09, 2006 at 18:09
I have heard that the vehicle has been sold again, the new owner views this forum from time to time and may care to confirm.

My F250, also advertised here, has also been sold.

If you see a good one better grab it, they don't last long.

Regards
Bob
"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message

AnswerID: 567808

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Friday, Feb 10, 2006 at 03:02

Friday, Feb 10, 2006 at 03:02
Hello Bob,
Done, da Ranger done let the cat otta da bag....

And you had some good advice there, I think they will come with a premium in the next year or two until and IF the new ones come back to Australia...

That is why I am exposing people to the differences in the vehicle per the long dissertation above, which I think is a pretty fair analysis..

Just the other day I had some people in here wanting a 24' Bushtracker to put behind a LR Discovery... My basic message was that others might just take their money, but they would be doing them a terrible dis-service that could cost them their lives. I do not think a Disco is safe on the road with a 24' Bushtracker behind it, never mind Bushtracker, any other type of well built even on-road van like a Boroma will weigh the same or more. It is about the leverage on the van if an accident happens at high speed when they have to do something radical...

I hope they heed my advice, but regardless, we only want to do the right thing by people. And a 24' van behind a Disco would be just dangerous in the wrong conditions on the highway at 100 kph when something happened that cause an extreme evasive action..

Who are we to tell people such??? We want to be consciencious people that care... And sleep well at night. Anyway, in an accident, it could be my children that are saved. We would not take their money for a 24' behind a Disco... They went home to think it out, either a smaller van or another tow vehicle... Or go to someone else that will just take their money, but we won't do it here...

Best Regards to the President of the Bog, you are doing a great job..

Da Ranger...
"The Last Stand In Open Country"

Member
My Profile  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 845350

Our Sponsors