Hello fellow Boggers and Ford Enthusiasts....
My first Ford in Australia for all of you Newbies, was about 5-6 years ago, before Ford came back... I was pioneering again. Anyway I am back, going Ford F-250, for a "Lil Farm Ute".
To my surprise, the 4500 kg Receiver (part that bolts on the truck) and WDH Ball Mount (part that slides in) from Ford is $2550 ??? Now from Hayman Reece at about half the price around $1400.... Why would you get anything else but the big hitch?
I am anticipating Fords will get a bit scarce in the next couple of years. It will be just plain ncreasing demand as illegal tow vehicles dragging large horsefloats, large boats, and large vans, and are cracked down on. Insurance Companies will push this enforcement as well. People are just now learning the Ford upgrade to 4500 kg, and with no new supply coming until 2008? I think the value is there. Anyway, one of our Customers just picked up a new Dual Cab F-250 out of Melbourne for $73k. There are still a few left in Melbourne and Adelaide. I opted not to purchase new, instead got an extremely well equipped second hand one.. But for anyone looking, it would seem to me that the second hand price will be very stable as "Demand outpaces Supply" in the next couple of years.
And they get better mileage towing, than do the Japanese vehicles! Probably way overkill for smaller vans under 20', but over 20' you all owe it to yourselves to consider it. I can promise you that with a big van, a 500 km trip done in the Bush with a rice grinder, and then with a Ford 7.3 Turbo Diesel, and you would not look back. It is not just fuel economy, it is not just comfort, it is not just power, it is Safety with a van over 20' as you just have more leverage on the van with the longer wheelbase.. I speak with experience, having towed a
Bushtracker over two years with my F-350. There is just plain less Driver Fatigue, less stress, you hardly know the van is on the back. A high speed evasive reaction to an accident in front of you at 100kph that would be dangerous to recover from with a smaller vehicle, is easily handled with the Ford due to the increase in leverage. So, for anyone in planning, come and talk with me on our Website, and I will list the virtues of why we have 90 or 100 larger vans being towed by the Fords.
Mind you there are nicer ones yet, Chevy, GMC, and Dodges, but you can dust over $100 k on a full Import, so the Nation Wide Dealership backup for Ford looks pretty good.
Cheers from the Ranger, still out there somewhere...
