Aluminum body on F150

v10superduty wrote:

Likes to tow wrote:
I'm skeptical of new things. Engineers and marketing experts sometimes make mistakes. I suppose the Ford 6.0 diesel being such a problem makes me this way. It chased me away from Ford trucks when I required diesel power. It's obvious that by taking weight off you can go with smaller engines. The CAFE and EPA regulations require the automotive industry to make drastic design changes in their line.

Aluminum makes this possible. However I overheard a conversation yesterday that makes me wonder about this latest gamble by Ford. A guy was telling his friend that the present CEO of Ford is a previous CEO from ALCOA Aluminum and this accounts for the push to aluminum. Also I heard in the conversation about all the expense and proceedures that reputable body shops must go through to be endorsed by insurance companies. Has anyone purchased insurance yet on these new trucks?? Some of the guys I talk to are already looking at the 2014 models so they can get the "last of the good ones."

When these trucks have been around about 5 years and have a track record that I can verify then and only then will I laydown the cash.

You know how they say once something is on the internet, it's there forever. :S

I think someday you may feel a little foolish over all the silly, untrue info you posted in this one.

Well my friend I do not believe I posted untrue information. All I said was I was skeptical of new engineering/marketing introduced by the auto industry. The 6.0 had a dismal run and was replaced after a short history. Not untrue, just a fact. My statement of overhearing a conversation was just that, two old boys being uncertain why Ford was doing a major overhaul of the most successful vehicle in America for many years so it must be from the top CEO. Yes, rumor but it caused you to research it and I did not waste my time doing it. You did it for me. It is a well documented fact that repair costs will be higher due to new equipment and seperate areas set aside to repair aluminum bodies correctly. A family friend who owns one of the older body shops in my area told me in June 2014 that he was spending tens of thousands of dollars to upgrade his shop because of the move to aluminum. So I disagree that I "may feel a little foolish over all the silly, untrue info you posted in this one" because other than repeating what I had overheard I have presented documented facts and caused lively conversation. No offense intended!