New toy!

Birdhunter1 · Aug 1, 2004

It ain't a tractor but still just as much needed and appreciated. I finally bought my first BRAND NEW truck. Since some of you guys are as loyal and as full of suggestions as the morning coffee fella's I had to spread the news. Just this afternoon I got a black 2004 F-150 XLT 4x4, reg. cab stepside w/4.6L V-8 and auto. trans. I researched them forever and they sure are one solid built machine. I was looking at the Supercabs w/5.4L V-8's but for the extra 5k I can buy all sorts of other toys and I'm sure I'll get suggestions of what I could buy. I know this will pull my MF 135 just fine which is about the heaviset thing I'll tow except firewood (trailer only). I let my sister drive it today (me in it of course) and I got onto her because she took off too fast and stopped too quick (women drivers). My mom likes it too and my dad was my salesman so of course he is happy. But the most important thing is that my bird dog liked it, gotta take care of your priorities, an unhappy birddog can make for a bad hunting season. I have no wife to comment on the purchase, probably why I could afford it right? Nothing super special about it except that it is my first NEW vehicle and the fact that I was able to buy it myself (I'm 24 years old). I sure am happy about it too. By the way, I did not let the dog mark it as his.

goatman · Aug 1, 2004

Congrats. on your New Toy.. I hope it will serve you well.. I Bought my first new truck when I was 22.. And still remember how excited I felt. Mine also was a F150 but had a 3 speed on the column, 6 cylinder, no power steering and no air... I was just as proud as if it were a caddy.. The year was 1976 drive away price $4250..I put 175000 miles on it when I sold it for $2500.. Hope yours will be as dependable.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Bird · Aug 1, 2004

( I Bought my first new truck when I was 22. )

I, too, was 22 years old when I bought my first showroom new vehicle; a '62 Austin Healey Sprite. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I didn't get a truck of any kind until I was 29, when I bought a brand new '69 Chevy; literally the cheapest one they made; no radio, not even a cigarette lighter. It did come with two "options" a rear bumper and a spare tire (how many remember when those were "optional" items?). /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif And it was a "clearance" sale after the '70 models had come out, so it cost me $1948. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

familyman · Aug 1, 2004

O.K., Birdhunter, you used the words "bird dog" and "truck" in the same paragraph so now you have my undivided attention. I now know about your truck, but what I want to know is what kind of dog do you have and what kind of hunting you do. I'm a duck hunter myself, with some stocked pheasant for good measure. My Chesapeake, Jake, came from a breeder in East Greeneville and is an excellent all around dog. Not all Chessies are like that, and I consider myself lucky.
Anyway, I've been curious about those new F-150's. They look awesome and I hope you update us on its performance.
By the way, feel free to PM me about hunting -- for me the rest of the year is just waiting for the seasons to come around. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Charley

KiotiJohn · Aug 1, 2004

Aw you should have bought a.... LOL no brand wars here! Congratulations on your purchase. I've still never bought a new one, just always a couple of years old or older with mostly good results. I did make a bad deal once on a 92 F150 that lost the trans at only 75,000. I guess the old owner wasn't so good to it!
Keep us posted on how it's doing for you, especially towing! Thanks, John

frank_f15 · Aug 1, 2004

HEY BIRD : another member who remembers when trucks were less expensive than cars. back then a truck was at the low end of the pecking order. trucks were for farmers the same as blue jeans. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

frank_f15 · Aug 1, 2004

congrats on the new truck. take my word for it but u will remember everything about that truck for many many years. ain't noting like your first NEW vehicle. enjoy it.

thcri · Aug 1, 2004

(
Anyway, I've been curious about those new F-150's. They look awesome and I hope you update us on its performance.
)

I bought a new F150 Crew Cab last fall. October that is. I now have 29,182 miles on it. I just love it. Major difference from my 2001 F150 Crew to the new styles. Much more HP and a lot more stable. Wasn't sure I was going to get another F150 based on my last one but this one sure changed my mind back to Ford.

murph

Birdhunter1 · Aug 2, 2004

Familyman:
My dog is a male Brittany that will be three in August and this will be his fourth season afield. The first year he was a tag-along and by the end of the day he would end up in the back of my hunting vest because he couldn't keep up anymore. My dad and I together have four dogs, my male and his three females. 1 is the momma dog to the other two which are pups from our first litter from my dog and his. The two younger dogs (2 years this August) work well with their dad in the field. They are a hell of a team and let very little pass by, they are blocky headed stocky dogs and there is not a brush pile to thick for them to dive into either. Mainly the hutning we do is quail, I am also a guide at a shooting preserve about twenty miles North of Cape Girardeau, MO on the Illinois side and there we release quail, pheasants and chukars. The only dog I guide with is my male because he has the best obedience and he's the best solo hunter. The two younger females are good too but when someone is paying for a hunt you don't want then to have to deal with a dog that is hard headed or has bad tendencies once in a while. Reason being they are still pups, I do guide with them sometimes if it is someone I have dealt with for a long time and I know that they uinderstand that part of hunting with dogs is that sometimes the dog makes mistakes. As a guide I have become well aquainted with most of our local IL dept. of Natural Resources Officers. Guidin here has been a very rewarding experience for me, it gets my dog some excelent experience and I can cover dog food and shotgun shell expenses most of hunting season. The downside is that you don't carry a gun, (I have with repeat people that ask me to hunt with them instead of guide them) and also you may get a group of guys that can't hit anything at all and the dog gets very frustrated as well as me. But it does keep me outdoors through season and around birddogs, you learn alot even if you amy know alot and the time spent afield with the dog is like quality time with a child. The dog seems to have a great working relationship with me and it makes me more attuned to when he gets the least little bit birdy.

texastomtom · Aug 2, 2004

AHHHHHH
I remember my first New Truck,,,,
talk about a happy camper.... Those payments are fun arnt they !

In 1981 your could buy a brand new short bed chevy decked out for less than 11,000.....

washed it every other day,,, sometimes the water would freeze while i was trying to dry it in the winter.....

Nice to see someone who appreciates their first new ride.