Easily Fixable Annoyances

[brnt]

So, I don't even have my truck yet, but I'll air a few frustrations already:

• Can't equip tailgate step without power tailgate. Dumb.
• I don't give a flying fudge about built-in navigation. Why is that still even a thing in the age of smart phones and Android Auto/Carplay? And a separate subscription for nav updates?!?! Puh-lease.
• Why the frack would I pay for my vehicle to have its own cellular connection (complete with limits, throttling, etc) which it can then make available to wifi devices inside? Do you know what would make way more sense? Let the vehicle be a wifi **client** to one of the numerous cellular-connected, hot-spot-capable devices that are constantly in the vehicle. At least one phone is inside every time the vehicle is running. Every. Friggin'. Time. And when the vehicle is parked it is--you guessed it--at home, immersed in abundant wifi. Sheesh. (The problem is certainly not unique to Ford.)
• What's up with these two-tone leather seat material choices? I might have opted for either the grey or tan, but not grey+black or tan+black seats. Yuck. (I know solid colors are available with cloth seats on lower trims.)
• Why can't I opt to have the tailgate decal (Platinum & Limited) omitted? That was an option on the g13 Raptor. I'd also like to omit the "L I M I T E D" emblazoned across the nose.
• Why hasn't Ford put photos or even descriptions of many of the options in the Build & Price tool? I get it that 3.73 vs 3.55 is a technical matter, but nobody could be bothered to add photos of the various running board options? Or at least a description of how the various floor mats differ?
• Nitpicking: Shouldn't the axle ratio options be part of the Powertrain section in B&P, rather than Exterior? Just sayin'.

Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited for my truck to (someday) get built and delivered, but it seems like there are some really obvious improvements that are only held back by policy decisions, not technical/engineering issues. I'm posting this here because (1) it's cathartic for me to vent and (2) who knows ... somebody from Ford might actually pick up on this stuff if it's circulated. Here's hoping.

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[Roger350]

I can't speak to all the trims, but on the KR 600A in the B&P Tool you can add the tailgate step without the power tailgate, but the difference in the option price is like $250. And for $250 more I figured the power tailgate is something my wife will love, until it breaks the first time...

 

[05RubiconLJ]

I feel confident the LIMITED across the nose is easily removable with a heat gun. The tailgate plaque, well, that is a completely different beast. Probably only choice is to have it painted or Plasti-dipped. The tailgate is not the same as the non-plaque tailgate...or at least it used to be that way.

 

[brnt]

P.S. Here's the best use for an OEM dash nav I've ever seen

 

[daemonic3]

My gripe with the build and price is that they didn't do a curb weight/payload running calculation. They already know all this data so it would have been easy, just put a disclaimer like "actual curb weight may be +/- 5% or some crap.

Regarding the navigation, I never use my sync 3 nav, just because it's sooooo cumbersome to put in a dest, and google maps is so good at figuring out what you mean. The sync4 promises much better response and more intelligent searching, so it must have some data plan built in with the 90 day or 3 year trials (even without paying for AT&T data). Also it says it will keep up with real time data, so it must have cloud access to waze or google live info.

I actually DO pull up an in dash map to check my local surroundings to get out of unfamiliar places or find gas stations (my only POI that I find useful) as it doesn't require me to stop my phone from navigating to try to scan a phone map. So I wouldn't punt on the whole thing entirely (for me anyway).

 

[brnt]

My gripe with the build and price is that they didn't do a curb weight/payload running calculation. They already know all this data so it would have been easy, just put a disclaimer like "actual curb weight may be +/- 5% or some crap.

Yes to this ^^

 

[SuvE]

Actually, some (most?) of us like the built in navigation. I would not get a vehicle without it. I also like the connected car concept.

To each their own...

 

[kavm]

To me, the bundling of Active Motion seats with power running boards and 20" wheels is the most objectionable. I'd like to keep to 18" wheels and no power running boards (to save on already low payload) but that forces me to KR+ base 600A package - which rules out Active Motion seats. These are completely different systems - why not make that available to the buyer, at inflated price if necessary.

As it stands - I have to choose between a fairly loaded plat (what I'd like) and too low payload vs KR/600A which I am not keen on and marginally acceptable payload.

I also second the @daemonic3 's point that we are needing to do the guesswork on payload when it is a simple thing for the Build and Price to give you a close estimate on.

 

[brnt]

Actually, some (most?) of us like the built in navigation. I would not get a vehicle without it. I also like the connected car concept.

To each their own...

I'm also a fan of the connected car concept. My point is that I already have multiple connections in the car (phones) and that I want the option of having my car use those connections instead of insisting that I pay for yet another subscription. There's no technical reason that the car can't connect to a nearby wifi network (phone or terrestrial) for uplink. For any connected-car features that I *do* want to access, the inablity to do so through my existing wireless connection is artificial and nothing more than a money-grab.

Re: the nav system itself: I'm a big fan of the screen, but not the nav application (from any OEM). In-dash nav systems are typically several years behind (screen tech, UI conventions, GPU, etc; not talking about the map data) on the day they first launch, and then they aren't updated (in spite of OEMs' claims of OTA updates). I like being able to use the map application of my choice, too, which is a benefit of having the in-dash screen simply act as a display for the globally connected super computer in my pocket.

 

[GABAR]

So, I don't even have my truck yet, but I'll air a few frustrations already:

• Can't equip tailgate step without power tailgate. Dumb.
• I don't give a flying fudge about built-in navigation. Why is that still even a thing in the age of smart phones and Android Auto/Carplay? And a separate subscription for nav updates?!?! Puh-lease.
• Why the frack would I pay for my vehicle to have its own cellular connection (complete with limits, throttling, etc) which it can then make available to wifi devices inside? Do you know what would make way more sense? Let the vehicle be a wifi **client** to one of the numerous cellular-connected, hot-spot-capable devices that are constantly in the vehicle. At least one phone is inside every time the vehicle is running. Every. Friggin'. Time. And when the vehicle is parked it is--you guessed it--at home, immersed in abundant wifi. Sheesh. (The problem is certainly not unique to Ford.)
• What's up with these two-tone leather seat material choices? I might have opted for either the grey or tan, but not grey+black or tan+black seats. Yuck. (I know solid colors are available with cloth seats on lower trims.)
• Why can't I opt to have the tailgate decal (Platinum & Limited) omitted? That was an option on the g13 Raptor. I'd also like to omit the "L I M I T E D" emblazoned across the nose.
• Why hasn't Ford put photos or even descriptions of many of the options in the Build & Price tool? I get it that 3.73 vs 3.55 is a technical matter, but nobody could be bothered to add photos of the various running board options? Or at least a description of how the various floor mats differ?
• Nitpicking: Shouldn't the axle ratio options be part of the Powertrain section in B&P, rather than Exterior? Just sayin'.

Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited for my truck to (someday) get built and delivered, but it seems like there are some really obvious improvements that are only held back by policy decisions, not technical/engineering issues. I'm posting this here because (1) it's cathartic for me to vent and (2) who knows ... somebody from Ford might actually pick up on this stuff if it's circulated. Here's hoping.

First world problems. ?

With that being said, I didn’t want to post a long reply to many of the things you listed but most are simple to understand and explain.

 

[kavm]

I'm also a fan of the connected car concept. My point is that I already have multiple connections in the car (phones) and that I want the option of having my car use those connections instead of insisting that I pay for yet another subscription. There's no technical reason that the car can't connect to a nearby wifi network (phone or terrestrial) for uplink. For any connected-car features that I *do* want to access, the inablity to do so through my existing wireless connection is artificial and nothing more than a money-grab.

Re: the nav system itself: I'm a big fan of the screen, but not the nav application (from any OEM). In-dash nav systems are typically several years behind (screen tech, UI conventions, GPU, etc; not talking about the map data) on the day they first launch, and then they aren't updated (in spite of OEMs' claims of OTA updates). I like being able to use the map application of my choice, too, which is a benefit of having the in-dash screen simply act as a display for the globally connected super computer in my pocket.

I am not sure if the following is valid (I saw it in context of Sync 3) but seemed like you can connect your system to the wifi --

1. Start the Ford car, truck or SUV and activate the Sync system.
   • If this is the first time your using Sync, you may be asked if you’d like to receive automatic updates. Choose as you see fit.
   • It’s recommended that automatic updates are chosen.
2. A screen reading, “SYNC can check for updates when connected to a Wi-Fi network.”
   • Press [View Networks] and choose the Wi-Fi signal you wish to use.
   • Press [Connect] and enter the proper password (if needed)
   • Press [Done]
3. The system should indicate it’s connecting to a network.
4. The update will be a success when “Successfully Connected” displays
5. Press Close

 

[brnt]

I am not sure if the following is valid (I saw it in context of Sync 3) but seemed like you can connect your system to the wifi --

1. Start the Ford car, truck or SUV and activate the Sync system.
   • If this is the first time your using Sync, you may be asked if you’d like to receive automatic updates. Choose as you see fit.
   • It’s recommended that automatic updates are chosen.
2. A screen reading, “SYNC can check for updates when connected to a Wi-Fi network.”
   • Press [View Networks] and choose the Wi-Fi signal you wish to use.
   • Press [Connect] and enter the proper password (if needed)
   • Press [Done]
3. The system should indicate it’s connecting to a network.
4. The update will be a success when “Successfully Connected” displays
5. Press Close

Please let this be true. I suppose I'll find out in a few months :-D

 

[brnt]

P.S. Sorry for the ranty tone. One of the things I love about this forum is the overwhelmingly positive, solution-oriented crowd. I hope I haven't dragged us a yard in the wrong direction...

 

[brnt]

First world problems. ?

You're so right ?

 

[Bryan Simon]

As far as the navigation system, don’t really care too much.
I ALWAYS have a tablet and a phone connected in my pickups.
Tablet mostly for music and the phone only for talking ( if I so desire to answer it, which isn’t too often).
Both of my tablets have cellular and I spend about an hour every morning watching and listening to various podcasts in the trucks. Mostly because of the better sound.
I despise phone and tablet speakers.

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