My husband and I always knew we wanted a truck one day. We eventually planned on moving out to the country and running a small farm. At that point in time, a truck would simply be a necessity. For the time being, however, we considered our small family sedan a perfect match for city life . . . or so we thought.

My husband and I always knew we wanted a truck one day. We eventually planned on moving out to the country and running a small farm. At that point in time, a truck would simply be a necessity. For the time being, however, we considered our small family sedan a perfect match for city life . . . or so we thought. The truth is, we’d never realized just how useful a quality pick-up truck can be in the suburbs and even in the city.

The decision was made during midsummer, when the scorching heat suddenly made us realize that having a car in which the air conditioner only worked half the time just wasn’t good enough. Our car was getting on in the years, and it was becoming obvious that something better was needed. We decided this would be the last time we would be purchasing a vehicle for a while, so we wanted to get the right one. We started researching possible vehicles for us, quickly realizing that the price-tag on most trucks and SUVs was way too high. Our desire for a comfortable, versatile vehicle kept us searching, however, and we finally picked the new 2004 Ford F-150 as our top choice.

Why did we choose the Ford F-150? For starters, 2004 was the first year Ford was offering a new body style for their F-150s. Appearance alone gave the F-150 a jump in the game. If you don’t favor the body style on the new F-150s, though, don’t go looking elsewhere just yet. There are several other major advantages to this truck. As I mentioned, price was a concern for us, and after shopping around on the internet, we were able to get a quote for about $21,000 on a new Ford F-150 with a Super Cab. A back seat was mandatory for our growing family, and while the Super Cab’s back seat is roomier than most extra-cab models, it can still be tight for some adults. If you can afford it, I would recommend upgrading to the Crew Cab model, which offers a very spacious back seat. The new F-150 models also have a surprisingly deeper bed than most pick-up trucks. The F-150 comes standard with air conditioning and a single disc CD player, which can be upgraded to a 6-CD changer. You can also choose to upgrade many different options, including leather seating and overhead storage. Your options can be virtually endless.

We were happy with our initial impression of the Ford F-150, and we were further impressed with the truck as the weeks went by. The fact that you can fit appliances or furniture right in the back has come in handy countless times. The extra-deep bed is particularly useful for hauling large items. If it’s too big to haul, the F-150 also has impressive towing capabilities of up to 9,500 pounds. On a daily basis, the truck’s ability to stop quickly and smoothly is a strong advantage in this model, which sports front and rear disc brakes. The cab is remarkably quiet and the ride is relatively smooth. Although we have the standard two-wheel drive model, it handles quite well on rough and loose terrain in our experience. All Ford F-150s come with one of two V-8 engines, a 4.6 liter or a 5.4 liter. The size of the engine initially made us worry about gas mileage, but so far the gas mileage is comparable to smaller trucks and larger sedans, which isn’t too bad.

In spite of our general admiration for the Ford F-150, we have still found some minor flaws with our model. We’ve found the front seats and head rests to be uncomfortable when we travel even just a moderate distance. The positioning somehow makes you feel as if you’re leaning forward, though the sensation seems to wear off a little after the first week. The material used for the seats also stains very easily, even with plain water, and the stains are very difficult to remove. On the short-bed model, the bed has an awkward length of 6.5 feet, so the typical 6-foot camper top won’t fit on this model. If you want a camper top, you will have to buy one from the dealership, which can be expensive.

Overall, we found much more to love in our Ford F-150 than not. It has served us well in a variety of ways, and proved to us that a quality pick-up truck can be useful no matter what your lifestyle is. We are more than happy that this was our choice in truck, and I doubt we will ever buy any other truck than a Ford model.