Dear Ford Motor Company,

My name is John Lundberg and I’m a proud owner of a 1997 F-150 and would like to share my story with you and say thanks.

In 1996 I was in need of a replacement vehicle. My very old Toyota Camery was on its lase leg and without any family around where I lived I felt it would be best to get a truck. I began looking around for a used truck but nothing caught my eye. I thought about a new truck but have never bought a new automobile before and was scared to death of being in debt. The more I looked the more I could see that a new truck would best fit the bill because of the warranty and all. I began looking for a truck that would be comfortable to drive the 30 or so miles to work and back and also be able to carry my 3 young children safely. I finely settled on the new 3 Door F-150 Extended Cab because of the looks and room in the back seat. I’m 6’ 3” 250 lbs. and this was the only truck that even I could fit into the back seat without too much trouble. I really liked the new body style and was impressed with the reports on the new front suspension overhaul. So, as you can tell Ford was for me.

Criticism and Concerns all around…

So, I was all excited now that I finely settled in on my new truck. Once the word got out about my decision here comes all the “experts” “You shouldn’t buy a first year model” “That truck has a whole new style front suspension that hasn’t been “user” tested” “Wait several years until all the bugs are worked out on the new suspension” etc.

Wow.

Ok. Now what do I do? I talked to my step father Walter P. Daniels who use to work for Ford as mechanic many many years ago to get his take. He told me that Ford was really the only way to go and that they have a top notch research and testing facility. This is coming from a man that owns 2 Ford trucks and a Ford car. Do you think he may be a little biased?

I did even more research and if I remember correctly there was a big write up on the new Ford truck suspensions in one of the auto magazines. That article talked about how for the first time a full sized pickup rides smooth like a full size car. No more hard bouncing on the road. No more giving up a nice ride because of the need for a truck etc.

My decision still stands!

I had the dealer ordered my truck instead of taking one off the lot. At the time I wanted a standard transmission to save on fuel costs and also a color they didn’t have on the lot. My order was as follows: A Teal colored 4.6L F-150 with a manual transmission, 3 door Extended Cab. The delivery time would be about 8 to 10 weeks.

My new truck was delivered to the dealer September 1996. When I received the call that it was in I just about had a heart attack.

So here we are 2011, over 15 years later; I’ve driven over 203,000 miles, on my original clutch and clutch plate no less. No not all highway miles either. The body is still in very good shape but the other parts, motor and transmission are starting to show their age just as I am. Over the years the only “no- consumable” parts I’ve had to replace were the air conditioning compressor, heater core and alternator. I did all the work myself to save money.

The reason I’m writing to you today is to say Thank You! Thank you for the many years of flawless service and for never leaving me stranded on the road. Thank you for making trucks that just plain last and run right! Thank you for standing up for what is right and not taking the government bailout.

If I can ever afford to do it again Ford will be there for me. It may be a car this time due to the price of fuel.

From the bottom of my heart, Thank you.

The Ford Motor Company and all her employees are “Built Ford Tough”

Regards,

John Lundberg