1997 Ford F150 - Long Term Update
| Base price | $69,900 |
| rice as tested | $74,310 |
| ody style | 2-door, 2-pass. |
| ngine size/type | 4.0-liter V-8 |
| ransmission/driveline |
| onfiguration | 5-speed auto./ |
| front engine, rear drive |
| -60 mph, sec. | 6.9 |
| PA mpg, city/highway | 17/24 |
| otal mileage | 787 |
| est mileage | 746 |
| uel consumed, gal. | 51.5 |
| uel cost | 73.18 |
| verage mpg | 14.5 |
| dditional oil/cost | None |
| outine maint. | None |
| dditional maint. | None |
| revious maint. | None |
| roblem areas | None |
| otal operating cost | $73.18 |
| perating cost/mile | 9.8¢ |
'97 Mercedes-Benz E420 SportIt's been an exciting quarter for our executive-class Mercedes-Benz, as the award-winning E420 proudly defended its honor against the aluminum-bodied Audi A8 and sumptuous Jaguar XJR (June '97). Surviving that performance battle unscathed, our esteemed E420 had another near miss, this time on a rain-slicked city street where an out-of-control driver spun like a top toward traffic-mired Executive Editor Bob Nagy. With the exception of a few gray hairs, both Bob and our Benz escaped with nary a scratch. This charmed sedan has blessed us with several months of loyal service, transporting staffers to power lunches and weekend retreats while requesting only fuel and an oil change in return. Firm leather seats and intelligent interior ergonomics make long-distance romps less taxing on the driver, although a few passengers have expressed a desire for softer accommodations. The Sport package brought along large 17x7.5-inch AMG wheels shod with Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber. However, rough surfaces have exposed the downside of the tires' shorter sidewalls by delivering added road feedback.