20: Questionable Durability
Another issue that came with the use of aluminum in the use of the F-150 was the perceived lack of durability. Owners questioned how this truck might be able to hold up in the long run. Crash tests were promising but what about the daily grind of owning a pickup truck? The hauling, working, and towing that a truck has to do. There’s no doubt that the F-Series trucks are worked especially hard by their owners (via Hot Cars).
The pickup truck market is centered around being rough and ready, and an aluminum pickup truck didn’t quite match that philosophy. The sales initially slid a little bit until consumers had become more comfortable with the new Ford products. The F-150 has since returned to market dominance but this was a huge gamble Ford took.