"The 2009 Ford F-150 President George W. Bush owned and used as transportation at his Crawford, Texas, ranch throughout his presidency" (?) This is chronologically impossible.
Although the truck is misrepresented in the article, the fact that this presidential truck with low miles is being auctioned off with proceeds going to charity is worthy of applause.

Good job Mr. Bush.

Fully loaded work truck without wheelhouse liners in the back. Typical cheap Ford. Just look how ugly it looks. But on the other hand Fords don't even have wheelhouses in the back. It's just an open ugly space and the sides of a bed held by two quarter inch rods.

Look at that low slung frame and running boards. They are just begging to get hung up out on the job site or farm. The body on that thing is so slab sided and outdated it isn't funny. That is why I refuse to consider a Ford. Outdaded as the Mayflower.

So....Bush bought and used 2009 F150 throughout 2001-2008?

@ky Yes. Being President has it's perks.

STRATEGERY!

INTERNETS!

That is one frumpy looking truck. It looks old....something similar to what my 80 year old grandpa would drive....old and outdated.

@ redbloodedxy ,

@ ky ,

@ WXman,

First off,I guess you dont follow things in the real world..You could have bought a 2009 model in July of 2008,so he could of had it when he was President...

Second,once you are a President,you are always called a President,so in fact he could be driving a 2013 model now and later could sell it as owned by a President !

Third sitting Presidents cannot drive on the public roads.Bush has had his own land (acerage)and thats where he could have drove the truck..so in fact it could have been driven when he was sitting President..But again every vehicle he now drives can be sold as a Presidential vehicle as once you were President you are always a President.

To think, if he had a 2009 Tundra instead he might have been in an accident on the farm due to unintended acceleration: http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=OBR&date=20121226&id=15938765

It wouldn't have been his truck During his Presidency. He drives Super Duty trucks on the ranch. Not 1/2 tons. He owned a white one while President.

"Look at that low slung frame and running boards. They are just begging to get hung up out on the job site or farm."

-Please. Same frame height as the 1/2 ton Silverado. And the Super Duty frame is nearly double in ground clearance height of it's Silverado HD counterpart. That's why most people buy them over the Chevrolet's now for 3/4 ton and up work. You're clueless.

Fully loaded work truck without wheelhouse liners in the back.

@Diesel Power, Ford's don't need liners out back. You can't fit a family of 5 inside their big ol square wheel arches like you can a Chevy. You can see from here to Mexico where they're built above those tires. Funny enough, you can still fit a larger tire on a Ford without any modification because of the round shape. Not so with a Chevy. Dodge doesn't need them either but they're looking to gain market share. Ford will have them standard next year.

It seems only one of the previous commenters caught the obvious impossibility. The statement wasnt, "...used during his Presidency," but rather "... used THROUGHOUT his presidency." And while true that he is called 'President' for the rest of his life, you cannot call something purchased after his retirement as something used "throughout his presidency." It makes no chronological or logical sense and only makes the one who said it look uninformed.

Personally, I couldn't care less about how it looks, unless it were totally trashed out or were an antique in remarkably good condition (like my survivor 1990 F-150 XLT Lariat). Such commentary only shows brand bias that has no place in an article such as this. You don't like it? Fine. You only antagonize others by broadcasting it in such an inflammatory manner.

It realy is ashame, when a former Pres. thinks more of himself, than the wounded veterans comming back from all corners of the globe, having to want help, because their gov. wants nothing to do with them, and then the man does this generous act, and all the chldren on this site can do nothing but berate him, or the deed, thisa is beyond childish. I am sure Pres. Bush had amny sleepess nights because he had to do what he had to do, in sending all these brave Americans over there, I dought very much the pres. in the wh now would ever dream of doing anything like this, he and his wife were caught snikering when a flag was being folded, and presented to the loved ones of an American hero who paid the ultamate price for our freedom, it is on youtube, I have watch it, and it is dicusting, you can read her lips "all this for a Flag?" The same people dissing this post think these "people" in our wh, are their hero's..........

That's one sharp looking truck! A truck of a true leader. Will Obummer have a ghetto bling Denali GovtMoCo Sierra truck to auction off in a few years? He's so proud of blowing our taxdollars on 2 non necessary lines of trucks. He should be buying one himself. Yet even he doesn't want one of GM's latest monstrocities. They used Excel to cut and past their right angle obsessiveness all over their new truck. Dragged the ugly as hell wheel cut outs from a picture of the GMC Terrain over to the fullsizers in HD form and called it a day. Now you have a massive, bloated HD truck that's supposed to be a 1500 and it looks like a frankenstein creation. Once upon a time those guys designed some of the best looking trucks in the business. I don't know what's happened to that company.

It goes to show Real Men drive classy Ford Trucks. Only the half blind rednecks drive those Tonka Transformer looking GM's with all of their bizarre design cues and square shapes. I think this is very kind of Mr.Bush to offer up. A truck with class from a man with class.

This is crap. The next thing you know Ford will be claiming "best selling truck for past presidents and other government officials". They did it for toy trucks so who's to say that they won't do that. At least you don't see RAM and GM making frivilous/pointless claims like this. They can take their little plastic toy truck and drive it where the sun don't shine. I still to my RAM trucks thank you very much.

That's one sharp looking truck! A truck of a true leader. Will Obummer have a ghetto bling Denali GovtMoCo Sierra truck to auction off in a few years? He's so proud of blowing our taxdollars on 2 non necessary lines of trucks. He should be buying one himself. Yet even he doesn't want one of GM's latest monstrocities.

@Walt, spot on. And GM is buying back shares from the treasury at a loss to us. So, what we ended up with paying for was not 1 truck line but 2. Ya, that's Just what we needed. Ford, Dodge, Nissan, Toyota all have 1 truck line. GM is still a bloated mess with no eye for appealing design any longer. It's like the same guys who gave us the Aztec and original Avalanche still run the show there. Look at the new trucks. Look at the last trucks. Look at the new Malibu. All awful. And why do they keep flaring out the fenders like some stupid monster truck sponsored by the WWE? WTF is with that??? They never used to until the 07 model. Now their trucks look cartoonish and just awful on the sides.

I just can't get over how ridiculous Ford trucks look these days. My hubby and I owned them for years until we grew tired of their trucks looking the same year after year after year. I find the grill on the Super Duty trucks to be offensive and ugly. The 150 trucks are not much better.
For the life of me I do not understand why Ford fans make such a fuss about GM trucks being outdated and such. Their favorite truck gets a new grill or new interior and they rave about it and call it all new. GM comes out with a new truck body style and they laugh at it and call it nothing more than a mid cycle refresh I am using the correct terminology.
My husband and I believe that Dodge RAM has been the best at keeping their trucks fresh, Ford not so much.

@Walt, spot on. And GM is buying back shares from the treasury at a loss to us. So, what we ended up with paying for was not 1 truck line but 2. Ya, that's Just what we needed. Ford, Dodge, Nissan, Toyota all have 1 truck line. GM is still a bloated mess with no eye for appealing design any longer.

@Ron, I agree. GM should have done exactly what Ford is doing and just offered different front ends/grilles for the Chevrolet Silverado. Go into your Chevy dealer and if you want a GM grille then they could have those there. Far less overhead costs that way. They only kept the GM seperate to keep Buick dealers alive but long term that's a lost cause. If I was the Feds handing out cash GM would have had to close. Restructured Chevrolet/Cadillac as it's own company and been done with it. No more Govt. Motors, No Opel Europe mess, None of it. Just a lean and mean Chevrolet/Cadillac Motor Co.. They could have used certain Chevrolet platforms for a few Chinese Buick's overseas and called it good. GM is still way too complicated, bloated and messy. It's no way to run a company. Particularly one that's been damaged goods for far too many years.

My husband and I believe that Dodge RAM has been the best at keeping their trucks fresh, Ford not so much.

@Beverly, Dodge has done an excellent job with their latest model. I never was a Dodge guy but I'd look at one of these new ones. I think the Ford's design of the 04-current F-150 is timeless. Much like some of the older Chevrolet's. I like the Super Duty as well. They should keep that truck the same as long as it's in production. It's the Jeep of HD trucks. If the design is good, why screw it up? Chevy has kept screwing up their truck designs every 4-5 years since the 1990's. From 1988-1998 they didn't change hardly a thing. Only minor cosmetic updates like Ford does. And that's because they had a solid good looking truck. They had no need to change it. Ever since they did, they've gone downhill in the looks department. Every model worse than the last. Ford took Chevy's playbook and ran with it. Then Chevrolet went off the tracks. They're too big, bloated and cartoon looking now with those fender flares they keep stamping into the sides. The front ends are massive now. They just don't look like a classic clean Chevy 1500 anymore. For example, their Tahoe is timeless. It's exactly like the 1988-1998 Chevy trucks or the 2004-present Ford trucks. If the Silverado from 07 and up was like the Tahoe, they still wouldn't need to change it. It's a beautiful truck/suv. Instead they called it the Avalanche and did serious damage to the Silverado nameplate with that other abortion they designed.

NewQLar

So I guess you all would preder to see Obama auction his Chevy Volt for the Human Rights Campaign?

DJ,
Please. There is NO wheelhouse on Fords because Ford is too cheap to build a proper wheelhouse. Front and back are OPEN. The outside sheet metal of the bed is held by two small rods. You can see the front of the bed on one side and the rear of the bumper on the other side. I know. I own one. You can hide a family of 10 under there.

Please, tell me again what the wheelhouse liner is for? Since you think Fords don't need one.

Let me understand something here.
"Dodge doesn't need them either but they're looking to gain market share"
Dodge doesn't need one but they're putting them on to gain market share? Is that your way of thinking? LOL

And Ford told you they're going to have them standard next year on your last department meeting?
I thought you said Ford doesn't need one.
"Ford's don't need liners out back."

Just a reminder to the clueless... Ford still owes the Government 5.9 billion dollars that they borrowed in 2009. All American manufactures have needed and received Government loans. In fact Chrysler has been bailed out twice now. If your crying a river about Government loans and only mention GM it just shows your ignorance!

@Mat,

To build more efficient vehicles, not for a BANKRUPTCY BAILOUT.

Sick and tire of clueless dolts not knowing the difference.

SMH!

Frank,
Are you talking about C-max and Fusion they're getting sued over now?

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/ford-faces-lawsuit-alleging-false-mileage-claims-1C7755875

They're going to need another Government Loan after this one is done.

@Diesel Power,

They should sue the EPA, not FORD. The EPA tested the cars, perhaps if you would read a bit more, you would know.

You're wrong Frank. EPA did NOT test these two. Ford tested them, OR NOT, and EPA signed off. EPA tests only about 20% of all vehicles.
Perhaps if you would read a bit more, you would know.

Really!

Fuel economy is measured under controlled conditions in a laboratory using a standardized test procedure specified by federal law. Manufacturers test their own vehicles—usually pre-production prototypes—and report the results to EPA. EPA reviews the results and confirms about 10-15 percent of them through their own tests at the National Vehicles and Fuel Emissions Laboratory.

The EPA conducts their own test as well.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/how_tested.shtml

Take it easy guys. Regardless of your brand loyalty or how you feel about "W" this is a good thing. I hope they get lots of money for this, our veterans need all of our support and we all should be grateful for their service regardless of our opinions on the wars, brands, or "W".

Food for thought!

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/why_differ.shtml

EPA has improved its methods for estimating fuel economy, but your mileage will still vary.

Enough said!

More factors that affect MPG's.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/factors.shtml

@Frank,

LOL

A feel good story is turned into a bashfest by spoiled brats. Too much food and not enough sleep at Christmas?

I've never been a fan of G.W. Bush but this seems like a nice gesture.

What if he was donating a Chevy?
The Ford and Ram guys would bash?

or if he donated a Ram?
We'd get bashing from the Ford and Chevy guys!

Pathetic - and people wonder why the USA is in trouble.

Frank I didn't say Ford was bailed out, I said they still have a 5.9 billion unpaid Government loan from 2009. If you think all that money went into making their cars more efficient then do I have some deals for you! Fact is Ford was on the verge of bankruptcy in 09 and this loan was their saving grace. The recession soon followed and the rest is history. I just get tired of people acting like Ford is the all American hero when in fact it was a Government loan that kept them from a bailout of their own!

" Fact is Ford was on the verge of bankruptcy in 09 and this loan was their saving grace."

Sorry Mat, you are incorrect. If you don't recall, Ford mortgaged the whole barn including the Ford Logo. This Loan, no matter how you swing it was given to produce more efficient vehicles. Truth be told, GM and CHRYCO had no idea how to invest this money as they were given the loan as well.

Meh, any gesture for charity is nice whether one likes the person doing it or not. Virtually every person and every business owes some piece of success to the governemnt whether it is from direct funds, loans, assistance, contract, etc. No one likes the bailouts but they kept a whole industry from goign under. Do you think Ford would have survived without 80% of their suppliers? How would you have bought new tires for your used car if Goodyear, Bridgestone, Michelin, etc all went under.

These companines are all inter-connected and need each other to survive. That is why we bails out GM and Chrysler. If everythign existing in a vacuum then I doubt we would have. Of course if we lived in a vacuum all of the bad loans would have only affected the specific lenders and nothing else would have been in turmoil. At least by and large the costs were small compared to the economic benfit we got for it. More than likely some other company will need something similar at some point in the future and we'll all be back on these endless topics again.

" they were given the loan as well."

Not true... of the 8.8 billion available Ford received 5.9 billion. The rest was split between Nissan, Tesla, Fisker, and a start-up company called the Vehicle production group. GM and Chrysler were not on the list.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joannmuller/2012/08/29/automakers-report-card-who-still-owes-taxpayers-money-the-answer-might-surprise-you/

@Mat,

GM did apply for the loan, however, they denied the loan so that the automaker seeks to improve its image among consumers following its government-backed bankruptcy in 2009.

Also, what you are not understanding is, they all get DOE Loans based on the Program. However, Ford was never bail out due to bad business.

DOE Loans differs greatly from a BAILOUT LOAN!

I hope you understand.

Frank you specifically said that they took the loan and didn't know how to spend it! Now you have a different story. The bottom line is all manufactures have been given government assistance. GM has paid back their loan and the rest came in the form of government owned stock in the company. GM is in the process of buying back its stocks and plans to be out from under the government all together within a year. You know as well as I do that Ford benefited from the bailouts and would have gone down with the rest of them... lets just be glad that we still have an auto industry to argue about!

"GM has paid back their loan and the rest came in the form of government owned stock in the company. GM is in the process of buying back its stocks and plans to be out from under the government all together within a year."

This is why they call them Government Motors.

"You know as well as I do that Ford benefited from the bailouts and would have gone down with the rest of them... lets just be glad that we still have an auto industry to argue about."

So what is your argument, you said Ford has not paid back the loan, yes, they have not paid back the DOE Program LOAN.

GM's case, they get a free ride in exchange for some stocks, pathetic, sad of a company.

GM has paid back 23.1 billion and is in the process of buying back it's stocks... how is that a free ride??? And it's still a fact that Ford benefited from it... Ford still owes the taxpayers 5.9 billion on their own loan no matter how you spin it!

@BradAppleby - you sound like Greg's grandson.

Hopefully one of his oil buddies will buy it and raise a lot of money for the charity.

I don't know who else would.

"Ford still owes the taxpayers 5.9 billion on their own loan no matter how you spin it."

When will you understand that once you PAY TAXES it is no longer your MONEY. The money belongs to GOV.

What GM is doing is basically robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Frank I agree with your tax statement... just make sure you tell the rest of the Ford faithful that when they are crying about GM!!!

@mat - there is a huge amount of money that the USA government will NEVER recover from Wallstreet and the Auto Industry. Yes, Ford got loans, and so did virtually every auto company around. Loans get paid back. GMC did get bailout loans but you need to do research. Some of their "loans" were paid back from a government funded line of credit account.
How do you pay back a loan from a bank by using a line of credit from the same bank?
What is done is done.
Some say it benefitted the economy and saved the day.
Really?
Does the term "fiscal cliff" sound familiar?
or how about the term " kicking the can down the road"?
The verdict is still out as to whether or not government intervention has been of any benefit.
My dad lived through the Great Depression" , he believed that we had not learned our lessons and another Great Depression would come.
I hope that he was wrong.

Lou I know what you are saying but my point is simple... all manufactures have received loans. I am not even saying I am for or against it... I didn't even vote for Obama. Technically I guess it was Bush who first got the ball rolling but that is a discussion for a different day.

@ FredFisher -- fyi, the running bds are same height as center line of wheel/axles, some F150 models do offer retractable running bds if it's really a problem for some. At least running bds are very common on F150's for those that may use as a family vehicle, with kids. I see many other brands that sit higher with no running bds. Maybe an option for others. I guess for years & years, "old and outdated" sells VERY WEll. So being a best seller for years is a bad thing then guess Ford will just keep doing bad things. It makes lots of money.

You can tell who the:
Gay loving, anti-gun, pro abortion, anti-military, anti-religion folks are in this conversation.
To each it's own!