So in the next six months or so I am going to be buying a new truck (ok not new but new to me) I am looking at F150's.

The options as i see them are:
1. Buy my buddies 99 5.4 4x4 extended cab with 150,000 on it and this thing is clean. When i say clean i mean barely any surface rust on the frame. This truck has been very well taken care of and had a fairly easy life. I could probalby buy this truck for 6k or less.

2. Buy a 2004+ f150 5.4 4x4 extended cab and in my area these trucks range from 9-20k depending on year and milage.


My question is what would you do? I tow a 20ft car hauler on occasion and both trucks will do this fine. I do some LIGHT offroading on the farm and play in the snow etc. you know.... truck stuff hahaha. (i will keep my 97 as a toy/ beat on truck) the new truck will be the DD.

my dilemma is this- The 2004+ is newer and i hear good things but i know basically nothing about them or the problems they have and will cost me a lot more up front than the 99. The 99 yes it is older, but i know how it has been treated and it is a solid truck. The 99 will cost less up front and i know the possible issues with it and i know how to fix them. Plus i Love how the 97-03's look compared to the 04+

I appriceate any feed back and takes on this situation Honestly i would rather have th 99 the only reason i wouldn't want it is because of the age.

 

Just off that vauge info its all about which body style you like most...

 

I would probably go with the buddy's truck. I don't like buying a used truck I know nothing about.

 

I guess what I am getting at is they will both do what i want. But would it be worth it to go with a newer truck or are the problems with the newer ones not worth the hassel? Is it worth the up front cost difference to get the newer truck?

 

That is my thinking. But if i cant get his truck i am leaning towards a newer truck instead of trying to find another clean 99-03 in my area (salt belt clean 97-03s are few and far between)

 

Given the facts that you laid out, for me it is a no-brainer. Age is not the issue on these trucks, it is all about the maintenance of them. Plus the difference in price may justify any major repairs that may come up. I agree with illness95, pick the body style you prefer.

 

Go with your buddy's 99. No questions asked.

 

The 99. Fords BEST 5.4L, 97-03. The 04, Fords first 3 valve truck engine. Truck for truck, if given that choice and if both were in the same condition, it would be the 99. To many engine problems with the 04's.

 

the 99, I love these trucks, But i am getting tired of looking at the same dash, lol. I have had 3, a 97-and 2 2002's. also my work trucks used to all be 97-03 f150's. 1,00's and 1,000's of miles behind the same looking dash.

 

Kind of like having the same girl friend for along time. Just wish you change that dash once in awhile... Never the less, she's the same, hard to beat and reliable.

 

I'd go with the '99... just check it out carefully before buying it. I recently bought an extremely clean '00 with 164k and got it home to find the lower corners of the rad support were rusted out... as in GONE.

 

The 99 5.4 is an excellent engine. The 04+ 5.4 3 valves just have too many potential issues for me to be comfortable with them.