If your 02 f-150 is problem free, I would drive it to the wheals fall off, How long that will be nobody Knows, Tie rods and ball joints were bad on the 02 F-150, I bought new. I'm in a mess because of it, Two yeras in, I bailed on the 02-I was upside down and spun arround some more, I had asperations that was gonna be my first and only new truck, well truck sucked....

Now I'm leasing a 04,f-150 I took a hit on the 02 big time, soon I'm buying out the leasse and purchasiing the truck, it's been good, no problems, But I'm not risking a potental lemmon in a 05, my faith in ford is just breaking even.

Payments suck, But no truck, no work. Trucks are so expensive now That I doubt they will ever pay for them selvs, you can rebuild a 02 f-150 all most three times for the price of a 04, I would not lease...In my situation thow, I owed more on the 02 than it was worth....You allways run the risk of getting a lemmon no matter who builds it.

 

My '95 F150 XLT has 117500 miles...4x2, inline 6 with a five speed. The wheels aren't about to fall off, but I've had to put around $2000 into her over the last two years to keep her rolling.

Great truck, but I'm trading her next week on a 4x4 Lariat Screw...provided that the new one arrives as promised at the dealer.

With all the mods I've got lined up to be installed in late June, I've been given marching orders by the sig other...I'm keeping the new one until it is paid off, so that's about 5 years from July. Going with an extended warranty, too.

 

Congrats...95 to an 05, huh?

 

Yeah...should be a big improvement!

The engine on my '95 still runs very strong, and the transmission is great (though I did replace the clutch at around 105000). I thought about driving it for one more season, but I simply can't go through one more Nebraska winter with a 4x2...two winters were enough for me.

 

Sounds to me like rocky aka squirrelman may have some issues but that may be another story. I bought my 97 f-150 to drive i did not buy it as an investment it is a everyday necessity period. I have had it for 8+ years and it owes me nothing!!!. it has been everything i thought it would be "RELIABLE" not an investment that would be worth more after i have put on well in excess of 135,000 miles. I have only replaced a torsion bar and brakes (and of course some mods ). Mr. Squirrel you my friend you need to relax i don't think any of us want to have a car payment but it is a evil necessity none the less. There is nothing like jumping into YOUR brand spanking new F-150 4x4 and driving away knowing man this is way to cool .

 

I'm not sure how long I'll have the truck. We tend to keep vehicles for long periods of time. The hubby had a Ford Ranchero for 12 years then sold it to buy his Bronco that he has now had for 13 years. I've had the truck for 5 years already (gosh has it really been that long?? Time flies when you're having fun!!!) I don't plan on getting rid of it soon but you never know what may come up.

 

This is my second ( and hopefully last ) new vehicle. I plan on this being the
last vehicle I'll have too buy. When I traded my Jeep for this truck I had it
for 5 years and only put 33k on it, since I'm an old timer and hardly go
anywhere anymore I should be very successful in milking this truck for all it's
worth ( which as mentioned in an earlier post ) won't be much pretty soon.



vroom vroom .....

 

I buy new and drive an average of 12 years, give or take a couple.
That puts them between 150k - 200k.

I like to see people driving new, good for the economy.

 

I plan on making this truck last as long as I do. I'll have other vehicles like I do now but my '01 Supercrew has everything I'll ever need in a truck.

 

In Jan 1990 the wife and I paid cash ($7700+ttl) for a brand new Ford Ranger, 4cyl, 5sp, 4x2. I still drive it today (234,000 miles) with no sign of the wheels falling off. How's that for driving it a few years with no payments?

Our '01 Screw is at 96,000, and I hope it lasts as well as the Ranger has.

Also, '73 Pontiac Catalina sold in 1990 at 170,000 miles.

'93 Chevy S10 Blazer, totaled (not our fault) in 2000 at 147,000 miles.

'79 Datsun 210 drowned in a flash flood in 1995 at 270,000 miles.

I guess we're in the "drive 'em til the wheels fall off" category.

 

Man, this is a really good thread. maybe it's because dzervit hasn't posted here yet.

~Anyway~

I like what everyone has had to say. I personally think it depends. For example, what cyclone vampire posted. If the truck is problem free, milk it. If it's a lemon, ditch it, and sometimes consequences can be hell.

I jumped into my truck, which is an '04 STX Heritage, with the fear of the new models having some bugs. I was somewhat right. My truck has been problem free (***knock on wood***) since day one. So, since it seems to be doing me right, I have decided to keep this truck and pass it on to a grandson (if I am lucky to live that long). Of course, I will purchase a new truck sometime in the future, but this truck has been the best I have ever had (even better then my '95 Eddie Bower).

Now, everyone has a different perspective, this is just mine.

 

I have every intention of driving my 1997 model until it just won't go anywhere anymore under it's own power. At that point, I'll probably rebuild whatever needs to be rebuilt and give it a paintjob and just keep driving the sucker. I love this truck.