I have a choice between two F-150 Super Crews and when I weigh the pros and cons of each, I'm coming up with a tie. Here's the vitals:

2001 XLT 4x2: 56,000 miles. The truck is pretty clean in and out. It spent its first year or so as a rental. When I popped the hood, the engine was covered with a fine red dust (we live in the desert), but no signs of leaks and no dings to the undercarriage. The bed liner was a bit scuffed up. With the truck comes a 72-month, 100,000-mile extended warranty that covers just about everything under the sun. Price: $15,000.

2001 XLT 4x2: 71,000 miles. This truck is supposed to be very clean and very well maintained by the original owner. I'm going to see it today and check it out for myself. This truck comes with no warranty the but promise of a caring owner. Price: $12,900.

I originally passed on the higher mileage truck because I didn't want to plunk down $13K for a vehicle that was going to hit 100,000 miles in two years. Then again, I could pocket the savings ($2,100) and just put that in the repair account for down the road.

Any thoughts from the Super Crew gurus?

John

 

Taking into consideration the way that I've treated dang near every rental I've ever been in, I'd get the higher mileage truck. I've had friends who have slapped a nitrous kit on a rental and taken it to the track.

Run, and I mean run, away from any vehicle that has seen rental or fleet time. If it's not your car, you're gonna run it like it's not yours. I'd say take the higher mileage one. It's probably seen a far better life.

 

Go for the lower mile rental with the warranty. I bought a rental Grand Am years ago and got 115K plus trouble free miles on it before I traded it on my truck.

 

For the most part, rental companies take decent care (maintenance-wise) on their cars. A mechanic I used to take my Bronco to did all of the maintenance work for Enterprise. It's the drivers that beat the snot out of the cars.

I'm figuring the 56K on the rental is probably the equivalent of 71K on the one-owner. If that's the case, then I would tip my hat toward the warranty. Then again, is that warranty worth the $2,100 difference?

John

 

I bought my '02 S'crew w/25000 miles on it (had been a rental) in Feb. of '03. I now have 69000 miles on it and have not regretted it in the least. It's been a great truck and I'll probably end up with well over 100k miles, before I replace it. That's the luck I've had and with the added warranty I would have to go that way, but that's just me! Good Luck!

 

I like the lower miles and warranty as the one to buy...Work on cutting some of the 15k...

I would check the brake system for wear ..See what tires each has and what's left for wear there ...Pull the air filter to see how it looks...Good luck on whatever you pick...

 

firstly, we all know that trucks are much more solid than compact and mid-sized Detroit cars.


So a rental F150, even with the snot beat out of it, is not like buying a Taurus, Grand Am or Intrepid that was rented.


Keep in mind that contratcors beat the living snot out of these trucks daily and still get many years of life.

 

I'd take the lower miles w/ ESP hands down. That little insuance policy is awesome. That's 3 more years of worry-free driving. And while 'one owner' maybe attractive, a 'promise' from some shmuck trying to sell his truck is worthless. The ESP is priceless.

If the rental has the look and options you want, the choice is clear.

 

The Supercrew I bought is also high miles - pushing 100k - and was a lease from GE - It's in a lot better shape than many of the lower miles trucks I looked at - and I could afford this one. Even so, a warranty would've been nice . . . This thread has been here for awhile - did you already make a choice? Which one did you get?

 

Actually, we purchased another truck completely. The paperwork on the 56K truck was a nightmare and was just too difficult to resolve over long distance.

The 71K truck was sold before I could even look at it.

It was all for the better since we picked up an '01 SuperCrew with 35,000 miles on it...a 4x4 Lariat to boot.

 

Enjoy!