Sup..


Figured i'd get some experts opinions on this.


I'm looking for a newer truck... like the F-150s
I have been looking around tne 6-8K price range...
I test drove a 98 the other day with a 4.6 2wd, with 110k miles on it and it drove like ****... ran from it obviously. Yesterday I stumbled across 2 trucks. a 2000 extended cab, 4.6 with 94000 on it.. (BARE BONES work truck). and a 1999 loaded except for the sterio (no biggie). got a 4.6 (didnt check the tranny yet) It has 112,000 miles on it, and both have had one owner. Both were from the same dealer.... the guy offered a warrenty on both of em.


The real question is... should I trust a truck with that many miles on it? I mean.. i kinda want to run this thing into the ground over the next 6-8 years... and I want to be able to stretch it to the limit. I will obviously take care of it... but I REALLY cant afford to have any problems.... How are High milliage f-150s? are they dependable? and would u trust em?

Also I was wondering if I could trust them to tow a boat... possibly a 21' fiberglass with a dual axel trailer.

Main issue is DEPENDABILITY... is this a truck that I can drive up to 250,000 miles like a Honda Civic and make out alrite??? or am I FORSURE going to run into a problem within the next 50k miles? DOnt even know what to look for here.. help me out.

 

its hard to say how much of a beating they took in their first 100k
if the owner changed the oil regularly stuff like that.

i would prolly ask them if they could put it up in the air and remove the wheels so you could get a real good look at it underneath see if any rust has started if its caked with mud stuff like that. look at the brakes real close.

if it was well cared for for the first 100k it should last another 100k or more you will prolly run into a sensor failure or 2 but that is expected. engine failures dont seem to be a big deal on the 4.6s or 5.4s and if its 2 whl drive there are alot less things that can go wrong.

do they have all the electric accessories (locks, windows, ect.)?

when i buy one i want to last for ever i stay away from the fancy electrical stuff crank windows almost never fail.

 

For dependability, I'd go with the V8. Bentwrench is right, the less on the truck, the less that can go wrong.

 

The 4.6 seems to be the most relaible motor and the auto tranny is pretty good too. Make sure the tranny fluid is clear and pink. Burnt fluid - walk away.

 

Two big problems to look for are the Exhaust Gas Recirc system and Idle Air Controller crudding up, which is more of a problem with the 4.6 than the 5.4; and the transmissions (4rw70) have a fairly high failure rate (Once. The repair usually lasts). The one you drove could have been crudded up.

AFA the engine, if you're going to tow that boat with any frequency, I'd look for the 5.4. Much more motor than the 4.6. HOWEVER, the 1999 models with a 5.4 had a problem with oil leaking from the passenger side head gasket. Some were not repairable, as the problem was the engine block.

Also consider the age of the spark plugs. The originals (single-platinum) are good for maybe 100K. Replacements (don't use anything but Motorcraft!) will cost $6-10 apiece, and are a cast-iron b*tch to replace. Dealerships will charge you almost $300 for the job. If you have anything to do with the replacement, put in the double-platinums, and you'll never have to mess with them again.

Good luck!

 

$6-10 for the Motorcraft sparkplugs?

It's more like $3-4...

To original poster:
It's really hard to say, if the first owner(s) took good care of it, you can easily get 250k+ miles out of it.

 

alexei289,
I have the 4.6 with 160,000 miles and it still runs great. I lost my transmission last year but I say my fault because I I tow a small 5th wheel and never put a good transmission cooler on it. Get a good transmission cooler with a fan. The trans failure was the overdrive servo but since the trans had to be removed anyway I put a new one in. I have a lot of construction worker friends and they really do not take care of their trucks. I think I would go with a good running, high mileage, one owner commuter first.

 

UPDATE!!!

Alrite... went back and test drove the 99.... mother f it... its a piece of junk, rode like a tin can, steering was loose, brakes suked... floor was ripped... and the guy wanted an arm and a leg for it because it had power windows bla bla bla. HOWEVER... the origional truck that i was looking at i took a second pass over.

Here is what it is

2000 F-150 supercab
8' bed
94k miles
Work truck
Found out its actually got a 5.4.. not the 4.6 i assumed.
Towing package
Vinyl floor
Vinyl seats
NO electronic equpitment except a AM/FM radio
(i dont trust power locks and doors either, their $200+ to fix)
test drove it, rides beautiful... trans makes a lil noise but not terribly noticable.
Looked at the fluid... it was bright red.
has a bedliner, everything works... tested it.

the guy (dealer) wants 8k for it. I havent come up with an offer price yet... but I want to make sure this is a good truck first, before i negotiate.

Dealer also offers a 36k 3year mechanical warrenty for 655$ similar to the ford warrenty when new


Sound like a good truck? or is there other things that i should do or watch out for first?

 

like i said before you buy if they really want to sell it they will put it in the air and let you look under it. depending on when it was built it could still have this problem. Pay close attention up around the starter on the right side and try and see where the head meets the block on the left side for any oil residue. ot ussually shows up in the rear corners of the heads. Also look at the front cover area those leak every once and awhile too.

 

Heres a 99 worktruck ----