I love my 2001 Supercrew 4x4 5.4L! Exactly what I wanted in a truck - everything! I can go deep in the woods to retrieve deer through snow and mud; fit five adults comfortably on long trips (good gas mileage too, 18 mpg); popped an ARE cap on it and now it's got a huge truck; takin' it to the track (1.97 60', 14.2 sec. in 1/4 mile) and beat most anything including Mustang GTs, Cameros, Covettes, and a ton of ricers (not racers); tow 4 horses and trailer (~6500#); loaded the box with everything from horse manure to stone. This is the ultimate vehicle bar none - and it looks awsome!

 

brown0617,

So you want to get out of the pace of buying a new vehicle every two years yet you just entered into a 3 year lease? So now you will get another new vehicle in 3 years instead of 2? I don't mean to be ragging on you, I just don't understand what you are saying yet. It seems to me that if you wanted to get out of getting a new vehicle every two years you would just buy one with a term of 72 months or something similar instead of leasing?

 

BruceScrew,

Where are you from in WNY? How hard was it to put a Supercharger on your truck?

 

1997 reg cab F-150 4x4 4.6 and a 5 speed. 107,000 and looks good. engine not touched by greasy hands. oil changes and 1 torsion bar. bought in aug 96.

 

oldnew -

Not that I WANT to stop buying a car every 2 years, I'm just tired of my wallet taking a beating every time.

A 3 year lease works for me on several fronts:

1. I don't want my wife driving an older vehicle where in my experience unexpected breakdowns are more common

2. The cost of ownership per month was considerably less than any purchase scenario when factoring in that I was only paying 8.25% sales tax on the lease amount ~$9k rather than the sale amount ~$30k

3. I don't have the delusion that the car will be worth something when I go to trade it in. Not my problem what it is or isn't worth at the end of the lease.

 

I'm driving a '97 that I purchased this year with 197,000 on it. It was well maintained and is in great shape. I've no complaints.

But look into any 97 you consider carefuly. There were alot of recalls on verious items on the 97 f-150. (not unusual for a redesigned vehicle)

If you have the VIN you can check to see if the truck missed any recalls, by going to the Ford web site. http://www.genuineflmservice.com/default.asp?page=J

As long as the truck was well maintained and has the features you want, I don't think there is much difference.

But that's just my 2 cents worth.

Doug

 

well i have a 97 4.2 v-6 5 speed 2wd. and they are right you have to make sure they arnt losing coolant internally. other then fixing front cover and lower intake gaskets. i put an o2 sensor and dpfe sensor on it plus the ussuall brakes and stuff. and i have 128k on it now. and its highly modified with almost every v-6 part i could find.

and i just got a 01 5.4 4x4 extended cab with 73k on it. and i love it already.

but anytime you buy used you have to wonder why someone would trade one of these awsome trucks in. and with the recent 04 incentives the 97-03 are flooding the market. lots of 5.4s and 4.6s go 250k without any problems. i think the 4.2 will too as long as you watch the coolant.

the 4.2 is getting about 18.5 mpg and the 5.4 is getting 16 mpg so not much difference there. i would be getting better milage if we didnt have this reformulated gas.

 

Hi oldnnew,

I live between Orhard Park and Hamburg, not far from Chestnut Ridge Park.

The Kenne Bell supercharger was not difficult to install; took about 10 hours. You definately have to follow direction. It was fun acutually; I'd do it again - you need help installing one. I purchased it from Bob Kennedy of Kennedy's Dynotune on Niagara Falls Blvd. Bob knows how to add power to our trucks! Are you considering a supercharger or turbo?

 

Best year is 99 when you can get the improved heads and 3.73 rear axle ratio, at least on 4x4.

Really, the year doesn't matter. Slight package differences over the years, but no realy problems for any particular year. I'd go somewhere in thmiddle of the design cycle. The first year or two, there are improvements and last few years decontenting.

 

Looking at used trucks, I've found greater variation between individual vehicles than between specific years. That is, you could possibly find an exceptional vehicle by paying less attention to the particular year - if you run across a cherry '98, so be it - it'll be better than a beat up '02 with similar mileage.

That being said, I agree in general that the newer vehicles are better - increased hp and often reliability. Perhaps Ford has found corners to cut with the newer vehicles, but I don't really know.

I've a 98 supercab w/4.6 - it's a great vehicle, except I really wish it had 4 doors instead of three (or at least they coulda put door 3 on the driver's side).

If I were looking now I'd look for a low mileage 99-02 because I think I'd get the best bang for the buck depreciation wise, and still get an excellent vehicle\ and the 4th door!