New to the forum and I'm looking to get into a F150. Are there any model years to avoid / search out??

Looking around the '93-95 years...


thanks for any help....

 

Did a little research last night and think I discovered a few things.

Looks like '97 was the first year of the "modern" body style. Is that correct?

Looks like I'll be looking for a '97 or '98 model 4X4. I love that body style...

Any problems with these years I should know about or look for when I go shopping.

I'm a life long Ford man, and I need a Truck to go along with my '95 GT and '66 289 coupe Mustangs.


Any help on this will be appreciated !

 

As with all vehicles, the manufacturer makes improvements along the way. The '97-'03 body line, the '03 will be the least troublesome. The 4.6 in the earily years is a little under powered, but a very proven platform.

1997 year had reciever hitch recall and power mirror switch recall, and I thinks that's it.

The transmissions have greatly improved with time.

 

I have a 98 with 114,000 miles on mine and have had no problems with it.

 

97 f-150 was recalled for
1. Clips on leef springs, ford had to put thease on in the event the rear leef springs seperated, clips prevented leef springs from hitting the flue tank

2.flue line on 4x4, from the flue filter to the tbi, possible seperation

3. Lug nut's were changed.

5. not recalled but from personal expierance:4.2 v6 coolant leak.s around timming chain cover, repaired 2wice under warenty.

6. not recalled, personal expeirance: three sets of upper and lower ball jionts, sway bar link and bushings, one pair of leaky gas shocks (Front) 2 sets of inner/outer tie rod ends on a 2002 f-150, ford issued a blanket letter to f-150 owners advissing them to check ball jionts and tie rod ends every 20,000 km, repairs done under warenty, at 45,000 km, I walked away from it.

my 97 f-150 was a good truck, the 4.2 has a bad wrap, aside from gasket issues, I never had a problem, did door expieranced cracking...

my 02 f-150 was a lemmon, some here have had problems with the 5.4 upchucking spark plugs, I never encounterd this, fit and finish and over all quality was sub grade.

03, Heratage model might be the best year, as all the bugs should have been worked out, I like the style of the last generation over the 04 f-150 and proud to say my 04 has gone one year with out a warenty cliam!!!!

All my ford's were 4x4 and used for work, I'm not abusive, but would conclude in converastion with othier f-50 owners who expieranced No problems, buy a one owner truck with a soild maintance-upkeep history behind it.

Thease trucks are old news, now, Time is going to were down any truck, I would not buy a 97 t0 03 f-150.The last generation ford is a 50/50 chance of good/bad..Reserch and make your own educated guss.

 

Thanks for the info guys...

If anyone hears of a one owner '97-'98 4X4 truck in the Nashville, TN area, let me know...

 

http://autos.msn.com/home/reliabilit....aspx?src=URES

You can check all different years at the link above.

I recently bought a 1998 w/ 88,000mi on it.
If your looking at the ex-cab trucks, remember that 1999 goes to 4-door cab.

I'm happy though, and the truck seems like a solid vehicle so far.

Just for fun, look up the Chevy/GMC trucks of the same years.....bad ratings!! I didn't care if I got a Ford or Chevy. I just wanted a good truck. It doesn't take much research to find that the Fords seem to be more reliable for the era your looking to buy.