High mileage pickups?

[zenwhipper]

I'm shopping for a Ford F-150 in the 2005 to 2010 model years. The default seems to be trucks with high mileages. I'm seeing 100,000 to 150,000 miles all the time and some even higher. What's the opinion on buying a high mileage rig? Could save some money on the purchase price, but sheesh a 2009 with 100k seems tired already!

Cheers!

 

[Dutch]

Any type of machine is going to wear the most in short run conditions - cold engine components getting warm.

If the truck was used for long trips - many miles with things being at the normal operating temp is a better way to run a truck. I'd prefer to buy from the person who put the miles on as to a dealer.

 

[ionbeam]

A high mileage pick up? About 15 Forumites just subscribed to this thread. Some looking for an older Lady Love and others looking for well trained farm animals...

On the other hand, these days a 100k vehicle still has 50k to 100k left in it without excessive maintenance costs.

 

[SLK50]

I wouldn't worry too much about 100K miles on a 5 yo vehicle.

Any issue that arose would have to have been taken care of in

order to reach that mileage.

My current vehicle had 121K when I bought it. ( I pretty much knew

its history - company vehicle ) It now has over 205K.

The only issues I've had were age, not mileage related and

easily remedied.

 

[Bokerfork]

+1 to the last two posts with the obvious caveat being this.

At or above 100,000 miles, the vehicle is, at best, 60% used up.

This being said, the asking price better be close to 1/3 the original price.

Do the math.

JSNS

Mark

 

[lnewlf]

I've had seven Chevy trucks over the years-all went 300K before I gave up on each due to rot from salt. I do all my own repair work...Expect to replace brake and fuel lines, fuel pumps, front end parts. half shafts, u-joints, exhaust parts, brakes...etc.,etc. starting at @100K... I have a diehard Ford friend and a Dodge fanatic too and they are in and out of my garage for repairs about the same as my GM's

problem as I see it is that any low mileage truck is going to run about 25 grand..my daughter just bought a cherry 2011 Ram with 22k on it for 28 grand with a lifetime warranty..

 

[HotRodZilla]

My '99 F-150 will turn 140k here very soon. It still has the OEM starter and has had the alternator replaced once. Needed a new fuel pump a couple years ago, and other than 5k mile oil changes, that's it!

My wife's '05 Expedition has 135k and runs like a champ. Replaced the starter early on, but I think that was a faulty piece.

Neither vehicle owns us anything. My biggest worry with high mileage vehicles is the interior. Quite honestly, and speaking from experience, GM and Dodge interiors are far inferior to Ford's.

On the same note, I'd rather buy new and get less truck than buy used. I don't trust anyone to take care of a vehicle they're gonna trade in. Have seen too many instances of used car buyers buying someone else's problems.

 

[FarWestFastEddie]

One year ago I traded in my 96 Chevy C/K with 109k miles, this pickup had a rare 5 speed, got great mileage, average 24 mpg. Traded it in on a 08 Chevy LTZ with 62k miles for $19k, Way to luxurious for pickup needs, but rides soooo smooth, tows the boat great and this time of year, just love the heated seats. I drive Fords at work, and that's why I drive Chevys at home.

FWFE

 

[gixxerjasen]

If you are shopping in the 2004-2008 range, you might steer clear of the 5.4 liter engines. Do a google for that with the term "Spark Plugs" and read the horror stories. Ford fixed it I think halfway through the 2008 model year with a different plug design but the older design had a bad way of having carbon buildup and seize the plugs causing them to break off resulting in a very expensive repair. Many of those happened also way before the recommended change interval. Issues with the cam phasers too.

If you happen to be looking at one of those, look for maintenance records showing that the plugs have been recently changed. I loved my 2004 4.6 liter I had and wish I still had it.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Each brand has its strengths and weaknesses. I have to disagree with 'Zilla regarding interior quality. But he likes Fords so he is not a quality source of info anyway.

When one of the Big 3 holds an advantage over the others it is seldom for long. Competition has improved all of them tremendously.

When Pop bought his 2012 GMC 4WD he traded in his '99 GMC 4WD. That truck had 287K on it and still ran beautifully. The truck was not perfect but it still brought top dollar at trade in.

I would not hesitate to buy either a GM or a Ford with 100K on it. I have no recent experience with Dodge outside their diesels. Any of the Big 3 diesels (excluding Ford's 6.0 and 6.4) can easily break 300K.

 

[SoCalFJR1300]

If you are shopping in the 2004-2008 range, you might steer clear of the 5.4 liter engines. Do a google for that with the term "Spark Plugs" and read the horror stories. Ford fixed it I think halfway through the 2008 model year with a different plug design but the older design had a bad way of having carbon buildup and seize the plugs causing them to break off resulting in a very expensive repair. Many of those happened also way before the recommended change interval. Issues with the cam phasers too.

Yep.

The problem is with the 3 valve 5.4 TRITON motor.

The issue is, Ford used a 2 piece plug and not a solid plug so if people left them in close to the 100,000 mile recommended change they would be frozen in the head and they would "snap" off when trying to remove them.

FORD has a 11 page bulletin with instructions on how to minimize the breaking of the plugs. Many people still paid $1,500 or more for a plug change because the dealer charged them extra if the plug snapped....for EACH plug......some would even drop INSIDE the head!

FORD has a special tool designed to help remove the plugs.

The key is to remove the plugs at like 40 or 50,000 miles and put some anti-seize compound on them and reinsert.

There is also an issue with sparkplugs coming loose and shooting through the hood of the truck! Lack of threads is said to be the problem there.

Go to the F-150 website....hundreds of complaints about broken plugs in the head.

 

[SoCalFJR1300]

When Pop bought his 2012 GMC 4WD he traded in his '99 GMC 4WD. That truck had 287K on it and still ran beautifully. The truck was not perfect but it still brought top dollar at trade in.

No vehicle with 287,000 miles brings in "top dollar" at trade in.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

When Pop bought his 2012 GMC 4WD he traded in his '99 GMC 4WD. That truck had 287K on it and still ran beautifully. The truck was not perfect but it still brought top dollar at trade in.

No vehicle with 287,000 miles brings in "top dollar" at trade in.

Some people will do anything for an argument.

They gave Dad more for his trade in than the KBB retail listing for excellent condition. Before you start telling me how they got it back by charging more for the new truck, they did not. Of the three dealerships we dealt with, two of the three offered us above KBB retail excellent condition, but they all wanted the same money for the new truck.

We all have our own definition of "Top Dollar". When a dealership offers more than the KBB trade in value and goes above retail excellent, that fits my definition.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Sorry boys...There's a reason the Ford F-150 has been the best selling truck for around 40 years in a row. Ford builds the best selling heavy duty truck for a reason. Mile for mile, dollar for dollar, they build the best truck on the road. Even with the problem laden 6L PowerStroke diesel, Ford heavy duty trucks outsold Chevy and Dodge. That Dodge Cummins is great. The rest is trash.

As far as the spark plug thing...We have an '05 Expedition with the 5.4. Same engine as the trucks, and it has been flawless...Sounds sort of like the BMW final drive issue.

The reason I'm not big on Chevy interiors is due to work. My first two cop cars were Chevy Caprices. With the LT1 motors, those things had balls. However, a Caprice with 100k was talking apart inside, while a Crow Vic with the same mileage was in much better shape.

Ever wonder why the most popular police car in the country is a Ford? The few Impalas we have require rotor replacement at every brake job. The Chargers are cool looking, fast, pieces of ****. Everything from melting brake lines to bad trannies. After the demise of the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, my department is transitioning to Ford Police Interceptor AWD SUVs.

For a while we almost went to Tahoes. Our mechanics division made us a deal to stay with Fords. The Chevys fall apart and they didn't want all the extra work. When we auction our used up cars, the Fords always bring more money.

If I was going to buy a high mileage truck, it would be a Ford. Not because of my opinion, but because of what I have witnessed.

 

[lnewlf]

The only reason Ford 150 is the top selling truck is because Chevy and it's sister GMC are not counted together. I know Ford "has a better idea" but the spark plug problem is an example of stupid engineering. I really love the vacuum operated 4x4 system too. Sucks moisture thru spinning 4 inch o-rings and freezes the hub. How about using vacuum only when in 4 wheel drive instead of the other way around. Don't get me started on the v 6 with the timing belt on the back of the engine...

yeah-I could rant on GM too..just try to get the tank strap bolts off a Trailblazer, Envoy, Bravada...don't bother, just cut the dm straps..

Engineers are stupid like a fox..my bud paid $1600 to the dealer for a plug change on his F150.

 

[ionbeam]

Vehicle #1 @ 150k miles: A long lasting reliable truck.

Vehicle #2 @ 150k miles: Still running but well past its prime.

Just because a vehicle survives to 150k miles does not necessarily make it a good car/truck. I had the misfortune to drive a 150k mile Kia which demonstrated that the ability to run does not necessarily make it a good vehicle. It sucked when new and went down hill from there. In the defense of the Kia, it did take out Bambi and only suffered only a few wads of hair stuck in the grill and under the 'chrome' items on the hood with no other damage. In defense of the Kia part 2: it was given to me after it hit the end of life and it still wasn't a good deal, even for free.

We have an additional problem here in the Rust Belt where salt and other road treatments just eat the vehicles alive. Many may still have a sound engine and drive train but the body and brake parts has been consumed. It sucks trying to work on a severely rusted vehicle, things crumble and snap off making repair impossible.

 

[Geezer]

As you can read from most of the posts here, you can find a perfectly good truck with 150k miles on it and not worry about reliability. If you are buying from a dealer there may be a warranty. If not then the price should reflect the risk.

Things to look at:

1) Transmission - Most trucks have automatic transmissions these days. I like to do the old fashioned thing and pull the dipstick and smell the fluid for a burnt smell. Burnt is bad. Fluid that looks brand new means they changed ti and that may also indicate a problem. Drive it and make sure it shifts properly. If it has 4-wheel drive then verify all possible ways to use it and make sure they all behave as expected.

2) As you are testing the transmission listen for any clunks in the drive train when switching from forward to reverse and back again to verify the U-joints.

3) Look for leaks where shafts plug into the transmission, transfer case, and differential. A small leak is typical, but a big leak is trouble. Even a small leak is a good bargaining point.

4) Brakes need to work properly. Test the ABS if present. Most likely to give trouble is the emergency brake becaue the cable and other parts are prone to rust and binds. You can tell a lot about the condition of the brakes by inspecting the rotors. Deep lines in the rotors indicate wear and may require replacement.

5) Belts and hoses - obviously make sure they are in good shape. Belts should have minimal visible crasks and hoses should look fresh with no cracks and not bulge near where they attach.

6) General appearance of the cabin and exterior are obvious, but rust underneath is the real problem. Look carefully at the chassis and f it is very rusty then verify that the points where components attach are solid. Look for rusty brake lines and fuel lines while you are under there.

In general, the heavier the truck the more abuse and wear it will take before it gives you trouble. A 'half-ton; pickup is made out of lighter components than a '1-ton' and will wear earlier and rust out sooner.

I hope some of this is helpful and good luck with your new truck.

 

[AVGeek]

I have a Ford E-350 based motorhome...chassis is a 2002 model, while the coach was completed in 2003 (split model years are not that uncommon in motorhomes). I bought it from El Monte RV (yea, it was a rental unit) 9 years ago, when it had 94K miles...it now has 126K miles on all original components (I did receive the service records when I bought it). It has the 6.8L Triton V10, and its rock solid. The unit is a 23 footer, so its big motor, little home, and has no problem pulling my little 6x12 box trailer like it isn't even there, and I seem to average about 12MPG doing it (not bad for a 10K vehicle at full hotel load with the aerodynamics of a brick).

 

[Old Guy]

I'm shopping for a Ford F-150 in the 2005 to 2010 model years. The default seems to be trucks with high mileages. I'm seeing 100,000 to 150,000 miles all the time and some even higher. What's the opinion on buying a high mileage rig? Could save some money on the purchase price, but sheesh a 2009 with 100k seems tired already!
Cheers!

On the other hand, a 4-year-old truck with 100k on the clock has probably been on the highway a majority of its life. Highway mileages is about the easiest mileage a vehicle can do. It's probably unlikely the owner averaged 25,000 miles a year in stop-and-go city traffic. If the truck was maintained properly and driven mostly highway, it should have at least another 100k in it. I've got a buddy with a 2000 Tundra with 250k on the clock, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy it right now if I needed it.

If the price is right and the records are available on the truck, I wouldn't hesitate. I actually bought a '97 Cavalier in 2006 that already had 132,000 miles on it. I parked my V8 pickup and commuted in it until I retired this year and put 108,000 more miles on it before selling it with 240,000 miles on it. At that time, it was using about a pint of oil every 4000 miles and was -- I think -- still on the original transmission.