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Would you buy an F150 Sport (2003) with 150k miles?
- Thread starter jrz
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You will likely get a variety of answers on this due to many factors
Some won't like trucks
Some will be loyal to brands
Some are not in the market and will say "no"
I happen to like trucks, and Ford trucks (2006 F150 4x4)
I can't speak to the price particularly, but my truck has almost 100,000 miles and is in excellent shape
You say it is beautiful inside and out
Are there any maintenance records?
Why not have a mechanic check it out for peace of mind?
Some won't like trucks
Some will be loyal to brands
Some are not in the market and will say "no"
I happen to like trucks, and Ford trucks (2006 F150 4x4)
I can't speak to the price particularly, but my truck has almost 100,000 miles and is in excellent shape
You say it is beautiful inside and out
Are there any maintenance records?
Why not have a mechanic check it out for peace of mind?
This. When buying a used car, unless you're a mechanic yourself, having someone else who has expertise and is not emotionally invested in the sale or purchase of the vehicle to look at it is very important.
Also, ask for maintenance records. If the truck has been taken care of as well as it looks, the owners would be more likely to be the type to have kept meticulous maintenance records. Oil and filter changes, tune-ups, etc.
Definitely ask if you could test drive and take the truck to a trusted mechanic. They won't be able to spot everything, but they'll likely be able to tell you what looks good, what might need work in the future, and the like.
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It depends.
If you have the expertise to maintain higher mileage vehicles yourself, or are willing to put in the money to properly maintain them, they can be great deals. My wife's cousin buys higher mileage trucks or SUVs (100-150k miles on them) on the cheap, fixes them up, and routinely drives them for another 100-150k miles. Granted, he works on cars and trucks for a living, but he's saved a ton of money on his vehicles over the years.
For me it would depend on what I am in the market for...
Type of vehicle
My budget
Condition of the vehicle
Too many factors to mention
Not everyone can afford a newer, low mileage vehicle
And researching the best deal on an older, higher mileage vehicle is warranted
10 years and 150k = about 15k per year, which is normal and reasonable use IMO
Again, I can't speak to price because I haven't looked into it
I would also look to see if there were trailers towed etc. This can add "mileage" if you will to a truck since they are now putting more strain on the drive train.
That is a good point, but hard to quantify
My F150 has a trailer hitch, but I have only towed a very small trailer twice
If the owner doesn't disclose honestly, there is very little way to tell otherwise
Local Ford F150 advertisement...
Is on my MacRumors page, does anyone else have a similar targeted ad?
Is on my MacRumors page, does anyone else have a similar targeted ad?
Going by the Kelly Blue Book in my area that truck would range from $3,300 to $4,700. Depending on the installed options and the condition for a private party sale. $7,000 is way too much.
At $4,700 the truck should be in excellent condition, meaning it looks like it just came off the showroom floor inside and out. Not a fleck of rust, smudge of grease, knick, dent, ding or stain. There should be a service log showing that the oil, transmission fluid, gear oil, radiator fluid were all changed at the manufacturers suggested intervals. Then it should pass a detailed mechanics inspection.
Go to kbb.com and punch in all the correct info for the truck you are interested in. Pay attention to the descriptors for Fair, Good, Very Good and Excellent condition.
http://www.kbb.com/car-values/
For $7K you could get a newer F-150 with lower miles.
At $4,700 the truck should be in excellent condition, meaning it looks like it just came off the showroom floor inside and out. Not a fleck of rust, smudge of grease, knick, dent, ding or stain. There should be a service log showing that the oil, transmission fluid, gear oil, radiator fluid were all changed at the manufacturers suggested intervals. Then it should pass a detailed mechanics inspection.
Go to kbb.com and punch in all the correct info for the truck you are interested in. Pay attention to the descriptors for Fair, Good, Very Good and Excellent condition.
http://www.kbb.com/car-values/
For $7K you could get a newer F-150 with lower miles.
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All good things. Thanks for the feedback. I keep reading about Ford pickups getting 300K (or up to 500K) miles and I think, that has to be the exception. But I dont really know. I will drive it (on average) less than 20 miles per day so it will not get heavy use. Ill follow up with the dealer and find out the history a bit more.
Kbb
About KBB values, I see the value of this truck should not be over about $4770. But then I went to autotrader to find comparable trucks, and seeing all of them are priced at $7K and above. If KBB is the standard- can I demand a price of say, $4770 and walk if they cant get there?
About KBB values, I see the value of this truck should not be over about $4770. But then I went to autotrader to find comparable trucks, and seeing all of them are priced at $7K and above. If KBB is the standard- can I demand a price of say, $4770 and walk if they cant get there?
Ford trucks in my experience should last well beyond 150K. I sold my Explorer 4x4 with 220k trouble free miles for a AWD Mountaineer. Currently at 135k and only minor repairs ( passenger window motor and radiator.) My best friend has a 2005 4x4 F150 with 220k on it and it is going strong and looks great. Price is a touch high, but you don't say whether the truck is 4x4 or not. Having a mechanic look it over is great advice. Expect to pay about $150 for a thorough inspection.
As long as its been looked after a diesel lasts until at lasts until 300k upwards dont be put off by milage as long as its a kosher service history with an honest garage
That would be my thought on it.
I would say an even bigger fat no if it was going to be a primary vehicle.
Now if you were getting it for those times were it is just really nice to have a truck that is another story. My parents own a 95 ram and it gets driven maybe once weekish and I will say it depends on the condition.
Now my parents have owned that ram since 2001. It sits in the driveway most of the time but it does work. Hell I used it a few weeks ago to move.
Funny thing about trucks is that KBB values and Edmunds values are typically way off. The demand for trucks is very high and thus demand high prices. There are many types of vehicles that are like this but typically you cant get a truck for less than $5k.
While I wouldnt want to pay $7k for a 10 year old 150k mile truck, I fully believe that if its what you want and in the market for, its not a bad deal. The owner will have no problem selling it for that, especially in good condition.
We have an 03 Explorer XLT that has 226k+ miles on it and still running strong. She is disgusting as its our company car that all the employees use for deliveries and nobody bothers to take care of or clean, but she runs strong. She could probably clean up pretty well if I took the time. I wouldn't hesitate to drive it cross country though and its towed trailers with multiple motorcycles on many many long trips, as well as hauls very heavy deliveries all the time.
While I wouldnt want to pay $7k for a 10 year old 150k mile truck, I fully believe that if its what you want and in the market for, its not a bad deal. The owner will have no problem selling it for that, especially in good condition.
We have an 03 Explorer XLT that has 226k+ miles on it and still running strong. She is disgusting as its our company car that all the employees use for deliveries and nobody bothers to take care of or clean, but she runs strong. She could probably clean up pretty well if I took the time. I wouldn't hesitate to drive it cross country though and its towed trailers with multiple motorcycles on many many long trips, as well as hauls very heavy deliveries all the time.
It depends on many factors.
Was it properly maintained? Oil changes, other repairs etc.. Did the owner rag on it or take decent care of it?
I own a 2003 F150 Super Crew XLT FX4 and it has 170,000 miles on it. I take meticulous care of it and it still runs as good as the day I bought it brand new.
Contractors, carpenters, plumbers, roofers, HVAC, farmers, electricians, etc.
I'm with you though, that the majority of people driving around in humongous SUVs and trucks probably don't need them on a day-to-day basis. My wife and I have a Mazda3 for normal driving, and a Mercury Mariner for longer trips and our dogs. Our next vehicle will replace the Mazda3 and we've had our eyes on the Focus (especially after they brought the European version over to the States).
Why would most of those people not buy a van like a Ford Transit though? They offer better security for what you leave in the back and are much more weatherproof.
I know some of the jobs my brother-in-law (carpenter, framing) worked at didn't have the best maintained roads in and out of the job site... so his 4x4 came in quite handy then. It's also come in handy to help pull out some roots from another space that he was trying to clear of some trees. And if you've ever drywalled, it's usually better to buy longer sheets so as to minimize seams... those 12-foot sheets probably wouldn't have made it to the site intact in a Transit... I know for sure, it's come in quite handy for a few re-modeling projects he's helped us with.
Some people need trucks to do, or access their jobs... most people don't.
Would most people be better served by a car, and then renting/borrowing a truck when they need it? Sure. Then again, I'm sure a lot of people make their purchasing decisions on what they -might- use their truck/SUV for, rather than what they -actually- do (99% of the time).
Same could be said about some people who over-buy and get a Mac Pro, thinking or believing that they'll transcode hours of video, etc. When maybe an iMac would probably have better fit their normal day-to-day needs, while adequately handling the few hours of home movies that they actually ended up transcoding.
I'd be happier if it was the F-250. That's a heavy duty, true truck. The F-150 is a half ton and will wear out much faster.
Trucks stay on the road longer than cars because they're usually utilitarian work vehicles.
Trucks stay on the road longer than cars because they're usually utilitarian work vehicles.
Most vans are not rated to tow small construction equipment like a Bobcat. Those that are usually weigh more and get worst mileage than trucks. As they have the same frame and engine but more body.
They rarely meet the capacity of an eight foot bed. You can't handle oversized items well. With trucks you can lower the tailgate or lean a little over the side a little and strap down. A ladder rack is easier to load since some can be in the bed to assist sliding ladders and long boards on top.
For contractors that carry around a lot of inventory and tools such as plumbers or electricians the van makes perfect sense.
Mostly it is the people driving trucks with 6ft beds and the mini trucks are the ones that are getting a cool vehicle not one they need. The 8ft beds are not fashionable so those owners usually have a need. Since the 6ft bed is pretty useless for a lot of construction. Although the small beat up trucks are popular with gardners.