Used truck advice

[dreadi]

In 2017 I bought a used 2013 F-150 XLT 3.5 liter Ecoboost 4x4 SuperCrew standard sized bed with max tow package, 3.73 gear ratio, and 36 gallon fuel tank.  Here's what I like about it.

It hasn't let me down. It picks up and goes with pep. I can haul my whole elk camp without a trailer in one trip. It has plenty of space inside. 36 gallon tank is great for trips.  Adding my HAM radio was easy. Adding a light bar in the engine bay was easy, along with additional lights by the cab and additional reverse lights. All the things I like about it are strictly utilitarian. 

Here's what I don't like.
* The fuel economy is no better than my previous truck of 17 years, a 2000 Chevy Silverado LT V8 2wd.
*The buttons and knobs on the dash are too small and not placed with ergonomics and the least driver distraction in mind. Think, gloved hands or big fingers, and having to spot check what you are about to press. The Chevy had big knobs to climate control.
*The length of the wheel base lends to the truck having a bit of shudder when accelerating from a stop, loaded with a yard of soil or loaded for elk camp.
*SYNC is a garbage. It works most of the time. When it doesn't work, I have to pull over, shut the truck off, take the key out, open the door, shut the door, lock the vehicle, unlock the vehicle, crank up.  It's pretty much rebooting a computer.
*Waiting for the turbos to spool up.

In 2019 I took it in for body work (thanks valet parking). I was offered a loaner truck and I accepted the 2018 F-150 V8 they offered.  It had A LOT MORE GIDDY UP off the line from a dead start. No waiting for the turbos to spool up.  It was at that time I felt buyer's remorse.  However, I do not plan on getting a new truck until this truck has given up the ghost. It has been reliable.


I saw that Canadian trucks was mentioned earlier.  I took some notes when I was shopping and here's what I noted.  There was a lot of used F-150s on the market brought in from Canada. The easy ways to tell they were imported was to look at the front of the truck for a engine block heater plug. ALL of the Canadian imports had this accessory. Also, ALL of them were programmed to have Day Time Running Lights on ALL THE TIME.  Some people don't like that. Personally, I didn't care and they can be programmed at home with free software, a OBD to USB adapter and a computer.


If I had not been in a rush to get a replacement truck, I likely would haven't bought a different truck.  My Chevy had 275,000 miles on it and it needed a $1500 service on the heads. I was not going to pay that amount of money for a service on a vehicle of equal cash value.  One reason I choose Ford was that I wanted "something different". The Chevy was my first and only truck and I thought why not mix it up a bit. All my friends that I hunt with drove 4x4 Fords up in the Colockum and elsewhere during elk season and I knew from experience that I needed to get a 4 wheel drive truck if I was going to go places in typical foul weather or foul road conditions found up there, IF I was going to drive in it. My first time setting my own camp up there, I had my Chevy, and smartly did not drive a lot of places other did.  In fact, I once drove all the way down Colockum Rd and hung a left just to the windfarm because I was not trusting that the roads up there would allow me to pass in 2wd.  It worked out and I shot an elk 60 yards from the paved windfarm road.    OK, I'll get back on track.

When I was shopping, I took particular note that the F-250 trucks did not have features that I didn't want to pay for.  Their packages were much more inline with what I paid for when I bought the Chevy. I didn't have to pay for trim, when all I really wanted to pay for was utility.  The F-250 truck packages were much more utilitarian and that's what I desired.  I talked myself out of a 250 due to cost of ownership. What I do not remember is if there really would have been a significant cost of ownership difference.  Perhaps the 250 would have been a couple dollars more and perhaps it would have a comparatively higher re-sale value, knowing that I'm likely to keep the truck well past a 1/4 million miles and I've been driving about 12,000 miles a year for the past 6-7 years.

Surely that would all depend on the truck and it's condition. Example: My dad bought a 1999 F-350 Dually diesel, used, from a private party in '99 or '00. Last week he sold it for $12,000 with 110,000 miles on it. It has the 7.3 motor made by International and is supposed to be a 400,000 mile motor. The buyer came from three states away to get it.

[Stein]

Ford went to aluminum bodies in 2015 I believe, so that is a big difference.  I think it's something like 700 pounds lighter which noticeably helps in both mileage and acceleration as well as rust.

[BULLBLASTER]

I'm going to have to buy these things by the case, about to install my 3rd as I have a CEL on again 

2016 Colorado


whatever you buy, get a code reader tool, save a bunch of $

There are lots of reasons you'd get an evap leak code. Are you sure that's what's wrong with it?
What fault code are you getting?

The same one for gas cap not being tight, or this canister, or a micro fuel leak.
It's for like 3-4 things,  but I wipe the code, check my gas cap and assume a fuel line isn't leaking.   
Last two times have given me about 20K miles after this purge valve change. 

So ya it's an educated shot in the dark that this same purge valve has went bad again, but I can test it with a vacuum pump.

Do you top off your gas tank when you fill up?

[Pnwrider]

I'm going to have to buy these things by the case, about to install my 3rd as I have a CEL on again 

2016 Colorado


whatever you buy, get a code reader tool, save a bunch of $

There are lots of reasons you'd get an evap leak code. Are you sure that's what's wrong with it?
What fault code are you getting?

The same one for gas cap not being tight, or this canister, or a micro fuel leak.
It's for like 3-4 things,  but I wipe the code, check my gas cap and assume a fuel line isn't leaking.   
Last two times have given me about 20K miles after this purge valve change. 

So ya it's an educated shot in the dark that this same purge valve has went bad again, but I can test it with a vacuum pump.

Newer fords don’t have a gas cap 🤷‍♂️

[Pnwrider]

I am going to play the devils advocate here and ask why not stick with a Toyota? I have a 2017 Tundra and it has been a great truck, tows awesome, has a ton of power and a LOT more room than a Tacoma inside. I get 15-16 mpg in town and 17-18 on the highway. 10-12 when towing, but I have only ever towed trailers over 5K pounds. MPG would probably be better with a 3500 lb trailer. My dad has a 2007 Tacoma and gets 16-17 mpg driving city/highway and about 7 mpg when towing his 5000 lb camper. So what I'm saying is MPG are basically the same. Without going on and bashing on he big 3 I will just say don't rule out Toyota. MPG is everything when you consider, initial investment, reliability and resale value. I have two family members with Tundras one of which has 250K miles and the other has 120K miles. Both have never had a single mechanical or electrical issue. Just normal maintenance. My FIL has a new Ram and it's been back at the dealer multiple times already for various issues. It's already had to be towed twice...

I tried really hard to buy a tundra crew max. They’re so down on features in the upper trim levels compared to the competition and so outdated, I just couldn’t do it. Resale is amazing though and I tend to upgrade my truck before the warranty runs out so it was still tempting. FWIW my truck has spent significant time at the dealer so I’m looking forward to shop for a new one soon!

[KFhunter]

I'm going to have to buy these things by the case, about to install my 3rd as I have a CEL on again 

2016 Colorado


whatever you buy, get a code reader tool, save a bunch of $

There are lots of reasons you'd get an evap leak code. Are you sure that's what's wrong with it?
What fault code are you getting?

The same one for gas cap not being tight, or this canister, or a micro fuel leak.
It's for like 3-4 things,  but I wipe the code, check my gas cap and assume a fuel line isn't leaking.   
Last two times have given me about 20K miles after this purge valve change. 

So ya it's an educated shot in the dark that this same purge valve has went bad again, but I can test it with a vacuum pump.

Newer fords don’t have a gas cap 🤷‍♂️

Oh sorry, I didn't realize this was a ford only thread 

[Mudman]

What blows my mind is nobody seems to care about mpg anymore?   These new half ton power houses still suck fuel like a banshee!  New Godzilla 7.3 for example, or ecoboost maybe still real thirsty when ya "work" em.  Isnt that what a truck is for, work??   I will stick with my 12mpg towing diesel pig.  Unless gas can tow at 12mpg?   Maybe next truck will be a Tesla...

[Special T]

What blows my mind is nobody seems to care about mpg anymore?   These new half ton power houses still suck fuel like a banshee!  New Godzilla 7.3 for example, or ecoboost maybe still real thirsty when ya "work" em.  Isnt that what a truck is for, work??   I will stick with my 12mpg towing diesel pig.  Unless gas can tow at 12mpg?   Maybe next truck will be a Tesla...

The 7.3 is because fleet truck will rarely have diesel because the emission crap puts them in the shop too much. down time is more important than mileage. If it aint turning it aint earning! besides how many times do you need to be towed to the shop while on vacation before the fuel bill is a break even proposition?

[Stein]

What blows my mind is nobody seems to care about mpg anymore?   These new half ton power houses still suck fuel like a banshee!  New Godzilla 7.3 for example, or ecoboost maybe still real thirsty when ya "work" em.  Isnt that what a truck is for, work??   I will stick with my 12mpg towing diesel pig.  Unless gas can tow at 12mpg?   Maybe next truck will be a Tesla...

I don't know, they pretty much all get 20+MPG on the highway which is awesome in my book.  I moved from a 5.3 Chev to the 5.0 Ford and went from 15 to 21 mpg under identical situations on the highway - that's a 40% improvement!

I would guess the average F-150 owner is towing a pretty small percentage of the time and even then they do ok.  I find a hard time finding any fault with any of the engines in the lineup, Ford really jumped ahead of the competition in my book and this is coming from a lifetime Chevy driver, the 350 and then the 5.3 which are still very solid engines, but the current Ford engines are really a step ahead of anything I looked at.

[Mudman]

Good points, I guess I am just disappointed in all the tech not resulting in a gas engine with better mpg?  I wouldn't own a newer emission diesel unless $ didn't matter of course.  Or deleted?

[jackelope]

Good points, I guess I am just disappointed in all the tech not resulting in a gas engine with better mpg?  I wouldn't own a newer emission diesel unless $ didn't matter of course.  Or deleted?

There are plenty of ecoboost owners getting 25mph Highway. Get the little ecoboost and now you’re into the upper 20’s.  I’m not sure where your concern is coming from. Hell the 5.0 coyote motor will do low 20’s. The 3.5 with an average sized travel trailer will get you 13-15mpg all day. My early 2000’s half ton  Silverado got 13mpg empty around town and about 16 highway.

[jackelope]

I'm going to have to buy these things by the case, about to install my 3rd as I have a CEL on again 

2016 Colorado


whatever you buy, get a code reader tool, save a bunch of $

There are lots of reasons you'd get an evap leak code. Are you sure that's what's wrong with it?
What fault code are you getting?

The same one for gas cap not being tight, or this canister, or a micro fuel leak.
It's for like 3-4 things,  but I wipe the code, check my gas cap and assume a fuel line isn't leaking.   
Last two times have given me about 20K miles after this purge valve change. 

So ya it's an educated shot in the dark that this same purge valve has went bad again, but I can test it with a vacuum pump.

It’ll be a vacuum leak because the leak detection pump detected too much vacuum during a test. Not an actual fuel leak.  There are lots of things that would cause a leak detected fault code. And there are multiple leak codes also based on size of leak detected.

[jackelope]

Disable your rain sensing wipers in the settings. Left side steering wheel control.
settings — vehicle — driver assist (I think)
If you didn’t know that, there are probably lots of other things you’ll learn in there too.

Rain sensing wipers?  Really?  Christ, no wonder vehicles are so expensive.  As if all the safety and emmissions regulations havent jacked up the cost of vehicles enough, every year there are more and more unnecessary little things like rain sensing wipers getting tacked on to every damn vehicle.  How did we all possibly manage to get through life without rain sensing windshield wipers?

Rain sensing wipers have been a thing for more than 10 years. And they’re usually options. Not everything has them. Lots of bells and whistles will blow your mind if you think those are new   Wait till you’re driving one that steers for you and slows down for you when you’re in cruise control approaching a slower moving vehicle.

[Mudman]

Good points, I guess I am just disappointed in all the tech not resulting in a gas engine with better mpg?  I wouldn't own a newer emission diesel unless $ didn't matter of course.  Or deleted?

There are plenty of ecoboost owners getting 25mph Highway. Get the little ecoboost and now you’re into the upper 20’s.  I’m not sure where your concern is coming from. Hell the 5.0 coyote motor will do low 20’s. The 3.5 with an average sized travel trailer will get you 13-15mpg all day. My early 2000’s half ton  Silverado got 13mpg empty around town and about 16 highway.

Sorry but I meant a truck doing truck stuff and honestly I doubt those mpg #'s.  Manufacture claims and real life tow #'s aren't legit imop.  I do not believe an eco will tow a "normal" sized TT to Spokane with 14mpg.  I dunno I could be wrong (not the last time either) but I research these new trucks and reviews and they do not get that kind of mpg typically.   For sure I haven't experienced anyone claiming silly mpg like that.   Maybe an ecodiesel?

[dreadi]

Ford went to aluminum bodies in 2015 I believe, so that is a big difference.  I think it's something like 700 pounds lighter which noticeably helps in both mileage and acceleration as well as rust.

Earlier. My 2013 is aluminum body.