Time for new to me truck

T

Theeaterofshades

New member
Hi all,

I am starting to look at used trucks. Currently I am driving a 2007 Ford Explorer XLT V8 (that was bought new) that is starting to rust out. I no longer need the 3rd row seats and have both 2nd and 3rd rows normally folded down anyhow. I am looking at 2017 or newer and really want to be under $29,000. My dad has always had f-150s with the exception of a silverado in the early 2000s which had horrible turn radius and we both overall did not like. So I am leaning ford, but am open to other choices. I do a lot of hunting and ice fishing so 4x4 is required. I also am looking to buy a camper, trailer for hauling dirt/wood/wood chips, and a fishing boat in the future, so hauling will be used. It will likely be a long term vehicle for me (as I am working remotely, I will not be racking up daily miles) and Wisconsin winters means tons of salt, so rust resistance of the body is important to me as well What recommendations on models, years, and engines do you have? What should I be looking for when checking out uses trucks?

Thanks!

Matt
 
Theeaterofshades said:
Hi all,

I am starting to look at used trucks. Currently I am driving a 2007 Ford Explorer XLT V8 (that was bought new) that is starting to rust out. I no longer need the 3rd row seats and have both 2nd and 3rd rows normally folded down anyhow. I am looking at 2017 or newer and really want to be under $29,000. My dad has always had f-150s with the exception of a silverado in the early 2000s which had horrible turn radius and we both overall did not like. So I am leaning ford, but am open to other choices. I do a lot of hunting and ice fishing so 4x4 is required. I also am looking to buy a camper, trailer for hauling dirt/wood/wood chips, and a fishing boat in the future, so hauling will be used. It will likely be a long term vehicle for me (as I am working remotely, I will not be racking up daily miles) and Wisconsin winters means tons of salt, so rust resistance of the body is important to me as well What recommendations on models, years, and engines do you have? What should I be looking for when checking out uses trucks?

Thanks!

Matt
Click to expand...
Hey Matt! Welcome to the forum. I'd say if you look for a Ford 2017 or newer, you'd be good for the body rust. They went aluminum and it doesn't rust like steel. You'll need to protect or keep an eye on the frame.

For the F-150 you really have a choice between a V8 or an EcoBoost. The EcoBoost will feel faster than the V8 but if you drive it like a rocket, you'll be stopping at a lot of gas stations. The V8 sounds better from an exhaust note point of view, but it will feel slower if you drive them back to back.

Buying a used truck is like buying anything used. Get a CarFax report, inspect it or have it inspected and drive it of course to see what you think. Nothing special there.
 
I'd say the same, F150. You are already comfortable with the interior and layout so why not? Individual vehicle condition is most important on a used one.
 
Hi Matt and Welcome! I'm BenInBeta so I would say drive something from every brand with the price/features you like if you don't have brand loyalty. Each vehicle has advantages/disadvantages, but if you drive them all you'll likely find the best truck for you. Then make sure you do the checks Tim mentioned above and see if you can get something with good service records.
 
Theeaterofshades said:
Hi all,

I am starting to look at used trucks. Currently I am driving a 2007 Ford Explorer XLT V8 (that was bought new) that is starting to rust out. I no longer need the 3rd row seats and have both 2nd and 3rd rows normally folded down anyhow. I am looking at 2017 or newer and really want to be under $29,000. My dad has always had f-150s with the exception of a silverado in the early 2000s which had horrible turn radius and we both overall did not like. So I am leaning ford, but am open to other choices. I do a lot of hunting and ice fishing so 4x4 is required. I also am looking to buy a camper, trailer for hauling dirt/wood/wood chips, and a fishing boat in the future, so hauling will be used. It will likely be a long term vehicle for me (as I am working remotely, I will not be racking up daily miles) and Wisconsin winters means tons of salt, so rust resistance of the body is important to me as well What recommendations on models, years, and engines do you have? What should I be looking for when checking out uses trucks?

Thanks!

Matt
Click to expand...
If turning radius is really important to you, I would suggest driving the previous generation Tundra to see how you like it. I have a 2018 and was surprised at how tight it turns. If you are worried about salt, you probably should look into an undercoat like Fluid Film. I watch a channel called Farming Fixing & Fabricating quite a bit. They have a dairy farm in NY. He has a few really good videos about Fluid Film and applying it. They put it on all the vehicles as soon as they buy them.
 
Theeaterofshades said:
Hi all,

I am starting to look at used trucks. Currently I am driving a 2007 Ford Explorer XLT V8 (that was bought new) that is starting to rust out. I no longer need the 3rd row seats and have both 2nd and 3rd rows normally folded down anyhow. I am looking at 2017 or newer and really want to be under $29,000. My dad has always had f-150s with the exception of a silverado in the early 2000s which had horrible turn radius and we both overall did not like. So I am leaning ford, but am open to other choices. I do a lot of hunting and ice fishing so 4x4 is required. I also am looking to buy a camper, trailer for hauling dirt/wood/wood chips, and a fishing boat in the future, so hauling will be used. It will likely be a long term vehicle for me (as I am working remotely, I will not be racking up daily miles) and Wisconsin winters means tons of salt, so rust resistance of the body is important to me as well What recommendations on models, years, and engines do you have? What should I be looking for when checking out uses trucks?

Thanks!

Matt
Click to expand...
If you find something you like have a mechanic do a visual inspection to give you more peace of mind. I would pull the dipstick and smell the oil to check for a gas odor. Do the same with the tranny fluid if it has a dipstick. Always check for frame rot and run if you find any. Good luck and let us know what you wind up with. 👍
 
NMTRUCKER said:
If you find something you like have a mechanic do a visual inspection to give you more peace of mind. I would pull the dipstick and smell the oil to check for a gas odor. Do the same with the tranny fluid if it has a dipstick. Always check for frame rot and run if you find any. Good luck and let us know what you wind up with. 👍
Click to expand...
Smell the oil? Try that on a 2025 Ram 1500! LOL. I couldn't hold back. Sorry. I'll see myself out.
 
Theeaterofshades said:
Which f-150 engine choice is longer lasting (mileage wise) 3.5 Eco v6 or the 5.0 Coyote v8?
Click to expand...
Oh man, that's question that could be argued longer than those engines would last. Statistically, the 3.5 because of the added complexity will add to issues, but I would not hesitate to buy one. There are just too many variables, and the total numbers really matter. Say 10 out of 1000 5.0s don't make it to 200K miles and the number of 3.5s is 15. Wow, a 50% increase! But it's only 5 engines out of 1000.
 
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