SFR New used truck - potentially

Sorta fishing-related
wanderingrichard said:
Just realized, while I've been a Ford guy most of my life, I really don't like their SYNCH or the clumsy and almost useless navigation system they use.

SYNCH could be so much better, but there's rarely updates to it after the 1st 2-3 years of each generations introduction. I might be wrong but I think their license with Microsoft is holding them back.

Their navigation requires an expensive SD card which is am option, but the whole interface and set up are crap. The touch screen lags heavily, if it works at all, it's not properly oriented, it's too far down in the dash to not be a distracted driver issue, and I could probably name a few more things if I thought about it

When we had the Fusion Energi, (14) I'd found an aftermarket unit that replaced the existing display with a far superior format and product. I almost bought it.

Trouble is, if you pull a SYNCH unit out of the car, you end up with a lot of sudden other issues you didn't have before because of how deeply embedded that system is into the basic function of the vehicle.

Anyone else notice this?
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Android auto and whatever the Apple equivalent is are the way. Uses the navigation and music from your phone.
 
Get into a decent sized '50. Used to be an old '50 out back the shop. One day had the whole '50 line in the lot!!! The guy came up to the group and said he recommended buying into the '50 series, by purchasing a decent sized 150 OR UP. Demandes that we invest heavily.

"NO ONE WALKS OFF THE LOT WITHOUT PAYING ME" is the kind of confidence you wanna see in the SALES guys
 
I would keep looking and really narrow down your choices to one or two. Clearly identify minimum requirements versus nice to have's. Buying with emotions is not a good time to buy. Once you narrow your choice, then watch for good deals with proper vehicle maintenance history. Consider buying from a private party so you can avoid dealer markup, profit and salesman salary. The difference could pay for the extended warranty which sounds like a very idea...

Regarding extended warranty, not a lot of experience here. But I have 'heard ' buying one from a dealer is way more expensive than when buying through your lending institution. Dealers make money on extended warranties with their markup. Hope others can help out here...
 
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The increasing auto electronics failure replacement costs is changing the yes/no of purchasing extended warranties. Daughter bought a 10yr/100k Gold warranty on her low mile used Subaru Outback at a cost of $3000. When her navigation/control screen failed the warranty covered the 4K replacement cost as well as another 3K in mechanical repairs over the years since purchase. And the warranty covered free loaners for duration of repairs.

There's a lot of ranking info about the various third party warranty companies, all requiring a successful cost negotiation between the warranty company and the dealership/repair shop before repairs can start. With a dealer warranty there is none of that.

And there is no need to purchase an extended warranty at time of sale for a vehicle still under factory warranty, it can be purchased at any time while the vehicle is still covered. A good way to get the best price on an extended factory warranty, which usually have high markups, is to price shop it to multiple dealerships and then ask your local dealer to match the best price you found.

With the enormous demand and price increase for computer chips due to the surge in mega data centers, having an extended repair warranty on the new chip intensive vehicles has become mandated vs optional.
 
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fatbillybob said:
That's what I like to see...people who fix things!
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Well, it wasn't technically "broke." I just decided the 26yr old CD/Tape player combo had lived beyond its usefulness. Unfortunately, Ford decided it was going to invent its own din sizes back in these times, so it takes some cutting to get anything aftermarket in the dash,
 
skyriver said:
Man, I go on vacation and @flybill starts a truck thread? already at 6 pages? :ROFLMAO: Well I better spew my truck experiences on here then.

Current truck, that I bought on Feb 27 2020 (right before covid), is a 2013 F150 FX4 SuperCrew 6.5' bed 4WD V8. It only had 34k miles and was "only" $28,685, which was a crazy good deal just a year later. I almost bought a nice Ram Laramie over in Spokane, but the F150 popped up in Issaquah the day before I was headed for Spokane. The Laramie was only $33k and also low mileage. Pre-covid trucks...
Of course, now we have post, now pre, now whatever tariff trucks. What a mess. Anyhoo...

What I like-
- V8 reliability. I don't want to start a huge debate here, but the Ecoboost V6s have had their share of issues. You're always taking a risk with turbos. We ended up selling our 2018 Audi Q5 2.0 turbo because of a oil consumption problem. Audi thought they had solved it, but nope. That thing was the nicest car we've ever owned. Well, besides the horrible infotainment system. See below... 😁

- Leather seats are really comfortable

- 6.5" bed is good for sleeping (I'm 6'3"), boats, rafts, etc.

- As silly as it may sound for a truck, the infotainment system! I read all sorts of nightmares about Microsoft Sync in Ford trucks. Well, they must've solved them by 2013 because it's the best I've ever had. And we've had Audi, Volvo and Honda that were all newer that suck. My bluetooth syncs and Spotify will be playing before I get my seatbelt on and put it in drive.

What I don't like-
- gas mileage. It sucks. The Coyote V8 is a great motor, but you're not going to get more than 15 or 16mph with a FX4 SuperCrew 6.5' bed truck. Just too heavy. And the Yote is a high rever. I get 15 overall. Now, I'm a 7 over the speed limit guy so on I-90 that means 77. If I'm cruising a county or state hwy and only doing 50-60 it probably gets about 17. It's NEVER gotten more than 18. Anyone that tells you they do is hopelessly optimistic, the slowest driver ever or a flat out liar. Haha! Slight asterisk below...

- The stock FX4 shocks are crap. If you have a 2009-2014 FX4, or any model for that matter, do yourself a favor...replace the stock shocks, front and back with Bilstein 5100s. This is what should've come on the FX4s, but someone at Ford screwed the pouch big-time. There is no comparison. Mind you, mine only had 34k miles on it when I got it and they were crap. My buddy's are crap. Just do it!

- The optional F250 mirrors. They are great for towing. Besides that, they suck. They're too big. They block your view when turning, decrease gas mileage*, shine headlights from behind into your eyes, get really dirty and make the already full-sized truck even wider. Most F250s actually have smaller mirrors than my F150. Haha!

- Stripper pole. The pole was handy for climbing up the tailgate step, but made the tailgate surface very unfriendly for stacking stuff and the knees. I did the popular stripper pole delete. See mods list next.

Mods or adds-
- LED bed lights
- Stubby antenna. This is cheap and stock one is like a damn flag pole.
- 2" extension on running boards: The FX4 ones are too close to the truck. I moved them out. Very happy.
4x6" piece of 1/4" steel x4 (2 4"x6" pieces hack in half) spray painted to fight corrosion.
1/4"x1" stainless bolts, nuts, washers and lock washers 16 count
2 bolts long enough to replace the inside OEM rail bolt since 1/4" steel makes the OEM bolt too short. 2 lock washers for those bolts.
- Canopy- Used Leer 100XL in matching Sterling Gray. Found on OfferUp. Had to go to Salem to get it.
- Stripper pole delete
Added Hooke Road ABS tailgate board
- Replacement tires at 73k- SUMITOMO ENCOUNTER AT I really like them.
- Bilstein 5100s at 75k miles- Should have done it immediately! Best mod you can buy.

Fixes-
- T Pipe Coolant leak- Fixed in January 2024, but then had another one so had Iron Mike in Maple Valley replace all those cheap stock parts. Some plastic was replaced with alloy parts.
- At 76,900 I fixed 1000rpm rattle from broken clamp on muffler/heat shield. $5 stainless 2 3/4" clamp from Home Depot.

I think she's purty. Here she is on the way home from Salem with the only used color matched canopy I found in the entire west coast. Half the price of a new one. Got lucky there.
View attachment 178915

6.5' bed is good for camping.

View attachment 178916

Previous truck-
2000 F150 Supercab Sport 4.6L V8 2WD

This might be the best vehicle we've ever owned. I traded in a nice 1998 Toyota SR5 T-100 king cab 4WD 5pd for it. The T-100 was nice, but the clutch was really stiff and the seats were not comfortable. No back doors either. And only a 6' bed.

The F150 was in Burlington and only had 14k miles on it. Still smelled new.

It was a great commuter, boat puller and dirt bike hauler. Both boys ended up driving it during their high-school years. It's last fishing trip was to the John Day in 2019. I was arranging my shuttle with Wendy at Gorge Outfitters when she saw a big puddle of coolant under the truck. The $10.65 plug between the motor and tranny had failed. She still agreed to do the shuttle and it didn't strand the driver or me. I had to spend $30 on coolant to get home, but she made it! That was at 199k miles. EDIT: The repair was going to cost $3100 so I sold it for $800 cash to a dude that runs a fairly large landscape company. They buy trucks just like that and fix them up for their crew. There's no doubt in my mind it's probably got 250k on it by now and going strong.
View attachment 178918

Good luck!
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While I am not currently looking, this F150 is the setup and configuration I hope to have some day! From bed length to canopy to engine...I am envious! I appreciate the write up and details @skyriver .
 
Mike Ediger said:
While I am not currently looking, this F150 is the setup and configuration I hope to have some day! From bed length to canopy to engine...I am envious! I appreciate the write up and details @skyriver .
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Like I said, I have the exact same truck and can back up the endorsement. The interior is even a style where people get in and don't believe me that it's 13yrs old. If you can find a good one, don't hesitate.
 
That's the thing though!! Fact I knew a guy who claimed to be riggin up parts from 250's amd 350's to make himself AN 850!!!!!! Scrunging up PARTS to engineer an 850. Hallfwau to 18 wheeler caboose. Guaranteed hes finishes by now!!! If you see AN 850 POWERFORD then you know its him!!!
 
What year, engine, configuration etc. of the F150 do folks think is the best?

Sounds like newer isn’t worth the money and ecoboost has mixed reviews.
 
cole_p said:
What year, engine, configuration etc. of the F150 do folks think is the best?

Sounds like newer isn’t worth the money and ecoboost has mixed reviews.
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I'd read through the last several pages.
 
Just for science.. summarized by ChatGPT! The one with the Coyote engine.. haha, not!

========================

🚗​

🛻​

Engine options and years

  • Many replies circle back to the older F-150s with the “Coyote” V-8 engine, which is a 5.0 L naturally aspirated V8 used in mid-2000s through later models — people were specifically asking which model years are best for this engine before changes came in.
  • Other F-150 engines mentioned elsewhere in the thread include various EcoBoost V6 options (2.7L and 3.5L twin-turbo engines) that are popular in more recent F-150 generations. These are widely used from model years ~2015 onward and are praised for torque/performance balance, though opinions on long-term reliability vary generally among owners. (This aligns with broader F-150 engine breakdowns from automotive sources, but is consistent with what owners talk about in the forum.)
Reliability and ownership experiences

  • One commenter mentions owning a 2013 F-150 FX4 SuperCrew V8 that was bought used with low miles and speaks positively (reliable, solid).
  • Another poster was weighing older trucks (likely 2000s–2010s) vs newer ones, with discussions about buying outright older trucks to avoid payments and anecdotal reliability.

🛠️​

Forum members generally focused on these reliability points:

  • Coyote-powered F-150s (older 5.0 L V8) are seen as durable and simple by some — with the implication that many owners trust them as long-lasting engines if well maintained.
  • Newer EcoBoost engines (2.7 L and 3.5 L turbo V6s) are often debated: some like their power-to-weight and fuel economy tradeoffs, others are cautious about potential long-term costs — a common topic among pickup owners (even outside this thread).
  • Years matter: people are asking “which model years are best” — how changes over generations affected things like reliability, drivetrain updates, and electronics complexity.

🧠​

F-150 Engine & Year Summary (based on the vibe of the forum posts around page 5–7):

  • If you want simpler and proven reliability, older trucks with the Coyote 5.0 L V-8 (mid-2000s to early 2010s) are frequently brought up.
  • Newer engines like the EcoBoost V6s (2.7 L/3.5 L) are recognized for better fuel economy and torque but are more modern and sometimes debated for cost of ownership.
  • Many owners in the thread share anecdotes of high mileage and satisfaction with older trucks — the exact experience varies by individual.
==============================
AI command:
summarize the engine choices, years of the f150's and other trucks and reliability of the trucks in https://pnwflyfishing.com/forum/ind...ed-truck-potentially.12609/page-7#post-282529
 
goinoregon said:
hmmmmm, lots of wires in there. i put a radio/cassetted deck in my 1974 triumph spitfire. there might have been 3 wires.
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I think I had to connect (went with butt connectors instead of soldering) maybe about 12-14 wires. Positive and negatives for four speakers, then the power, key triggers, and backup cam triggers. The rest of those won't get used in my configuration, so they'll just hang there. The wiring bundles that ship with these have every possible wire in them, which most rigs won't end up using. It's not as difficult as it looks - mostly just matching colors and sticking them together. This was in the 2000 F250, so pretty analog and simple. Anything a few years newer and onwards has a Canbus system, which can change the process some, but not necessarily more difficult.
 
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