I've been mulling over my options for getting a 4x4 truck that I can drive next winter. Yesterday I went to a local auction house to see what was out there and what it would cost. I didn't stay for the whole auction (there were 700 vechicles) but I saw a 2001 4x4 F150 with the 5.4. The reserve price was $2000 and the winning bid was $1100 (Canadian Dollars) so after negotiation and fees it probably fell around $2000 which is what I had in mind for an initial budget.

The odometer was at 197,000 KM (122,396 Miles) so it was basically at the end of it's life. The body was in good condition except for a beat up tailgate but that's an easy fix. Now my plan was to buy in the spring and spend the summer making repairs to whatever I buy. So if I go with fixing up a truck like the one I described what do you think I'd be on the hook for? I have the disposable income to buy a new truck if I wanted to but I've already got a car payment and I'd really rather not.

It's tempting to invest the money in my current 78 F250 but it would take alot of work to get what I need out of it. I'd need to rebuild/replace the engine and transmission, do a 4x4 conversion, and when it was done I'd still get cripplingly bad gas mileage. Kind of an iffy proposition

I have the ability to fix up the 2001, only question is whether it's worth it?

 

122,396 isn't high mileage or "basically at the end of its like" for the 5.4L or the 4.6L. I've seen both engines in the high 300k before having mechanical failures.

 

Are you serious? How come no one has told me that?!

These trucks, if taken care of, will last forever. That sort of use is just beginning to put the truck into its paces, unless its been abused.

 

My ole 97 had 186,000 on the clock when I traded her in on the 07.It never let me down,and always performed flawlessly.At the miles showing on the truck you are lookin at(if its been maintained properly) you should indeed see it turn over 300,000.
Hell...Its just now gettin broken in!
Mine was the 4.2 long box,Automatic.

 

There are trucks out there with three times that mileage still running strong. Being its a Ford that is no surprise. I wouldnt be scared off it at all. Ford has a great reputation for dependability an long life.Ive been trying to find a used f 150 in these years an am having a hard time. people that have them wont give them up an when one is available there sold fast. Good Luck.

 

Well that's surprising in a good way. I expected you to tell me it would be a money hole. If that's the case I could buy the truck, spend some money on light maintenance and upgrades and have something reliable and safe to drive next winter (The ice removal is horrendus around here, it's common to see 500 or more accidents in a week). Thanks.

 

i just wrote off my 07 in an accident and thought id go a cheaper rout this time and i picked up a 98 supercab 4x4 with 169 000km wich i though was very low for that year of truck. my old 5.0 had 340 000 when i sold it ran excellent! thats a 5.0 though.
but i no a guy with well over 400 000 on his 4.6 . I bought this 98 an hoping to get another 1 or 200 thousand km out of it yet!

 

with only that many miles that truck was a steal of a deal. my '01 is coming up on 200,000 miles and it runs as good as ever.. *knock on wood*

 

i have a 2000 F150 it has 184,000 miles on it and never had any problems with it no leaks transmission shifts great, it worth buying

 

my 98 has 183k and change on it. Motor seems to run dam strong minus some hickups and general maintainance.

 

My F150 has 150,000 on it and runs great, general maintenance is all it has ever needed. I change the oil at 3,000 miles , I change it earlier when the oil color starts to change, sometimes around 2k(just one of my maintenance hangups!) I believe in excellent maintenance, I don't wait till it breaks then fix it, it's more expensive to wait till it breaks!

Do a search on Kelly Blue Book, Used vehicle values. That truck should be around 6,000 plus or minus, I didn't know the options the truck had on it.

 

my f150 has 243,000 miles on it no problems yet. thats with 35" tires and a 6" lift. hell the water pump is still the factory one. no smoke. trans still good,

 

I was just looking at some off the older 150s I know about today. The 97s through 99s. Its amazing how good the bodies look on these trucks. Very little rust an the paint looks great. They still look like new. Some other brands I wont mention names are really starting to rust that are only 4 to 5 years old. No wonder Ford has a real loyal following in trucks. There just built good.

 

Heck I not long ago picked up on a 97 XLT with the 4.2 (and it's woes of course head and intake gaskets) reg cab with 190k on the clock. And it felt like it only had 50k on it . Conpared to my 93 XL it rode like my Lincoln T.C. I can do the work myself I have it torn down right now.

I got it cheap and when I put it back together I should be able to get atleast 50k without a hiccup

 

I drive my 97 daily at 200k+ I drive it like it was an indi car in monte carlo, but I also take care of it, other then it needing new ball joints right now its never had a major failure and never let me down, it dosnt burn oil or use a ton of gas and I would drive it to alaska and back right now without worries. Point is a well taken care of truck will last however long you need it to last. And 120k isnt anything to worry about in my opinion