Hi, All.

First time poster here. I've owned two Ford trucks in my life (1997 diesel F250 extended cab with long bed & 1999 F150 (V8) extended cab 6.5' bed). My wife and I are upgrading our 1999 F150, and, after lots of searching, we're considering a 2013 F-150 4x4 SuperCrew with EcoBoost 3.5L V6 engine and Lariat (group 502a) package. The truck has around 37K miles and is in good condition.

We arrived at this truck for a couple reasons:

1) As a business, we travel fairly extensively for part of the year (winter) and need the in-cab storage space for cargo. We also need a bed to transport a relatively large booth--so a pick-up is essential unless we start towing a trailer behind an SUV. Our impression is that the F150 SuperCrew knocks the socks off any comparable vehicle in terms of available cargo space in the cab. The fuel efficiency of this engine is also a consideration.

2) Our budget was $28K to $32K give or take.

3) While we looked at a lot of newer XL and XLTs, my wife has a bad back that truly benefits from adjustable bucket seats during 8+ hour drives. The seat warmers are also nice, as is the dual climate control given that I run hot and she runs cold (we live in the far north :-)). Obviously there are some other nice bells and whistles in this equipment group. In short, it seemed to us to make sense to go with an older truck with a Lariat package rather than a newer truck with an XL or XLT package. I know we are also sacrificing some fuel efficiency here, as well as warranty (see below), but this is the way we are currently leaning and would appreciate thoughts.

4) Backcountry! We are avid anglers, hikers, boaters, etc., and this vehicle will certainly do double duty as a recreational vehicle. We don't anticipate much true off-road travel, but long logging road adventures are common where we live.

Our Concerns:

1) The truck only had a 3YR/36K mile warranty. Ford tells me that purchasing a 5-year/100,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty at time of purchase will cost somewhere between $2500 and $3200, pushing the truck beyond our budget's "give or take." Several of the other newer vehicles at which we have looked are covered out to 2022 and we can purchase a wrapped warranty for around $1300. Do we suck it up and find the money to buy the 5-year/100K extended warranty on this truck, or should we really be leaning to a newer truck?

2) The EcoBoost is still a new engine and this is an early one. I know opinions run the gamut. We've never owned a V6, but we don't tow that much right now (21' boat a couple times a year and maybe a small trailer). I know asking for people's thoughts on the engine is a fool's errand....but thoughts?

3) The bed is not lined (but not badly dinged). We'd probably put a spray liner in, but that's more $. Because it's a shortbed, we also would need either a cap or a rack (or both), which again drives the price up. None of these are deal killers, but we are cognizant that this all adds $ to the bottom line, when there are less expensive options with liners and 6.5' beds.

4) Obviously we've never owned a late model Ford in this century. What should we be looking for in terms of making sure we're not in a lemonade situation 6 months from now if we do buy it? We're purchasing from a local dealer. The vehicle was 1-owner and local and the AutoCheck Vehicle History Report looks good. Is it worth buying a CarFax as well? We had our mechanic look over it quickly (pretty much a safety inspection), and he gave it the thumbs up.

That's about it, I think. I'm happy to answer questions, and we'd be very appreciative of any and all thoughts. We have to make a decision on Monday.

Thanks in advance!

 

Not much help here but a few thoughts. Check for your warranty on-line. Some of the Ford dealers are extremely competitive and I am betting you can get the same Ford warranty for half of what your dealer wants. If nothing else you can show him your on line quote and get yours down that way.

Spray in liner is a great idea.

Hope you enjoy your new truck!

 

Thanks! Tell me more about shopping for a warranty online? I just went directly to Ford (not through my dealer) to get a quote, so I have no idea what the dealer will offer.

 

I bought my Ford Protect Premium Care 6 year/100,000 mile extended warranty for $1,210 on my 2016 F150 from Zeigler Auto Group. They were $1,000 cheaper than what Ford quoted me for the same warranty. My dealer had also quoted me a 5 year/75,000 mile for $1,830. I balked at both of those and shopped online, where I found the Zeigler site.

Zeigler is a Ford dealer, and they sell the same exact Ford Protect warranty that every other Ford dealer sells, but they sell them for less because they are high volume. I called them to verify that it was the bonafide Ford warranty, and even had them send me a copy of the contract prior to purchasing. Everything was legit, so I made the purchase. They immediately e-mailed me a copy of the contract and I received the original contract in the mail about two weeks later. It was a very easy transaction, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking to buy the genuine Ford Protect warranty.

 

Welcome to the FTE
Myself I'm a fan of the Coyote 5.0, not much of a V6 in a truck guy. Though, that EcoBoost is a hoss, and compaired to my friends that have the EcoBoost, my 5.0 does better or fuel too, but gearing and the weight of the foot makes a huge difference.
As far as more feature comforts, yes the Lariat is better equipt, but also drives up the price. You could possibly save a couple of grand on the price of the truck by going with an XLT, still vary comfortable.
We always buy the extended warranty, and knock on wood have only used it one time in the 20 plus years my wife and I have been driving vehicles. And that was an oil leak on her 08 Escape.
Do your homework, and it sounds like you are. You'll find the right truck

 

Thanks so much! This is great information. Looking them up now.

 

Thanks! With the difference in price based on the equipment group package it really comes down to the 2015 F150 XLT and the 2013 F150 Lariat being in/close to our target budget. After driving the 2013 with the bucket seats, my wife with a bad back has pretty much made her choice....but we're still on the proverbial fence.

 

We kept the truck for the weekend and really like it. The price is just slightly above our budgeted price, AND we'd have to purchase a warranty plan...so it's a stretch.

...but possibly work it.

I've been pricing PremiumCare Extended Warranty (5-yr/75,000 mile w/ $50 deductible) plans, and the quotes have ranged from as little as $1,080 to as much as nearly $3,500 with the average in the $2,400 to $2,600 range. Assuming we buy the truck and the ESP, what are folk's thoughts on pre-paid maintenance? It looks like the price per service would be $52 if we wrapped the PPM with the warranty.

 

I never buy the maintenance plan. I've just never felt it was a better deal for me in the long run.

What about a new XLT with bucket seats? Your wife might find them comfortable, and you would have a new truck with factory warranty. You may be able to get a new XLT for just a little more than what the used Lariat is. I used to have a 2012 XLT Supercrew with bucket seats, and they were comfortable.

 

Thanks. So the two trucks are almost the same in price save the warranty. So the question is whether the ~$2,400 extra we'll pay in warranty for the 2013 is worth is for the trim package over a base 2015 XLT.

 

How many miles are on the 2015 XLT?

 

Everything is negotiable. Dicker on the price of the truck a bit and then work on the warranty. Don't be afraid to walk out the door. There's a ton of trucks for sale, don't get stuck on one truck or one dealer.

 

Just under 20K.

 

Extended warranty coverage on a used vehicle will always cost an arm and a leg unless you are still within the 3yr/36k parameters. You can get a good deal on an extended warranty if you buy a new vehicle by purchasing online from the retailers mentioned above.

I would recommend buying a new XLT. The cost will be comparable to buying a '13 Lariat.

 

Thanks. That's always good advice.