wecoyote

After years of owning Dodge, Chevy and GMC trucks, we are going to look at a used 2013 F150 XLT with the Eco-boost and all the towing goodies tomorrow afternoon.


I know what to look for on the "other" brands of trucks. With 28,000 miles on the clock, what should I look for on the F150.


It will be used for towing our travel trailer as well as my commuting to work. The truck seems to have everything we want and nothing we don't want.


Is it too good to be true?

acadianbob

Where are you getting the truck? Best place is at a Ford dealer. Ask for the history of the truck if at Ford or a private party. Try to find out why it is available. Ask for service records. Check to make sure it hasn't been in any big accidents; CARFAX or similar.

If it is at a competitive brand dealership, that sometimes raises a red flag; that perhaps the previous owner wasn't happy with it.

I will say that our 2012 FX4 Ecoboost has been totally flawless. Now at 49K miles. ZERO issues. It is a towing beast.

If the truck you are looking at passes the smell test, buy it.

wecoyote

The truck is actually at another brand dealership. That is a good point that they previous owner my be unhappy. I will ask for a the Car Fax and may contact my local Ford Dealer.


How much do you tow with yours?

ewc119

Just because thet were not happy it doesnt necessarily mean the truck is bad. Maybe justnot what that owner needed or expected.
I boughtmine certified used from Ford dealer. If you are looking for peace of mind theb this is a great way to go. Its a great warranty, 7yr/ 100000. Sure, i paid a little more but it will pay off in the long run.

Adobe2X

I don't know how much weight you plan on towing, but does this truck have the "tow package" or the "Max tow package"?.....the Max tow can pull 11,300 pounds, and has the much bigger mirrors, which is a clue which tow package it has.
Also,open the driver's door and check out the GVW for the truck. Sometimes the way trucks are configured, this can be remarkably low. Once you figure in your tongue weight, passenger load and some goodies in the bed, it is too easy to exceed this on some trucks.

yanki01

if you know the VIN, type it into google and see what comes up. I do that when buying used cars (loan officer) to see if I see a history and many times a carfax will show up.

RLXXI

Post the vin# and I'll run it thru Ford's OASIS database to see if any warranty work has been performed or if any recalls are open.

Wanted33

^^^A good man right here. I would say it would be a good idea to take his offer.

Also, the good thing is the truck still has the factory warranty. If you're inclined you could also look into a Ford extended warranty if you need a little more piece of mind. Good luck.

conger

Wecoyote. Absolutely pull the air filter or have the dealer for it. Inspect the intake pipe past the MAF sensor. If there is an aftermarket air filter or cold air intake and any dust in the pipe at all. Walk away and suspect a dusted engine.
Ecoboost is a forced induction engine and it must have clean dust free air or it will have a seriously depleted lifespan. A dusted engine is one that is like having 300k miles on a 30k mile engine.
I speak from lots of experience.

RLXXI

Absolutely this ^. Might as well stick a sand blaster into the intake. Turbo charged engines are extremely susceptible to this issue.