I've been a bit of a lurker on here since I signed up. I currently own a 2003 F150 and lately I've been thinking of selling it. I keep going back and forth in my head the past several months saying, "I'll just sell it", and "no, I'll just keep it!" I just can't decide. Being a college student and working part time, I can't afford a brand new F150 but I've seen '04-'07 models for sale within my price range so that's what I'd be after. I love my truck to death and have many great memories with it since my dad bought it in 2005 and since I bought it off him a few years ago. I waited years for it to finally be mine, and I'm proud to own such a fine truck. I learned how to drive in it, and I also hit my first deer with it and had no damage, I might add. The issues I have is it's rusting away. The rocker panels, some spots near the cab corners, spots on the bed and the tailgate. I've tried to stop it, but nothing I do works. It also has high miles, currently about to hit 249k miles but the engine and everything sounds, and works great and I'm not at all worried about that. I've seen how it's performed the past 12 years and I'm confident that it can last another 12 years just fine and hasn't given me any trouble the past 2 1/2 years I've driven it. The rust however, will likely eat it up before it actually dies.

I'm just at a loss. My truck has a lot of sentimental value to me, but I have a hard time accepting that it won't last forever and it breaks my heart to watch it rust away. It may sound silly to get upset over it but it's the only vehicle I've had that hasn't let me down or stranded. Beats my old malibu and tahoe any day and it's sold me on ford trucks for life.

So to sum things up, help me decide on whether to keep it and see it rust away, or sell it before it gets worse and buy likely a 2004-2007 or maybe 8 and let someone else deal with it. Also, are there things to watch out for with any of those year models? That's another thing, I don't want to sell what I have, buy something newer and find out if has some major issues, or prone to issues I wasn't aware of. I can provide some pictures later if that helps. If I weren't to sell it, I would keep it until it's beyond repair.

 

Personally I'd put the money you would spend buying a newer truck in the bank until you graduate. If you can weld you can patch rust spots or go to pick and pull and get parts if needed. I'd keep the old truck as long as possible and invest the money. This will let you get a nicer truck long term or invest in the old truck if you want (may not be worth it long term but it's up to you.)

Drive the old truck till you have a full time job. You are going to be struggling to make a car payment with college and other expenses most likely. Unless there is something majorly mechanically wrong with the truck I'd drive it into the ground.

That's my opinion.

 

After reading your post, I'd drive it until you needed a broom to sweep it's remains up. Or at least until you escape school and can maybe afford something newer than the 04-08 's mentioned.
Why not?
The models that fit your budget at this moment will likely have significant rust issues of their own, either now or they are quietly developing them.
Sit tight.

 

I'm going to agree with the posts so far. Keep the truck for the time being. I traded from my first truck (a 1985 Nissan) when I was in college, and have had a payment ever since. If I would've waited a few more years (or, let's be honest, if I could keep a vehicle more than 18 months or so), I'd have a much lower car payment, or maybe none at all.

The other option, one I wish I'd had before I sold my old Jeep, would be to hang onto the truck and gradually repair it, and buy some sort of econobox for your daily driver. That way you could conceivably have the best of both worlds.