Should I buy a high mileage 2011 5.0?
09-22-2016, 05:08 PM
#1
Should I buy a high mileage 2011 5.0?
Hey everyone, I'm always poking around these forums for information on F-150s as I have been hoping to buy one for some time. I was originally planning on spending a little more and getting a lower mileage truck, but then I thought about how much I don't want a car payment, so I'll just put some of that money that WOULD go towards a payment in a little fund that I can use for repairs should they be necessary. I originally wanted an Ecoboost, but after literally hours of reading about them from real owners, I've decided against it. Overall they seem more reliable that I would have expected, and the Ecoboost shudder doesn't scare me. But the timing chain stretching problems do.
SO. I'm probably going to get a 5.0. I drove the 3.7, and it actually impressed me and had all the power I need since I will only very rarely tow, but the local one's AC is out and the tranny is only so-so. I've talked a guy down to a REALLY good deal on a 2011 supercab 5.0 XLT 4X4 with 135,000 miles. There's a lot of things I like about the truck. The engine feels strong and is actually pretty smooth, even at idle. The truck is taller than I expected, and I like the way the turn signals work. When I get back into my car after driving the truck I feel so small and lame. I also actually like the electronic steering, believe it or not. It's nice to drive something so big and not have to work so much to turn the wheel, like I have to when I've driven the company's Duramax GMC.
HOWEVER, I do have some reservations. First is the most important to me, and that's the transmission. I know Ford did a good job on these 6 speeds and that overall they are very good. But I've never driven a newer F150, so I don't know what the tranny is supposed to feel like. 1st to 2nd gear is pretty smooth when accelerating harder, but when only slowly accelerating the shift is pretty abrupt and feels like it's pushing you forward a little. All of the gears after that are pretty much the same as the 1st to 2nd shift, just less pronounced. Is this a sign of a worn transmission? The truck's at a dealer, so they don't know if it was used for towing, but judging by the condition of the hitch it wasn't used much.
My second is the engine. Like I said, I've done more than my fair share of research on the Eco and the 5.0 (there's not much to be found about the 3.7, but man it was pretty impressive when I drove it). The coyote seems to be a pretty decent powerplant, and as far as I can tell, other than the warped 3rd or 4th cylinder and engine knocking problem that's usually manifest in early miles, they are pretty reliable.
And then there are a couple smaller issues with the truck.
- The tailgate lock doesn't work, so at the moment you can't drop the tailgate, as it is permanently locked. Should be an easy fix.
- The parking assist is also not working. From research I would guess that one of the sensors is just bad and needs replaced.
- And lastly, I get a "Service Advancetrac" notice when I start the vehicle. This also might just be a bad sensor somewhere.
So my questions are these:
How long do these transmissions last, and how normal/abnormal are the shifts that I am experiencing? Will flushing the fluid at this many miles only make it worse?
Other than the aforementioned issues with the 5.0, are there any other prevalent problems that have been common? Will it last me till 200-250K miles?
And who here has a 5.0 with more than 125K miles, and what has your overall experience been like, especially as far as repairs and maintenance goes?
If I do end up getting the truck, I'm planning on taking it in to the dealer and having them do an oil change, transmission flush, spark plugs, and then addressing the backup sensors and Advancetrac issue, and maybe some other small things like greasing the slip yolk, etc. I love my local dealership, they have always been very great to work with.
Overall I like the truck. It drives pretty nice, has lots of power, and I like some of the added goodies like the power rear window, remote start, and the in-dash 4.2 in display, which are all things that my current 2010 Taurus with lots of options doesn't even have. So more info from real owners will be greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance!
SO. I'm probably going to get a 5.0. I drove the 3.7, and it actually impressed me and had all the power I need since I will only very rarely tow, but the local one's AC is out and the tranny is only so-so. I've talked a guy down to a REALLY good deal on a 2011 supercab 5.0 XLT 4X4 with 135,000 miles. There's a lot of things I like about the truck. The engine feels strong and is actually pretty smooth, even at idle. The truck is taller than I expected, and I like the way the turn signals work. When I get back into my car after driving the truck I feel so small and lame. I also actually like the electronic steering, believe it or not. It's nice to drive something so big and not have to work so much to turn the wheel, like I have to when I've driven the company's Duramax GMC.
HOWEVER, I do have some reservations. First is the most important to me, and that's the transmission. I know Ford did a good job on these 6 speeds and that overall they are very good. But I've never driven a newer F150, so I don't know what the tranny is supposed to feel like. 1st to 2nd gear is pretty smooth when accelerating harder, but when only slowly accelerating the shift is pretty abrupt and feels like it's pushing you forward a little. All of the gears after that are pretty much the same as the 1st to 2nd shift, just less pronounced. Is this a sign of a worn transmission? The truck's at a dealer, so they don't know if it was used for towing, but judging by the condition of the hitch it wasn't used much.
My second is the engine. Like I said, I've done more than my fair share of research on the Eco and the 5.0 (there's not much to be found about the 3.7, but man it was pretty impressive when I drove it). The coyote seems to be a pretty decent powerplant, and as far as I can tell, other than the warped 3rd or 4th cylinder and engine knocking problem that's usually manifest in early miles, they are pretty reliable.
And then there are a couple smaller issues with the truck.
- The tailgate lock doesn't work, so at the moment you can't drop the tailgate, as it is permanently locked. Should be an easy fix.
- The parking assist is also not working. From research I would guess that one of the sensors is just bad and needs replaced.
- And lastly, I get a "Service Advancetrac" notice when I start the vehicle. This also might just be a bad sensor somewhere.
So my questions are these:
How long do these transmissions last, and how normal/abnormal are the shifts that I am experiencing? Will flushing the fluid at this many miles only make it worse?
Other than the aforementioned issues with the 5.0, are there any other prevalent problems that have been common? Will it last me till 200-250K miles?
And who here has a 5.0 with more than 125K miles, and what has your overall experience been like, especially as far as repairs and maintenance goes?
If I do end up getting the truck, I'm planning on taking it in to the dealer and having them do an oil change, transmission flush, spark plugs, and then addressing the backup sensors and Advancetrac issue, and maybe some other small things like greasing the slip yolk, etc. I love my local dealership, they have always been very great to work with.
Overall I like the truck. It drives pretty nice, has lots of power, and I like some of the added goodies like the power rear window, remote start, and the in-dash 4.2 in display, which are all things that my current 2010 Taurus with lots of options doesn't even have. So more info from real owners will be greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance!
09-22-2016, 07:35 PM
#2
Senior Member
Don't do it.
P.S. You didn't mention the price.
P.S. You didn't mention the price.
09-22-2016, 07:57 PM
#3
I'll bet I could get it for around $13.7 out the door. I might get it cheaper if I can convince the guy to swap the nice new tires on the V8 with the small worn out tires on the V6 since I plan on replacing the wheels and tires anyways.
09-24-2016, 06:10 AM
#4
I bought a 11 with high miles last year and have 151000 on it now with not the first problem.the shifting learns from how its drove,if you romp on it a lot the shifts will be firm .No turbo's for me with high mileage vehicles
09-24-2016, 11:39 AM
#5
Gone Golfin
iTrader: (3)
Take the truck to the dealer before you purchase and have them price the repairs and service needed.
Without the service records there's really no way of trying to estimate how long anything will last. Generally, hopefully a vehicle that has been serviced properly will last longer than one that hasn't. If that were not true then what would be the point have having service done....
Unless I missed it I don't see where you've looked up the value of the truck. What does KBB say?
Still many more variables but the bottom line is if you don't have money sitting that you can use for repairs, don't buy it.
Without the service records there's really no way of trying to estimate how long anything will last. Generally, hopefully a vehicle that has been serviced properly will last longer than one that hasn't. If that were not true then what would be the point have having service done....
Unless I missed it I don't see where you've looked up the value of the truck. What does KBB say?
Still many more variables but the bottom line is if you don't have money sitting that you can use for repairs, don't buy it.
09-25-2016, 01:13 PM
#6
Take the truck to the dealer before you purchase and have them price the repairs and service needed.
Without the service records there's really no way of trying to estimate how long anything will last. Generally, hopefully a vehicle that has been serviced properly will last longer than one that hasn't. If that were not true then what would be the point have having service done....
Unless I missed it I don't see where you've looked up the value of the truck. What does KBB say?
Still many more variables but the bottom line is if you don't have money sitting that you can use for repairs, don't buy it.
Without the service records there's really no way of trying to estimate how long anything will last. Generally, hopefully a vehicle that has been serviced properly will last longer than one that hasn't. If that were not true then what would be the point have having service done....
Unless I missed it I don't see where you've looked up the value of the truck. What does KBB say?
Still many more variables but the bottom line is if you don't have money sitting that you can use for repairs, don't buy it.
There's another 3.7 at a different dealership nearby with the same exact options as the 5.0 here, but with 97K miles. If I can talk them down to about $16.5 - $17K I'll probably get that one, as long as there are no big issues with it. But we'll see what they say. I'll go test drive it tomorrow.
09-25-2016, 04:49 PM
#7
Senior Member
Call me crazy, but I just picked up a 2011 XL 3.7 2wd Scab with 250,000 miles on the clock. It was a fleet vehicle of some sort, and must have been serviced well. The only major thing I've done is have the rear end gears replaced, and a limited slip added. 19-23 mpg is what I've been averaging, except for the tank with half e85, I got 16.5. that was to be expected. I love the truck, and my mechanic and motorhead friends said you'd never know it had that many miles on it by the way it looks and drives.
I had been looking for a better truck, but they were all mostly rust buckets and 20 years old. I am well under $10k into this truck, and with the condition, it is well worth replacing the motor if it ever goes south on me. I've put over 2000 miles on it since I got it, and the oil level has not moved, and it doesn't smoke at all. Shifts great and no CEL.
From everything I've read, and what my experience is so far with my truck, you can't go wrong with the 3.7.
I had been looking for a better truck, but they were all mostly rust buckets and 20 years old. I am well under $10k into this truck, and with the condition, it is well worth replacing the motor if it ever goes south on me. I've put over 2000 miles on it since I got it, and the oil level has not moved, and it doesn't smoke at all. Shifts great and no CEL.
From everything I've read, and what my experience is so far with my truck, you can't go wrong with the 3.7.
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09-27-2016, 11:45 PM
#8
Call me crazy, but I just picked up a 2011 XL 3.7 2wd Scab with 250,000 miles on the clock. It was a fleet vehicle of some sort, and must have been serviced well. The only major thing I've done is have the rear end gears replaced, and a limited slip added. 19-23 mpg is what I've been averaging, except for the tank with half e85, I got 16.5. that was to be expected. I love the truck, and my mechanic and motorhead friends said you'd never know it had that many miles on it by the way it looks and drives.
I had been looking for a better truck, but they were all mostly rust buckets and 20 years old. I am well under $10k into this truck, and with the condition, it is well worth replacing the motor if it ever goes south on me. I've put over 2000 miles on it since I got it, and the oil level has not moved, and it doesn't smoke at all. Shifts great and no CEL.
From everything I've read, and what my experience is so far with my truck, you can't go wrong with the 3.7.
I had been looking for a better truck, but they were all mostly rust buckets and 20 years old. I am well under $10k into this truck, and with the condition, it is well worth replacing the motor if it ever goes south on me. I've put over 2000 miles on it since I got it, and the oil level has not moved, and it doesn't smoke at all. Shifts great and no CEL.
From everything I've read, and what my experience is so far with my truck, you can't go wrong with the 3.7.
Also, just so everyone knows, I ended up going with a 3.7. This was one at one of the huge local dealerships, and it had pretty much every option that you can add to a supercab 3.7. I've seen it listed for the last couple months, so I knew they'd probably be eager to sell it. Sure enough when I went to look at it, it was already gone to the auction to be auctioned off to a different dealer to avoid paying taxes that are due once a vehicle is on the lot over 60 days. They already had lowered the price to sell it, but I was able to negotiate it down another $1100. We called the auction, and it was on the block being auctioned at the moment! We were able to pull it off the block, drive up to the auction place, and I drove it back to the dealership from there. Pretty much perfect condition 2013 3.7L Supercab XLT with 97,000 miles. Drove great. NADA clean retail = $23000, clean trade = $19.6K, average trade = $18.3K. I payed $17,900. Not a bad deal at all. A little more than I was hoping to pay, but worth it in my opinion for the peace of mind. Plus, I averaged 18 MPG on the drive back to the dealership, and that was in stop and go traffic! Can't complain with that.
All in all I'm happy with my purchase, and am sure it will last me a long time.
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deanfx (09-27-2016)
03-12-2017, 02:33 PM
#9
I bought mine in Nov of '16. It is a July 2012 build date, one owner- 139k miles.
Main points for me were;
(1) It has zero rust for an Ohio truck,
(2) 4x4 5.0l 3.55 and 36 gal. (Info from window sticker) no hitch from factory but was added by prev owner so only 4 pin trailers were pulled. also 6 pass with rubber floors
(3) no lights, no noises, no vibrations, no accidents.
(4) The Price. dealership asked $15k, I talked them down, minus my beater trade, + my cash down, only financed 12K.
My logic is if it is driven daily and relied on by someone for their lively hood and there becomes an issue, the previous owner needed it fixed, and right the first time.
Main points for me were;
(1) It has zero rust for an Ohio truck,
(2) 4x4 5.0l 3.55 and 36 gal. (Info from window sticker) no hitch from factory but was added by prev owner so only 4 pin trailers were pulled. also 6 pass with rubber floors
(3) no lights, no noises, no vibrations, no accidents.
(4) The Price. dealership asked $15k, I talked them down, minus my beater trade, + my cash down, only financed 12K.
My logic is if it is driven daily and relied on by someone for their lively hood and there becomes an issue, the previous owner needed it fixed, and right the first time.
03-13-2017, 12:23 PM
#10
Senior Member
Nope definitely don't think you're crazy. Honestly unless the engine totally dies I feel like it's often a pretty good deal to buy higher mileage vehicles and put a little extra away for repairs when they're needed. Cause even low mileage vehicles break down sometimes.
Also, just so everyone knows, I ended up going with a 3.7. This was one at one of the huge local dealerships, and it had pretty much every option that you can add to a supercab 3.7. I've seen it listed for the last couple months, so I knew they'd probably be eager to sell it. Sure enough when I went to look at it, it was already gone to the auction to be auctioned off to a different dealer to avoid paying taxes that are due once a vehicle is on the lot over 60 days. They already had lowered the price to sell it, but I was able to negotiate it down another $1100. We called the auction, and it was on the block being auctioned at the moment! We were able to pull it off the block, drive up to the auction place, and I drove it back to the dealership from there. Pretty much perfect condition 2013 3.7L Supercab XLT with 97,000 miles. Drove great. NADA clean retail = $23000, clean trade = $19.6K, average trade = $18.3K. I payed $17,900. Not a bad deal at all. A little more than I was hoping to pay, but worth it in my opinion for the peace of mind. Plus, I averaged 18 MPG on the drive back to the dealership, and that was in stop and go traffic! Can't complain with that.
All in all I'm happy with my purchase, and am sure it will last me a long time.
Also, just so everyone knows, I ended up going with a 3.7. This was one at one of the huge local dealerships, and it had pretty much every option that you can add to a supercab 3.7. I've seen it listed for the last couple months, so I knew they'd probably be eager to sell it. Sure enough when I went to look at it, it was already gone to the auction to be auctioned off to a different dealer to avoid paying taxes that are due once a vehicle is on the lot over 60 days. They already had lowered the price to sell it, but I was able to negotiate it down another $1100. We called the auction, and it was on the block being auctioned at the moment! We were able to pull it off the block, drive up to the auction place, and I drove it back to the dealership from there. Pretty much perfect condition 2013 3.7L Supercab XLT with 97,000 miles. Drove great. NADA clean retail = $23000, clean trade = $19.6K, average trade = $18.3K. I payed $17,900. Not a bad deal at all. A little more than I was hoping to pay, but worth it in my opinion for the peace of mind. Plus, I averaged 18 MPG on the drive back to the dealership, and that was in stop and go traffic! Can't complain with that.
All in all I'm happy with my purchase, and am sure it will last me a long time.
As long as it doesn't make you feel:"small" and "Lame"- it must be a great deal- right?