I just accepted a new job 35 miles away from my current city. My current job is shutting down and in a town of 50,000, business isn't exactly booming. I like how well the F150's built, but I've never been happy w/ the mileage or the 6 speed as my 2005 was far superior in both. It never kicked down and i got 20mpg. This 2010 kicks down on a pancake and only gets 15 at interstate speeds.

My Question. I bought the truck for $35,500 and the dealer will show me $35,000 on it for trade. It has 6,300 miles. They will let me get a ford fiesta automatic (17,300) and a mercury milan ($23145) for my fiance. After haggling and rebates, the trade difference is a measily $500.

Should I keep the truck or do the trade? She could use a new car, and i'd save approximately $100-$140 a month in fuel alone, however, i've always been a pickup man. I do have a '91 junker f150 to use around town, but no truck for traveling or hauling things to the lake, mountains, hunting, etc.

Feedback is appreciated

 

There are probably many of us in the same boat.... However, instead of trading in my man-card for a car, I'd personally find myself a $1,500 beater commuter-car and run it til the wheels fall off instead of getting rid of my truck.

But ultimately, it's up to you. You've already done your homework and $500 aint too shabby for a trade-in loss.

Sounds like you're leaning towards doing the trade though, otherwise you wouldn't have looked into it so seriously...

G'luck!

 

Still doesn't address his fiance's car needs. No shame in downgrading. Sounds like a smart financial move to me. Good luckw/your decision.

 

I feel ya, my fiance needs a new car as well. She wants to trade in her car which is a 2006 Chevy Cobalt Coupe 2.2l...It has 101000 miles on it. I doubt Ill get much for it. Her car gets 32-35mpg on the highway at 80mph and 22-25 around town..I told her she can drive my truck and Im keeping that car until the wheels fall off. Put a new clutch in at 96k and spark plugs last week. Unless the dealer gives at least 6k on the trade, that car is gonna have 200,000 miles on it before I get rid of it.

 

If I don't trade, that's my only option is to drive her 02 alero w/ 120,000 miles and she can drive my truck... she goes 3 miles each way to work. I'll hate my new job for having to buy a car....I'll also hate my job if i have to rack up miles and gas on my truck. Plus, if she gets a teaching job we may be moving to a different city in 6-8 months. If that happens, I won't even consider selling my truck if i can stay in the same town.

I think i'll drive for a week or so w/ my fiance's car to see if the job will shape up like i want. If the job sucks, it'll make my decision easy.

 

I think there is something wrong with your truck if it is only getting 15mpg on the highway. Unless you are hard on the throttle. My '09 FX4 gets 19-20 easily on the highway.

 

i can definitly see someone who isnt a big 'gearhead' being hard on the throttle and not really realizing it.

i can get 18.5 MPG at 75 with 3:55's.

to the OP- good luck with the alero, now is about the time they start falling apart if they werent taken care of the way they shouldve been.

 

I've had 4 f-150's now, and this one runs the worst. This is actually my second 2010. My first one the dealer had to take back for transmission issues and it was only getting 13 mpg. Cruising at 75-80mpg with no wind in front of me on a flat kansas highway, I might see 16.5 mpg. And no, I'm not hard on the throttle at all...I baby it as much as I can. My 05 i pushed 90 mph from Minneapolis, MN to KC and got 17 with some hard throttle.

I even chipped the truck w/ magnaflow and a K&N filter and the gotts mod and still only see 16.5 at best.


I've noticed my 6 speed has killed my mileage because on any tiny bump it kicks out of gear.. my fiance's mom's 4 cylinder fusion 6 speed doesn't even kick down, yet even a tiny little bump of an overpass makes mine shift down? Anybody else see this? Ford tells me it's normal. After 6,400 miles I have to put my foot in the throttle at ANY incline to keep it from shifting