NCDeere

Hey folks, I'm looking for a F150 for my son.

My question is what should I look for or beware of? What is the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to the F150???


Thanks,

Bryan

avalosp

check for rust on the underside of the doors....i bought my truck then the tranny gave out i got it replaced and i love her shes got 180k

GATORB8

What are you looking for? 4x4, engine size, year range?

skizriz

Rocker panels also. Don't simply just look at them. Mine look good, but you could poke a finger right through them.

FX4 PILK93

i just recently bought one last year, my 97, and i got sick of looking for a truck so i rushed into buyin my baby, check all fluids of course MAKE SURE THE 4X4 IS WORKING check all cables, tranny, manifold leaks (my biggest prob).... check all body work, interior, exterior, just the simple things and dont go look at a truck and buy it the same day like i did, go back the next day and RE CHECK....... EEEVVVEEERRRRYYYYTTTTHHHIINNNGGG! that was the biggest prob with me, if i would have actually LOOKED over my truck before i bought it, i would have NEVER bought it, but i got impatient, but good luck, hes prob gunna wanna lift and what not, so start saving cause he WILL pick your pocket for it, i know i did that to my old man hahahahahah

josh_truck

check all the manifold bolts (mainly passenger side) to make sure they arent busted off. or if one is busted off make sure the other bolts are in good enough shape that you can remove them with out breaking. feel and knock on body panels to check for metal quality. check for overspray around the body lines, and you can also use a magnet to check for body repairs too. if its a 4x4, make sure it is proper working condition. my 04 i just bought in december in flordia had 4x4 issues. i engauged 4x4 on the test drive and the light came on, and it felt like it had that 4x4 drag... get it back to pa and as im trying to pull a trailer up a slick driveway, get stuck.... $#@& $200 repair, i got lucky... i recommend a carfax, not only do you get the vehicle history, but if youre buying off a private party you can check their honesty. my truck was in an accident according to the car fax. so i asked the kid, was it in any kind of accident? this way if he lied to me, i would know. like stated before, dont rush, take your time. but summer is the best time to buy a truck, espicially a 4x4. winter will jack up the value of any 4x4

twin

check ball joints and front end....depending on how bad ball joints are the hub could come off...my buddy told me his friend was doin 90 and drivers front wheel was riding next to him cause he didnt change his front end

mlarky1957

If your buying from original owner, get all the records of repairs and such. If it's from a dealer see if there is a Carfax report or similar available. If none of those can be had, then find a mechanic you trust, pay him for his time to give the truck a good going over. Not just pop the hood and glance either. Have him do a compression test on the engine. Put it on a lift and look for leaks, Pull the wheels off and check the brakes, check suspension bushing condition, Will the vehicle pass a state inspection as is? Better to spend $50 or more to get peace of mind, rather than spending all your money on a piece of junk! If the owner or the dealer objects or hesitates to a complete inspection of the vehicle...WALK AWAY...they may be hiding something! If the mechanic tells you of needed work, get a ball park figure for the repairs in a written estimate, then maybe use that to negotiate the price down accordingly.

Road test it Yourself first. Turn the radio off and listen for noises. Find a rough road then smooth area. Listen, get a feel for the vehicle. Find a smooth level patch of road or highway...let go of the wheel...does it stay straight or drift off center...is it tight or loose and sloppy steering...if so could need a simple alignment or front end work. A shimmy in the steering wheel could be as simple as tire balance, bent rim, need for new shocks OR go all the way to needing a front end rebuild. Drive it through a puddle of water, see if the tire marks are straight and the vehicle isn't "crabbing" or uneven. Could be a sign of frame damage.

Find an empty road or parking lot to do a basic brake test. Get up to about 20 mph or more, hit the brakes. Then hold the pedal down for a few seconds after you stop. If the pedal stays up without going down more, Master cylinder should be good. If the brakes stop in a distance you are comfortable with, they don't grind or squeal, they don't grab hard on one side or wheel, if don't pull to one side...the brakes may be ok. Now check the brake fluid level. If it's not at the max level, it may be time for new pads and shoes, even if they stop good now. The level in the master cylinder drops as the pads and shoes wear down.

Do fluid checks, not just levels, but proper levels, not discolored, smell burnt. Check belt and hose conditions. If the check engine light is on, hook it to a scanner or OBDll reader and see what codes come up. Autozone or many other auto parts stores will let you use theirs right there in the parking lot.

You can check for rust and bondo with a magnet, check all the panels, doesn't take a stong magnet either. If the magnet doesn't stick, there's no metal. Have a trusted body shop check the vehicle for rust and repairs. They will know where to look. Are the panels straight? Seams and gaps uniform? Dark colors and red will show body work imperfections quicker than silver or light colors. If you live in a rust prone area, maybe shop where rust isn't an issue. I have known people who have come to central Texas, or gone to Arizona to get a rust free vehicle.

There are websites that can give you a checklist of things to check and look for when buying a used vehicle. Go to one, print out the check list and good luck in your search. Wish I could be there to help.

Fordtrucktexan

As I mentioned in another post... avoid any 97' F150 with it's original V6 motor. They're so well known for their issues that there have been websites and legal teams devoted to bringing Ford to justice for that atrocity of an engine. Most 97' V6's I've seen have been swapped out to newer, less problematic engines.

Really though the best years to get are the 03' and 04' Heritage edition. The 03' V8 trucks got the better heads that have enough threads to keep spark plugs in without popping them out. They also scored thicker door skins that are less likely to crack at the seam just above the door handle. Their rear windows also don't leak as much.

One model to watch out for is the true 02'-04' Heritage edition with two-tone paint (usually black on top, burgundy on bottom, or black/tan) and matching seats. IMO that was the best optioned truck of the generation.

Going back a few years... 99'+ 5.4's came with the newer PI heads which gave the 5.4 around 260 hp. The 4.6 got PI heads and coil-on-plug ignition in 01'. I'm a little fuzzy on the date but I think in 01', both V8's switched over to plastic intake manifolds, older V8's had aluminum. The plastic ones flow better but are naturally more prone to cracking.

97/98 ext cabs only had 3 doors, 99'+ ext cabs came standard with 4 doors. 00'+ XLT/Lariats came standard with an overhead console... 98/99 Lariats had the troubled Luthe LED-signal mirrors with glass that was famous for fading, 00'+ had the signal in the plastic casing of the mirrors.