10 Classic Ford F-150 Models To Consider (2023)

FAQs

What is the best year model F-150 to buy? ›

The best classic Ford trucks include the 1970 Ford F-100, 1971 Ford Baja Bronco, 1967 Ford F-250 "Highboy," 1960 Ford F-100, 1978 Ford Bronco, 1975 Ford F-250, 1979 Ford Ranchero GT, 1975 Ford Bronco, and 1984 Ford Ranger 4x4. Ford combines the perfect mix of durability, strength, and performance.

What year is the most reliable Ford F-150? The generally accepted most reliable year for the Ford F-150 would be the 1993 model year. These are an older style of the truck but they were built to stand the test of time. There are plenty of 1993 trucks out on the road still today with well over 300,000 miles on them.

Short List: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017. Ford has been one of the top-performing and selling trucks for decades and is generally considered the most reliable and durable option out there. In any given year, it has the chance to be the best-selling vehicle in the US and ranked third overall in 2021.

Some of the worst model years of the Ford F-150 and the ones you should avoid buying are the 2004, 2005, 2010, and 2015 model years. Although the F-150 has a decent reputation, these models have proven to be quite problematic.

Evidently, the best Ford F-150 engine for longevity is the 3.5-liter EcoBoost powertrain. However, if you are a 5.0-liter engine fan, and you are still wondering which F-150 engine is most reliable between the 3.5-liter EcoBoost or the 5.0-liter, the answer is straight-forward.

Most enthusiasts define classic trucks as trucks that are 20 or more years old. However, there is disagreement here as well. A minority of collectors deem that classic trucks must be at least 40 years old.

Ford started installing the Coyote Engine in the 2011 F-150 pickup truck and is still offered in the current 2023 Ford F-150 alongside the popular EcoBoost v6 engines.

That original 2006 TSB has been updated several times, with the final one being TSB 08-7-6 (you can easily find it on the web). For 2008, Ford redesigned the 3V cylinder head to use a new one-piece spark plug.

What is the lifetime mileage of a Ford F-150? ›

A Ford F-150 is expected to last around 200,000 miles when properly cared for. Since the average driver clocks in about 12,000 miles per year, this comes out to roughly 17 years.

The most fuel-efficient Ford truck is the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, which has up to a 320-mile range. When equipped with the 3.5-liter PowerBoost™ Full Hybrid V6 engine, the 2022 Ford F-150 is the most fuel-efficient gas-powered Ford truck, delivering up to 26 highway mpg.

The 5.4-liter V8 engine lasted from 1997 to 2010 in the Ford F-150. And although some versions are better than others, you should avoid the 3-valve V8. Because the F-Series truck has been around for so long, there are used options out there that should perform more reliably.

Powertrain issues, problems, and complaints are some of the most common concerns that owners of 2021 Ford F-150 trucks have been experienced. Some of the most frequently reported issues include problems with the transmission, engine trouble, and difficulty with the four-wheel drive system.

Ford F-Series pickups have been the best-selling trucks in the country since 1977. If you take care of them, these long-lasting trucks can run for decades, reaching 200,000 miles or more. Models 25+ years old are sturdy enough to be your daily driver, unlike other classic cars you can buy but only drive occasionally.

As some truck fans know, the 2004 to 2007 F-150s had a huge, glaring issue primarily caused by its V8 Triton engines. Vehicle History wrote that the Ford's Triton engines simply had a lot of reliability issues, and that's why the model years from 2004 to 2007 aren't recommended.

History of Ford F150 1975 In 1975, the F-150 was introduced and has since gone on to become the best selling truck ever. Now, that's grounds for bragging rights. In order to avoid certain emission control restrictions back in the day, the F-150 debuted between the F-100 and the F-250 and the rest is history.

The most prominent 4.6 four-valve engine is found under the hood of the 2003 and 2004 model year Ford Mustang SVT Cobra, which is also known as The Terminator. It has a remarkable 390 horsepower output with a matching 390 lb. -ft.

The 7.3L OHV PFI gas V8 engine in the 2022 Ford Super Duty^® is the most powerful gas engine in a full-size pickup and the largest V8 in its class, with the best gas horsepower and torque in its class to prove it. The top-of-the-line gas engine generates best gas torque in its class of 475 lb.

Is the Ford 5.0 V8 a good engine? ›

The Coyote or Ford 5.0 engine has been and continues to be a popular choice because it's a naturally-aspirated V8 engine. This configuration has proven itself over the years and is known to offer a perfect balance of performance and durability.

Classic Car: Manufactured 2000 or earlier (>20 years old)

For insurance and registration purposes, the age of a classic car, in most cases, is at least 20 years old but not more than 40 years old. If you are going to register it (and insure it) as a classic, it should have been kept to its original design and specifications.

It resulted in a better air/fuel combination that offered improved fuel economy and lower emissions. The second-generation Coyote engine saw horsepower go up to 435 at 6,500 rpm. Torque output increased from 390 to 400 pound-feet, at 4,250 rpm.

First introduced in 2017, the 10-speed transmission became standard in 2021 and newer Ford F-150 trucks.

Performance Differences

In terms of performance, the Mustang's Coyote has more horsepower and the F-150's Coyote has more low-end torque, hitting its peak torque at around 3,850 RPM instead of 4,250 RPM like the Mustang.

03, 2023 – Ford F-Series will surpass 640,000 trucks in 2022, making it America's best-selling truck for 46 consecutive years and America's best-selling vehicle for 41 years after selling an average of at least one F-Series Truck every 49 seconds last year.

2023 Ford Super Duty Limited

To get the most expensive Ford truck available (at least to consumers), select the F-450 model and the Limited trim. The luxurious Limited gives you heated and ventilated leather seats, adaptive cruise control, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, and more chrome than you can shake a fender at.

Ford F-150 Raptor.

What year 5.4 blew spark plugs? ›

One service issue technicians should be on the look out for is late-model Ford trucks (1997 to 2004 Ford F-Series, Expeditions and Excursions) that are reportedly blowing out spark plugs. The problem seems to occur most often on 5.4L Triton engines, but may also occur on other V6, V8 and V10 engines in these vehicles.

The Ford modular engines have had their share of spark plug issues. One of the issues was stripped or missing threads in the spark plug holes of 4.6-liter, 5.4-liter, and 6.8-liter 2-valve engines.

Modular engines used in Ford trucks were marketed under the Triton name from 1997–2010 while the InTech name was used for a time at Lincoln and Mercury for vehicles equipped with DOHC versions of the engines.

For used trucks with gas engines, try to keep the mileage under 100,000 miles. Used trucks with a diesel engine can go a good deal further since diesel engines are easier to maintain than gasoline. 200,000 miles in a diesel engine is about the same wear and tear as 100,000 is for gas.

Depending on its usage, model year, and maintenance, the average Ford F150 can last between 150,000 and 300,000 miles.

The average American drives about 14,000 miles per year.

Given the mileage and how quickly cars depreciate, a Ford F150 with 100,000 miles should cost around $8,000. It might sound pricey, but that's a bargain considering it could last another 20 years if you keep to a regular car maintenance schedule.

The 2022 Silverado 1500 comes with a newly designed cabin, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 13.4-inch touchscreen. The GMC Sierra 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 share many of the same elements, including the Duramax engine. The Sierra yields 30 MPG on the highway and 23 MPG in the city.

The performance gained by using premium fuel is most noticeable in hot weather as well as other conditions, for example when towing a trailer.” Let's break this down. Since premium fuel burns more efficiently and cooler than other octanes, you are going to help the engine avoid carbon buildup and operate at its best.

Since 2015, Ford has made their popular F-150 truck out of aluminum. Then, in 2017, they also started creating their F-Series Super-Duty trucks out of aluminum as well. This trend continues until today, with these two models using aluminum bodies and all other Ford trucks having the typical steel bodies.

The high-output supercharged 5.2L V8 is exclusive to the Raptor R equipment package and provides a monstrous 700 horsepower. This engine is designed to conquer the road and give you the best power the 2023 Ford F-150 engines have to offer.

What F-150 engine offers the most horsepower and torque? ›

2021 Ford F-150 EnginesNew 3.5L PowerBoost^™ Full Hybrid V6 Engine. Drive the best of both worlds with the 3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6 powertrain. Offering the best horsepower and torque numbers in the F-150 lineup, this innovative engine option is built to impress.

Ford Motor has stopped production and shipments of its electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, while it looks into a potential problem with the vehicle's battery pack.

Durability, versatility, performance, Ford F150 in short.

Ford F-150 has a reputation for being a tough and reliable vehicle that can handle a variety of tasks, from hauling cargo to towing trailers, after all, it is Built Ford Tough.

The best classic Ford trucks include the 1970 Ford F-100, 1971 Ford Baja Bronco, 1967 Ford F-250 "Highboy," 1960 Ford F-100, 1978 Ford Bronco, 1975 Ford F-250, 1979 Ford Ranchero GT, 1975 Ford Bronco, and 1984 Ford Ranger 4x4. Ford combines the perfect mix of durability, strength, and performance.

1997-2003 Ford F-150

With that said, the 10th F-150 generation had some of the most reliable model years. Most notably, the 2003 F-150 is one of the most legendary model years, thanks to its top-notch power and performance.

The most fuel-efficient Ford truck is the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, which has up to a 320-mile range. When equipped with the 3.5-liter PowerBoost™ Full Hybrid V6 engine, the 2022 Ford F-150 is the most fuel-efficient gas-powered Ford truck, delivering up to 26 highway mpg.

The 1993 model year of the Ford F-150 is considered to be the most reliable year. These are older models of trucks. However, they were designed to endure throughout time. Many trucks built in 1993 are still operating with well over 300,000 miles.

What Years Were the Most Unreliable? The 2011, 2013, and 2015-year models tended to be the most unreliable and have more problems. In the 2011 model, there were nine individual issues cited related to the engine. Some of those problems included stalling and loss of power.

What is the average lifetime mileage of an F150? ›

A Ford F-150 is expected to last around 200,000 miles when properly cared for. Since the average driver clocks in about 12,000 miles per year, this comes out to roughly 17 years.

The 3.5L EcoBoost engine delivers power and torque on more performance-driven vehicles like the GT, or any F-150 trim for enhanced towing ability (the 3.5L engine is standard on the Limited trim). If fuel efficiency is what you're after, the 2.7L option delivers impressive numbers.

The Ford 5.0 engine, also known as the Coyote engine, is a popular choice among truck enthusiasts due to its high performance and durability. It is a V8 engine that was first introduced in the 2011 Mustang GT, and it has since become a popular choice for those looking to upgrade the performance of their truck.