Age vs Milage

[petermuk]

I'm currently looking for options for a truck and camper and deciding how to split the budget between the two. The truck will definitely be used. I'm looking for a US domestic 250/2500 as I want some headroom in GVWR. My question is around general the long term reliability of US trucks and whether it is best to get a newer truck with high mileage or older with low mileage for equal money.

My experience with 2 SUVs (Both Ford) is they both started to fall apart at 10 years (one at 100k miles, the other at 130k miles). However, I see many trucks for sale at well over 200k miles and up to 20 years old. Is this because a) they are generally more reliable than their consumer based SUVs or b) they cost so much to purchase that owners prefer to keep them going by replacing bits as they break ? While the drive chains on my SUVs were both fine, everything else (HVAC, exhaust, all sensors) had to be replaced or have major repairs well before the 130k mark.

Thanks

 

[IdaSHO]

Pretty hard to beat an OBS F-series or Super Duty Ford.

Damn good trucks. And they last WELL beyond that 100k mark

Just find decide what motor you want, and start shopping.


My 1996 F-250 is sitting at roughly 255k miles, with no end in sight.

And is is easily the most reliable rig Ive ever owned.


If I were shopping for another one, I wouldnt hesitate to buy one with 200k on it.
At that mileage Id certainly plan on doing some work, but nothing major.

 

[pappawheely]

I have seen newer trucks with low miles that were absolute junk and older high mileage "cream puffs." You have to look at the truck's overall condition. Typically, older is simpler. With an older truck you can replace items that wear out with the "base" lasting indefinitely. Newer trucks are a nightmare when the electronics start to malfunction. The more sensors and electronic controls, the more trouble in my opinion.

 

[ttravis5446]

My '00 7.3L is sitting at 260k miles with no end in sight. I bought it with 199k on it a year and a half ago. I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere tomorrow. It has several North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and Kansas trips on it. I've done a clutch, brakes, shocks, tires, and that's about it.

I traded in a 2012 F350 for this truck. I will never buy a new diesel truck again.

 

[red EOD veteran]

The older trucks/suv's have less to go wrong, and are cheaper to fix when something breaks. Take for example my 2 trucks, a 2005 chevy 2500HD with the diesel and the 1971 deuce and a half. A set of injectors for the deuce is $380, compared to $2400 for the chevy. Crate engine for the deuce is $2,000, vs the $10,000 for the duramax and add more for the computer to run it.

 

[evilfij]

It is really about use and maintenance.

My K1500 suburban has 319k on it with basically zero work done to the engine or trans.

OTOH, my father bought the truck new, used synthetic oil with frequent changes, never ran it hard, and the bulk of the miles were highway.

A newer truck used hard without maintenance done to this standard would be junk.

 

[rayra]

how hard the vehicle has been used is what matters. And you'll have to learn how to gauge that because you just can't trust the sellers. My '85 C-10 was was bought at 1yr old with 25k mi on it. I've put another 340k on it in 29yrs. Just got its 3rd trans 18mos ago, about 70k into its 2nd engine. 2nd radiator, 3rd water pump, 5th? alternator rebuild, 7? batteries, put a Rancho suspension upgrade package on it back in '92 and still working great, the RS5000s lasted 20yrs / 200k mi. But almost all the vehicle use has been highway miles, with only a scattering of heavy hauling or towing. It's still in working order in my driveway right now.
Just bought a '02 K1500 Sub last Nov. with 118k on if, and it was a little fatigued, city family taxi for the most part, and it wallows a bit, did brakes and 100k service stuff and still need to do some suspension work and shocks. And there's some sludge on the engine, known for intake manifold gasket leaks, but that will wait until I can clean it all up right and everything else associated / accessible while doing that work. A couple good strong regional trips on the highway and it's running nice and strong and smooth.
For that Sub I picked a nexus of acceptable mileage, condition of the vehicle, age of the vehicle and my other vehicle criteria. Weighed against my own budget and strong mechanical ability to do almost all of the work myself. A bit more work and it will be a fine road trip vehicle.

 

[AFBronco235]

As others have said, condition is the biggest factor. Even the best build engines and drive trains will fall apart if not maintained. Ideally, you'd want copies of receipts for any work done on the truck with any active warranties you can get for recent work.

I won't buy anything built after 1996 for anything off road or for long trips. The main reason being that is when companies really started to integrate computers into the design. Now, I admit, just because a truck has computer control and management does not mean it is junk. What does matter is how it is implemented. For instance, if a thermal couple for cylinder #3 happens to go bad, with the computer enter into a "failure mode" and keep right on going at about .1% less efficiency than before, or will it completely shut down, requiring you to tow it to a mechanic for a lengthy, and costly, repair that was really caused by a loose connector in the end? Up until 97', most trucks had the "failure mode" setting, but it seems like newer trucks don't. At least, that's based off of what I've heard.

I'd go with an older F250, a 97' at the latest. Parts are plentiful and cheap, easy to work on in your garage or driveway, and REALLY tough. Go to a county fair sometime and see which trucks are being used by farmers. You know they don't baby or abuse their trucks and I'm sure you'll see more than a few OBS Fords there.

 

[Binksman]

With any used vehicle you have to plan on some type of repair. After all, if it worked perfectly fine it probably wouldn't be for sale That said, which type of repairs are you more willing to do and how long do you want to keep the rig?

In my experience older vehicles need lots of little things (door gaskets, rubber window molding, nasty carpet, etc) and some predictable engine parts (water pump, alternator, etc). Most of those are what I would consider little things, because you can live with them or relatively easily fix them. The local auto part store is likely to have what you need because millions of other vehicle owners already had the same problem.

On the other hand, a newer vehicle will probably have a nicer interior and body, but with low miles breakdowns aren't usually as predictable (fuel pump at 70k?! transmission at 90k?!). And a few years in the future, you'll still have to schedule completing all those more predicable repairs.

 

[1stDeuce]

It's also makes a difference where you live... A 10yo truck in the rust belt is GOING to have issues, even if it's low mileage.
("High mileage" now means 200k+ to me!)
As I've now spent significant time in both the Rust Belt (Michigan) and the desert SW (Colorado/NM), I can tell you with absolute certainty that time in the rust belt is FAR more a factor in things gone wrong than age or mileage. A 30 year old truck from the desert SW is a FAR better vehicle than a 10 year old Michigan truck, almost regardless of miles.