Which would you pick, and why?

"mazda616" (mazda616)
07/23/2018 at 11:51 • Filed to: Truck Yeah

Two contenders for S10 replacement: a ‘97 F-150 and an ‘02 Silverado. Both on Facebook marketplace. Both about 30 minutes from my house.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Both have high miles and some rust. Both will be looked over by my mechanic and myself. The Silverado needs some front end work (might be more or less than the ad says) and the F-150 doesn’t. The Silverado’s A/C works but isn’t that cold and the F-150’s works and is very cold.

I’d offer $2,500 for the F-150 and $2,300 for the Silverado. I feel like both are decently priced.

Thoughts?

DISCUSSION (33)

Wacko > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 11:58

The Silverado, cause it’s not a Ford

Aremmes > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 11:59

The F-150 , ‘cause it’s not a Chevy.

Alfalfa > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:03

The Ford, because split three-spoke wheels.

Zaxbys > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:06

As soon as I saw the Ford had the 5.4, my vote was Chevy. Then I saw the Chevy had a s alvage title, so neither ?

Takuro Spirit > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:07

Its like Wu Tang said, “ Ford 5.4's ain’t nuthing to fuck with”

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:07

F150 although mismatched panels and rust are concerns, but it doesn’t have a rebuilt title

Tripper > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:08

Team Ford. I’ve never been in a Chevy that I liked besides a Corvette.

Nibby > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:08

the ford /slight bias

lone_liberal > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:09

I’d personally pick the Ford because of the “rebuilt title” noted for the Chevy.

Gerry197 > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:22

Drive them both and decide, both got the plus and minus, however being 5 years newer for the Chevy, but a rebuild title on the Chevy is also a worry. 97 is the first year of that F150 design, usually stay clear of first year designs of any vehicle.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:27

Neither? What’s the “point” of this truck (daily, work, farm, etc) and what will it be carrying? You can get something newer for about the same price point.

The 5.4 in the Ford isn’t great. I wouldn’t believe them that it’s not going to need suspension work because Fords of that era eat front suspension parts like nobody’s business. The Chevy is okay, it’s hard to tell without looking. Sal title could be something terrible or no big deal, depends on why it was scrapped.

Pickup_man > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:28

I have a ‘99 F-150 with the 5.4 and it’s treated me very well. One common thing on the 5.4 is the exhaust manifold studs have a tendency to break, paying someone to replace them isn’t cheap, and doing it yourself is a PITA. Coils start to go around that mileage as well, check if they’re original, if so maybe consider replacing the set.

I’ve known several people with that generation Chevy as well. Overall they tend to hold up well without any major issues. I can say that the extended cab is longer than the Ford, so there is more leg room if that’s a concern for you. Also in my experience the interiors in these don’t hold up well at all and are far more squeaky and rattly than the Ford. The rebuilt title makes me weary on this one as well so personally I’d opt for the F-150.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:34

Ferd!

ToyotaFamily > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:39

Whichever one is least rusty.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Takuro Spirit
07/23/2018 at 12:39

https://www.msnbc.com/mtp-daily/watch/a-year-of-ari-melber-s-hip-hop-references-845921347998

LongbowMkII > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:40

The Silverado, you can change the spark plugs on it.

mazda616 > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
07/23/2018 at 12:43

My budget is only $2,500 (what I get out of selling my current truck). The truck will be a spare vehicle to drive in the snow or on days when severe weather is forecasted and I don’t want to worry about my car getting hailed on.

5,000 miles a year, tops. I’ve had my S10 since April 2015 and I’ve put 4,000 miles on it.

These are the best trucks for the money that I can find around here.

mazda616 > LongbowMkII
07/23/2018 at 12:44

My mechanic has the special tool required. His uncle has a 5.4 Ford.

Urambo Tauro > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 12:46

What engine does the Silverado have ?

Under_Score > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 13:09

I was about to say Silverado as it’s newer, but cold A/C + friend who loves his 1998 = F-150. Also, no salvage title could help it down the road.

functionoverfashion > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 13:19

At least with the Ford, they made a decent effort to clean it out and make it shiny. The Chevy, no points for effort, and it needs work right away. That says to me, they got news of the work it needed, drove it home, immediately took pics and put it up for sale, they’re done with it. Then again, the Ford seller could be trying to distract you with shiny tires when something catastrophic is lurking underneath.

It’s not perfect, but often you can gain a lot of useful information about a thing for sale on CL, etc. by what ELSE is in the picture, or details like not cleaning out a car for pics.

f86sabre > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 13:45

We have a 02 Silverado. It does truck just fine. Nothing special though.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 14:03

In that case, get an Explorer or Outback ;)

mazda616 > LongbowMkII
07/23/2018 at 14:22

I pulled the maintenance history from CarF ax.

Kinja'd!!!

mazda616 > Pickup_man
07/23/2018 at 14:22

Kinja'd!!!

I pulled the maintenance history from CarFax for the Ford and this is what I got.

mazda616 > dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford
07/23/2018 at 14:23

I figured something minor happened to the tailgate because there isn’t corresponding damage anywhere else.

mazda616 > Urambo Tauro
07/23/2018 at 14:23

5.3

Zaxbys > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 14:24

I wou ld maybe look for something older then. At least in in my neck of the cornfields, you can still find early 90's stuff fairly easy.

Full disclosure: This spring I picked up a ‘ 90 F -150 with 4x4, stick, 4.9, and ALL THE MILES for 3 figures.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 14:31

The Chev.

I say this as someone who works in a fleet garage for a pretty large fleet. We’ve got about five F150's older than 2005, in contrast to easily 25-30 Chev 1500's of that age kicking around with 150-250,000 miles . Now I wasn’t around when they were first purchased, only having been in the shop here since February but so far the things that go bad on the fords are the annoying as hell things to diagnose like ABS or Airbag problems. I won’t say we don’t do work on the Chevs (just did a water pump and starter on one) but 9 times out of 10 it’s something basic that Napa has in stock right away and we don’t need to wait, in contrast to Ford parts that we usually end up waiting a few days on. The Chevs are also pretty easy to find problems and work on, even being hacked apart with tool boxes added and pulled, winches and winch bumpers, most have various bits of lights and sirens still on that haven’t been totally removed, and they’re beat to absolute hell. That generation Ford isn’t as annoying to live with as the newer ones are, but it’s still up t here, and going from one Chev to another will definitely be a nicer transition.

My only trepidation on the Chev is it's an extended cab. Reg cab/long box is for sure the way to go.

Pickup_man > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 14:35

Looks like everything has been covered then. I’m sure you’ve heard of the spark plug blowout issue as well, from what I can gather it’s typically caused by improper torquing of the plugs. Looks like these were done about 20,000 miles ago so if they haven’t come out by now then they’re very likely not going to. Seems like a pretty solid truck overall, if you go check it out listen for the manifold leaks, which are more of an annoyance than anything.

440 plymouth > mazda616
07/23/2018 at 22:48

I would definitely go for the ford. I have 2 both with 5.4 and looking at the car fax its been taken care of the only thing left would be the timing chain gears and tensioners. I do mine at about 170 to 200 k and always run synthetic. My daughters has over 3 on it and still running great if you take care of them there great motors just don’t neglect them

The Chevy has a rebuilt title that is enough to scare me away. Why and where and who fixed it?

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > mazda616
07/24/2018 at 10:08

Da Chevy. Because LS!

jasmits > mazda616
07/24/2018 at 13:11

If that’s all you need it for are you s ure you aren’t better off with like an older SUV like a Grand Cherokee, Explorer, Pathfinder, S10 Blazer or something ? Or even like someone else said a Subaru or other AWD car or crossover beater? Your money would go further with any of those than full size pickups(or any sort of pickup) as pickups tend to hold a lot of value . And anyway 4 x4 trucks are competent in the snow but really not the best if that’s the main use for it