2007 Ford-F150 King Ranch; photo by Haney Louka. Click image to enlarge

By Chris Chase; photos by James Bergeron

The Ford F-150 is one of the most recognizable automotive nameplates around. No surprise when you consider that the F-Series has consistently been one of the best-selling vehicles in Canada for a long time. In the past, strong sales meant that Ford didn’t need to update the F-Series very often, but an increasingly competitive truck segment has forced Ford to keep its meat-and-potatoes model more up to date. The F-Series remained pretty much the same from 1980 to 1997, but what was brand new in 1997 was replaced in 2004, and that model is now set to be replaced by an all-new F-series for 2009.

The 2004 to 2008 F-150 was available with three engines: a base 4.2-litre V6, a 4.6-litre V8 and a 5.4-litre V8. Transmissions were a five-speed manual that was available only with the V6, and a four-speed automatic that came standard with V8 motors.

Looking at fuel consumption specs, I’d advise skipping the smaller V8. Its rather meager power advantage over the V6 doesn’t seem to outweigh its extra fuel consumption. Certainly, the 5.4-litre motor uses more gas than either of the smaller ones, but it is the best engine for heavy towing. The V6 would probably be adequate for occasional hauling and light towing. Granted, a spark plug problem (see below) might make the smaller V8 preferable in order to avoid future maintenance headaches.

Of course, for really heavy-duty work, you’ll want to look into one of the more robust F-250/350/450 models. These were available with larger gasoline and diesel V8s and offered much higher payloads and towing capacities.

Half-ton F-150 trucks have a decent reputation as far as long-term durability, but there are a few things to watch for.

One common issue in 2004-2006 trucks with the 5.4-litre three-valve V8 is spark plugs that break off in the cylinder head when it comes time to replace the plugs. This has the potential to turn what should be a simple, routine maintenance item into an expensive problem. Worst case scenario is that the cylinder head(s) have to be removed in order to remove the broken plug(s). See (http://www.fordf150.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=290238#290238)
Ford issued a Technical Service Bulletin to reduce the chances of this happening,

2007 Ford-F150 Lariat. Click image to enlarge

Front brake rotors that warp easily are another frequent cause of concern, and a hesitation and/or hard shifts from the automatic transmission can often be fixed by reprogramming the transmission control module.

Consumer Reports notes serious drivetrain issues for 2004 through 2007 V8 trucks with four-wheel drive, but I couldn’t find any specific information when searching various Ford truck forums.

Crash safety appears to be good. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2004 F-150 five stars for driver and front passenger protection in a frontal impact. Also, both two- and four-wheel drive models got four star rollover ratings. Same deal from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS); the F-150 earned that organization’s “good” rating in frontal offset crash testing. Neither organization conducted side impact testing.

2007 Ford-F150 Lariat. Click image to enlarge

According to Canadian Red Book, used values for an F-150 4×2 range from $13,625 for a 2004 model, to $23,150 for a 2007 Flareside. Naturally, these are base models, presumably with the V6 engine, so be prepared to add a few grand if you want four-wheel drive or a V8 engine. Between the F-150 and its main competitors – the Dodge Ram and Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra – none seems to have a distinct price advantage on the used market.

My research suggests that the F-series has an advantage over its domestic competitors in terms of reliability. Truck buyers’ decisions tend to be coloured by brand loyalty though, so anything I say here is going to do little to convince Dodge and GM “guys” to switch teams. However, for the first-time truck buyer with little or no allegiance to one company over the others, I’d suggest the F-150 as a solid choice for a used truck.