I presently have 2 cars from 1988, another from 91 and yet another from 95 (that being my newest). All in nice running shape. I’m without a truck presently as my previous F-15O chewed the camshaft with a couple of failed roller bearings, which is a common failure on the Triton V8.
I’m on the hunt, but the used truck market sucks right now. Don’t really want another Ford after the problems I had with the last one. Rams are a non-starter, and I won’t do a GM truck either based on oast experience.That leaves Toyota, and they have now screwed up the Tundra the last few years (plus anyone selling a used one thinks it’s worth its weight in gold).
May start looking for a clean early to mid 1990’s F series, since I still want an extended cab and some of the comforts of a newer truck. Not easy to find now, but infinitely more reliable than the shit they’ve churned out since about 2004.
I’d suggest a fuel injected F-250 with a 351W and an Overdrive transmission of some sort. The 351 got EFI in ’88. That was also the last year of the AOD trans. The Electronic E4OD replaced the mechanical AOD.
I love my 87 F-250, but with a four barrel carb, C6 transmission, and 4.10 gears I struggle to get above 8mpg. I have a 96 351 on an engine stand, but I got it for my T-Bird. Had I known I was going to end up with this truck, I would have taken the whole powertrain out of the 96 F-250.
Leigh
Whitehall, NY
Appreciate the input. Had not looked that far back yet (was setting the lower cutoff for my search at 1990 models). Found a couple of really nice (as in restored) 1992 and 95 trucks, but needless to say they were asking a fortune for the privilege of getting a truck that isn’t overloaded with bullshit that breaks and then costs mucho dollas to fix. I do want fuel injection, and don’t necessarily shy away from electronic transmission control. I do want an auto, I can drive a standard no problem but really don’t need that anymore. Yeah, I’ve gotten lazy about shifting a stick as I got older. And if I really wanted that, I’d get a sports car anyway.
Now, even trucks of the mid 90’s still have a decent amount of onboard electronics to contend with, which can be a problem if you need to replace a failed module, as good used ones that age are pretty thin on the ground, and remans aren’t worth a pinch of coon shit in my experience. In short, the truck I’m looking for is a needle in a haystack.
the AOD was long gone by 87…..it had been replaced with the 4R70 and then the 4R70W (W for ‘wide-spaced 2nd gear’)
It’s not a bad unit, my 98 F-150 has 364K on the original transmission, just cancel OD if towing anything
I’m driving a 13 year old SUV with 77K miles on it that I’ve owned for 10 years. I’ve put 42K on it since I’ve owned it. Unless I have an accident, that’s my last vehicle.
Previous to that I was driving an early 90’s 4 door sedan that had 130K on it when I traded it on the SUV. I put 100K on that car.
I’ve always been an advocate of drive ’em into the ground.
My ’97 F250 V8 4×4 auto went 367k on original engine. I bought it used in ’99 from Hertz!
My ’18 F150 5.0 4×4 auto with trailer pkg took me 10k miles cross country in 4 months across 21 States towing a 27-ft travel trailer. AMSOIL products work for me!
For REAL high mileage trucks, go Peterbuilt.
I’ve had this exact conversation with people. A friend with a small ranch drives a carefully maintained diesel F-250 that has about 300K miles on it. I told him once “that’s what an actual conservative does, conserves things”. You can’t drive an electric car with it’s environmentally nightmarish material requirements or buy a new car every 2 years and then tell me you care about the environment. Keeping cars out of junkyards and landfills and fully using everything that goes into a car or truck is actual conservation.
Not too long ago, I rolled a quarter million miles on my 08 tundra all good
i bought a 2005 tundra in 2010 with 90 K miles in it for 13K. it now has 140K miles on it and its my daily driver. i don’t go anywhere. i have no place to go and all day to get there. retired MF’S!!!
“Buy a car that lasts 100 years”
They first need to build cars capable of lasting 100 years!
A local place here in town has a 1916 Rauch and Lang electric car that is still in excellent, unrestored condition. I believe it even has the original Edison battery in it but I’m not sure of that.
All of my cars/trucks are 25 years old or older and in excellent shape.
Sm. truck Mighty Max had just over 300K when it was rear ended, forced over over the car trunk in front and totaled. Easy to work on after removing the 2nd time failed A/C. Xlent MPG.
2007 Elantra purchased with 81K, has over 428K. miles and a failed 3rd A/C. At the dealership this year, I asked had the rep if he’d seen such mileage.
“Guy traded an ‘old’ workhorse of a truck with 776K’ “.
We’re keeping the car and now have a ’13 Elantra that came with 72K. Old lady traded it for something easier to exit (they’re called “bucket” seats for a reason). She put less than 10K/yr on it. Trucks are too expensive. With a hitch on the car, renting a trailer as needed, is way cheaper.
~ mississloppigarro
My youngest is my wife’s 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 280K miles.
My ’89 Taurus SHO has 320K, runs like a top.
My low-mileage is my ’85 Beaver Motor Coach, only 45K on the chassis and it’s a 427 Chebie Truck engine. Powertrain is solid.
Can’t stand all the bolt-on crap in the newer cars. KISS is King with me, even though I can fix and/or program it all. Minimum breakage with minimum parts!
Looks like a butte
I presently have 2 cars from 1988, another from 91 and yet another from 95 (that being my newest). All in nice running shape. I’m without a truck presently as my previous F-15O chewed the camshaft with a couple of failed roller bearings, which is a common failure on the Triton V8.
I’m on the hunt, but the used truck market sucks right now. Don’t really want another Ford after the problems I had with the last one. Rams are a non-starter, and I won’t do a GM truck either based on oast experience.That leaves Toyota, and they have now screwed up the Tundra the last few years (plus anyone selling a used one thinks it’s worth its weight in gold).
May start looking for a clean early to mid 1990’s F series, since I still want an extended cab and some of the comforts of a newer truck. Not easy to find now, but infinitely more reliable than the shit they’ve churned out since about 2004.
I’d suggest a fuel injected F-250 with a 351W and an Overdrive transmission of some sort. The 351 got EFI in ’88. That was also the last year of the AOD trans. The Electronic E4OD replaced the mechanical AOD.
I love my 87 F-250, but with a four barrel carb, C6 transmission, and 4.10 gears I struggle to get above 8mpg. I have a 96 351 on an engine stand, but I got it for my T-Bird. Had I known I was going to end up with this truck, I would have taken the whole powertrain out of the 96 F-250.
Leigh
Whitehall, NY
Appreciate the input. Had not looked that far back yet (was setting the lower cutoff for my search at 1990 models). Found a couple of really nice (as in restored) 1992 and 95 trucks, but needless to say they were asking a fortune for the privilege of getting a truck that isn’t overloaded with bullshit that breaks and then costs mucho dollas to fix. I do want fuel injection, and don’t necessarily shy away from electronic transmission control. I do want an auto, I can drive a standard no problem but really don’t need that anymore. Yeah, I’ve gotten lazy about shifting a stick as I got older. And if I really wanted that, I’d get a sports car anyway.
Now, even trucks of the mid 90’s still have a decent amount of onboard electronics to contend with, which can be a problem if you need to replace a failed module, as good used ones that age are pretty thin on the ground, and remans aren’t worth a pinch of coon shit in my experience. In short, the truck I’m looking for is a needle in a haystack.
the AOD was long gone by 87…..it had been replaced with the 4R70 and then the 4R70W (W for ‘wide-spaced 2nd gear’)
It’s not a bad unit, my 98 F-150 has 364K on the original transmission, just cancel OD if towing anything
I’m driving a 13 year old SUV with 77K miles on it that I’ve owned for 10 years. I’ve put 42K on it since I’ve owned it. Unless I have an accident, that’s my last vehicle.
Previous to that I was driving an early 90’s 4 door sedan that had 130K on it when I traded it on the SUV. I put 100K on that car.
I’ve always been an advocate of drive ’em into the ground.
My ’97 F250 V8 4×4 auto went 367k on original engine. I bought it used in ’99 from Hertz!
My ’18 F150 5.0 4×4 auto with trailer pkg took me 10k miles cross country in 4 months across 21 States towing a 27-ft travel trailer. AMSOIL products work for me!
For REAL high mileage trucks, go Peterbuilt.
I’ve had this exact conversation with people. A friend with a small ranch drives a carefully maintained diesel F-250 that has about 300K miles on it. I told him once “that’s what an actual conservative does, conserves things”. You can’t drive an electric car with it’s environmentally nightmarish material requirements or buy a new car every 2 years and then tell me you care about the environment. Keeping cars out of junkyards and landfills and fully using everything that goes into a car or truck is actual conservation.
Not too long ago, I rolled a quarter million miles on my 08 tundra all good
i bought a 2005 tundra in 2010 with 90 K miles in it for 13K. it now has 140K miles on it and its my daily driver. i don’t go anywhere. i have no place to go and all day to get there. retired MF’S!!!
“Buy a car that lasts 100 years”
They first need to build cars capable of lasting 100 years!
A local place here in town has a 1916 Rauch and Lang electric car that is still in excellent, unrestored condition. I believe it even has the original Edison battery in it but I’m not sure of that.
All of my cars/trucks are 25 years old or older and in excellent shape.
Sm. truck Mighty Max had just over 300K when it was rear ended, forced over over the car trunk in front and totaled. Easy to work on after removing the 2nd time failed A/C. Xlent MPG.
2007 Elantra purchased with 81K, has over 428K. miles and a failed 3rd A/C. At the dealership this year, I asked had the rep if he’d seen such mileage.
“Guy traded an ‘old’ workhorse of a truck with 776K’ “.
We’re keeping the car and now have a ’13 Elantra that came with 72K. Old lady traded it for something easier to exit (they’re called “bucket” seats for a reason). She put less than 10K/yr on it. Trucks are too expensive. With a hitch on the car, renting a trailer as needed, is way cheaper.
~ mississloppigarro
My youngest is my wife’s 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 280K miles.
My ’89 Taurus SHO has 320K, runs like a top.
My low-mileage is my ’85 Beaver Motor Coach, only 45K on the chassis and it’s a 427 Chebie Truck engine. Powertrain is solid.
Can’t stand all the bolt-on crap in the newer cars. KISS is King with me, even though I can fix and/or program it all. Minimum breakage with minimum parts!