I have a 2002 f150, 5.4 triton 2v. It has 275,000 on it.
I like the truck and have taken really good care of it, but, engine parts are starting to wear out. The chassis, brakes, steering, ac, heater all is well except parts on motor are needing replaced . Body is in excellent shape, interior good.
At this time i can't afford to get a newer one, but, can do 5-7 grand for new engine.
Or, do you think it would be wise to get a reman long block and get another 100,000 out of it?

P.S. I'm not one who likes buying vehicles, unless absolutely necessary.

Thank you
Sarge

With that milage it is soon to be a moneypit and also not dependable.
I'd look fore something newer.
In running condition you may be able to get a half decent price for it.

more or less than the payments you would pay if you got a new one

so if the payment on a new one would be 535 a month for 84 months or 6284 dollars a year

if you can get 2 years or more out of this truck for 6284 or about that in repairs , then you are money well ahead to repair.

it it wasn't for the rust I might still be driving a bunch of things , with no rust down there and you have a good body and you could have a good dependable truck for 5-7k

I just rebuilt the driveshaft on a very rusty 23 year old Ford Expedition because my 5.4 is running good at 180k

it actually only cost me 150 in parts , heck I can't make one payment on anything to replace it for 150

rusted out trailing control arms caused the broke drive shaft wish I would have noticed sooner and it would have only cost me 70 well and some time rolling on the ground

You got the good out of it

Maybe try to find another similar year and truck with lower miles

Secret is to pay the off within 3 years and trade up for a new one while you still have equity.

Here is my philosophy. Sell a vehicle before it becomes a problem.

Many times in my life I have repaired a vehicle, then not trusted it, then sold the completely repaired vehicle. I absorbed the repair loss.

You may get lots of additional mileage from a high mileage vehicle, but the odds are stacked against trouble free use. Let someone else take the highly probable risk. In the long run, you should come out ahead.

Some people get any hundreds of thousands of miles from vehicles they have cared for, but the majority (greater percentage) do not.

Would you go to Vegas and bet over and over on lower priority propositions. Nope.

From one tight wad to the next, take the cream and leave the rest for the next.

I drive mine until they are no longer dependable. With the price of vehicles now. Drop a new engine in it. Or go until the engine pukes. Then drop a new engine in it. You are far better off. If you can get another 2 yrs out of that truck. The new vehicles will be more affordable. If you buy used. That is exactly what it is used. At least now you know what you have. And you maintained your vehicle well. I bought a 2008 Chevy Silverado new. Pushing 170000 on her now. Still going strong. Looks a little rough. But best riding truck I have owned. I scrap with the truck. The truck will ride across the scale one last time when I retire that truck. But has a lot of life in it yet. Good luck to you.

How's the Trans? Rear diff? 4 wd system?

If the engines worn out likely some of the other major driveline components are tired as well.

I'd look for a used motor for it if the one in it is shot. I had 100+K more than that on my 03' before the frame started rusting out and needed repair. I fixed it, but my wife really didn't want me driving it after that. I miss it.

I buy them in good shape used at a good deal. Drive them tell they break and fix them and keep fixing them. It's alway cheaper for me than 50k+for a new one. Licens plates and insurance are cheaper also. My old 97 ranger has got a new jasper rebuild motor, ac asystem, cooling system, computer, breaks, bearings, shockes and tires in the last 2 years. Yes I have much more in it than it's worth but for what I spent you won't get a truck with less than 200k miles on it and I basically have a new truck with 100k mile warranty on the motor with cheap insurance and plates.

Now if I crash it I will be out a bunch but if not it will hopefully last near another decade without major repairs. Then I may rebuild it again. If it's not rusted in half and body is still good.

That has always been my thinking. I've maintained the heck out of it and know what i've got vs not knowing. I 've had folks say it looks really good for it's age and you can tell it has been maintained. Only drawback is, it's not 4wd.
But, I don't want to have to buy another when i retire. Rather spend my money and time fishing, hunting and adc trapping.
Sarge

Tranny, drivetrain are in great shape. I always use good parts (brakes, hoses, belts you name it) Oil and lube every 3000 miles.
Body in good shape, couple dings, deer ran ( went into the freezer) into one evening. Got lucky, took out my parking lamp with no major damage.
Paint looks great. Shines up like new. Always kept under carport and waxed.
Does have its second tailgate. It seems the owner (Me) lift the tailgate down and backed to into tree. $200 later, another tailgate.
I have an appt with the repair shop thursday. Hope they can get her purring again.

Depends on how much you like it .Everything can be fixed just depends on how much you want to spend. Had a 1997 Dodge my favorite 300 k on it when I totaled it out in 2006, probably may have still had it because I was willing to stick the cash to it.

Pre certified, low mileage used car or truck is my favorite when I need to get out of an older vehicle. Warranties are as good or better than factory new, and someone else eats the depreciation. I do this around 150,000 miles to avoid a major repair.

Really depends on your situation. If it were mine I’d find a good used motor out of a wrecked pickup and swap it out and keep truckin. But my Dad has a fully outfitted mechanic shop where I have access to a 2 post lift, cherry pickers, engine stands, and triplicates of every tool you’d ever need to swap a motor. My dad and I could have it swapped out in a weekend for a couple hundred bucks. If that’s an option, go that route. If not, and the body and frame are decent, get the reman.

I'm with you. I drive a '06 with 170K on it and I just spent $2500 on it.
I know what its faults are. Nothing out of the ordinary is likely to happen.
I'll bet I can easily go another 2 years on it.
What can I get for $2500 that won't need any work?

whats wearing out on the engine? Using a little more oil? get the bores scoped out and compression checked. If the bores are good and compression is good then maybe a valve job is all that needed.

Sounds like you've maintained it well, I'll bet the inside of that engine is in good shape yet.


Buying used and driving for as long as possible is the best financial way to go on vehicles. Let others rationalize spending more on new stuff.
And don't listen to the old saying of not putting any more money into something than its worth.
If it can be kept running for less than the price of replacing it with something of equal or better quality then spend the money on fixing it.

What can you get for a replacement truck for 5-7 grand? If you've lived without 4wd for this long you don't need it. Continue to save money not having 4wd.

I've found it's a lot cheaper to fix than to replace. My old 2000 tacoma has had 3 alternators, one clutch, one manual transmission, two rack and pinion steering replaced, rear main seal replaced, radiator replaced, power steering pump replaced, heater blower motor replaced, ball joints replaced, battery replaced every 5 years, and it only let me down once. That was when the manual transmission wore out. Everything else I replaced when my mechanic said it was time. 722,000+ miles is what's on it. How many vehicles could I have purchased instead of maintaining this one over the 18 years I've owned it? It was well maintained over the years and is still in great running shape.

At 20-30k [not really that long ago] I was of the replace every 3 years or so philosophy at 70 k I'm in the repair camp. AS long as not rotted out and well maintained.

I run older vechcles because I like them better. My buddy said he doesnt know of anyone that would come close to getting the miles out of one like I do-OK the boss here surely does but I am in he running. It sure doesnt hurt having a son-in-law that is a mechanic (I do pay him well but not shop rates LOL). First thing I check is the frame, the rest is repairable if need be. Most of the newer cars onle get 18- 24 mpg, my old Suby gets up to 30 and doesnt owe me a penny. It has some rust holes, the rubber door seals are dragging on the road, half the dome lights dont work, but its mechanically perfect. I had to limp it back in twice in 4 years but I made it.
Would I leave my daughter or wife drive something like that....NO,,, but I always was a risk taker and for some ego reason have to get every drop of life out of something whether it is clothes, traps, tools or cars. I make money with my vehicles Im not out to impress anyone. I literally got sick when I would find unexplained dents and scratches on that new truck....screw that... My thoughts are- why beat up a nice new vechicle, let someone else baby it and take the depreciation lumps which is pretty big in my mind. Im sure buying new works for some but I tried that once and feel I took way more of a beating that route.