Another three months has gone by, and although my F-150 isn’t being driven as much, due to my Mini replacing it as my main commuting vehicle, it’s still a great truck. Now, a full two years and nine months has gone by, and the F-150 still looks and feels fresh inside and out, and the only thing I’d replace it with would be another truck. Continue reading for the run-down on what my Ford has been up to lately.
Stats:
Time Period: 4/19/2014 – 7/18/2014
Miles Driven: 1,389 / 26,712 (this update / total) (1,309 in last update)
Average MPG: 16.9 mpg (reported by on-board computer)
Avg MPG for Year: 16.04 (hand-calculated) [OBC was reset – see below]
Costs:
Maintenance Costs: $83.43
Repairs: $24.53
Total Cost (non-fuel): $234.93
Services Performed:
- 6/9/2014 – “Low Tire Pressure” message displayed on instrument cluster screen. Discovered that the driver’s side rear tire had a nail in it. Paid $24.53 to have it plugged.
Summary:
First, a note about the year-long fuel economy average. I have included the hand-calculated average, which is calculated by a spreadsheet. I enter the number of miles driven and gallons used, and the calculations are done. The On-Board Computer (OBC) was reset by a technician at the tire-repair facility that I used for the aforementioned tire plugging. Prior to then, it was reading 16.2. It currently reads 17.8, only because I went on a road trip shortly after the reset. I apologize if this causes any inconvenience, but it couldn’t have been foreseen.
Living a life of leisure, my Ford F-150 does more sitting than moving nowadays. With my Mini Cooper S taking the reigns as daily driver, the F-150 comes out for work and foul weather. When it’s supposed to rain or thunderstorm – I take the F-150. When I need to do my normal hauling duties, I take the F-150. For road trips, it’s still the most comfortable vehicle in my so-called fleet, so it should continue on as family-hauler too.
One of the nicest things about not driving the F-150 every day, besides the ease of parking and lessened monthly fuel bill, of course, is that when I do drive my truck, it’s refreshing. The cooled seats are coming in quite handy again on these 90+ degree days, and the overall comfort and smoothness of the F-150 is a break from the fun-yet-stiff modus operandi of the Mini Cooper. While the wood grain look on the plastic trim still appears a bit cheesy, the interior and exterior of the F-150 remain fresh. For a design that started in the 2009 model year, it’s aged quite well. With the all-new 2015 F-150 just around the bend, it’ll be interesting to see how they compare to each other, and to see whether or not the new truck ages as gracefully.
In fact, just the other day, while driving along in my truck, I realized that the only thing I’d replace this truck with, is another truck, and I’d probably stay with Ford for it. The only area where my F-150 is even slightly lacking would be the payload capacity. At a rated 1,406lbs (as read off the sticker on the driver’s door jamb), it’s about 400lbs or so beneath where I’d like it. The payload capacity of this truck is its limiting factor when I go to haul stone and wood, which happens frequently for someone who isn’t using their truck for work every day. To that end, Ford does produce an F-150 Lariat with a Heavy Duty Payload package, which ups the payload quite a bit, but good luck finding one. My periodic searches have yet to yield an F-150 HD, even though I know they exist because my neighbor owns one. His is an XL trim level, so it’s a base-model truck, but if the F-150 has to have (and do) it all, for me it’s gotta be a Lariat.
Which brings me back to the 2015 F-150. With lower weight, maybe Ford can increase the payload capacity of its F-150. If so, that combined with the increase in fuel economy, could have me looking at the new truck. Maybe.
Dated Notes:
- none
General Observations:
- none
by John Suit