A slight case of buyers remorse?

I'm coming from a 2013 F150 Platinum SCREW Ecoboost that I bought new and put ~95k miles on it. It's still in my driveway as the buyer picks it up Friday. I love the truck and it's given me very few problems and towing boats being my main truck use, the Ecoboost is an awesome motor. The Platinum trim, plus a few other options actually has my wife still preferring it over the much newer Tundra. I'm going to add power running boards to address her main complaint.
BUT, being retired I want a truck I don't have to worry about and that was my primary/driving concern for shopping. Of course I looked at F150's again and the Ecoboost Platinums were stupid expensive so I started looking at Rams. To get the features in Rams I liked in the F150 seemed unobtainable without buying much more crap than I wanted or cared to pay for. They are nice, though, and I understand the appeal.
I was a bow tie guy for many years until an ownership experience on a Z06 was so bad I swore off Chevy's. Forever.
So, back to Toyota. When I started to think of all the Toyota's I've owned, beginning in college in the mid-70's with a Corolla 1600, one of their mini trucks in the mid 80's, a 4Runner, a couple Avalon's, a Solara for my son that was tortured for almost 300k miles, I couldn't recall having any significant problems with any of them, so.....,Tundra.
After looking for months I found a lightly used '19 1794 that the dealer would certify to December 2025.
Check most the boxes and with risk being my primary motivator, reliability was why I bought it.
It is a bit like stepping back in time as to technology, but IMHO, engineering is the art of making something complex simple and I'm ok with the Tundra's simplicity.

 

For sensors and actuators, it is important to use OEM/Toyota replacements. Did he do that? Bet not....

 

I'm nearing 50y/o myself and have had all Makes and Models of vehicles in my day. My first Toyota was 1991 MR2 Turbo. What a piece of junk!! The darn thing was only 25 years old at the time, but leaked fluid everywhere. I sold it for more then I paid and moved on. My next Toyota was a 1997 4Runner with 300,000 miles on it. It still drove and rode great. I got my off-road thrills from it and ended up buying a 2003 V8 4Runner with 200,000 miles. The V8 was a great motor for the 4Runner and the thing rode like new after I replaced the shocks and fluid changes. I next bought a 2011 4Runner 4wd just because it was the cheapest 5th Gen I'd ever seen for sale. It has 170,000 miles on it and is being driven by my daughter after her 2013 Tacoma got totaled at 180,000 miles. I personally drive a Tundra myself and its' low miles with only 116,000. It should go for at least another 200,000 miles with proper maintenance like oil changes and the occasional seal and bushing. I can't get my wife to drive a Toyota or Lexus however, because they get shi**y gas mileage. No getting around that. My Tundra cost me about $0.18/mile from gasoline alone and prices are only going up from here.
All that being said, I am still an early reservation holder for a new Ford Bronco. I'll probably either sell it in the first year or just before the warranty expires.

 

I have owned over 30 cars. Hands down the best resale value was my 2017 F250 diesel. Purchased for $58,200 (before TTL) and sold 2.75 years later for $59,500. Truck went up in value. If I didn't sale to a wholesaler probably could got close to $63K. Other than resale it was too much truck for my needs. (truck - big, limited turning radius, hard ride)

 

If you only plan to stay in a vehicle for a few years or through the warranty it doesn't really matter. But if you plan to drive your vehicle for many years Id say Tundra without question. I have a 2021 and plan to drive it at least 10 years/100k miles. Plus I love the look of these trucks. Especially with a few tasteful mods.

 

I think this sums it up well. How long will you keep it. Sub 5 yrs I wouldn't sweat it. Keeping it for 20 years superior build quality comes into play.

 

I have owned one ford truck, one GMC truck and three suburbans. The Ford had lifter and rotor issues within 36 mos. The GMC had brake and transmission issues. The three suburbans all seemed to literally start falling apart at 105K. Engine issues, brakes, broken interior parts, lenses, A/C, etc.
My first Tundra was a new '08 DC. I had one electrical issue at the 8 year mark that cost about $700. Also had a fuel filter issue that the dealer covered. Other than that I only ever put maintenance money into the truck. I sold it in confidently in 2018 with 192K for a great price. That cash and some savings is the only reason I could afford a new 2018 CM TRD Sport. Now into year three with this truck and I have dealt with the fuel filter problem but nothing else.
There are definitely features on nicer Tundra's and Ford's that I wish I had, however nothing beats knowing that my repairs will be few and far between and the fact that I see this exact truck on lots for sale with 40K miles and they are within a couple grand of what I paid for a new truck three years ago.

So long as I have my power rear window life is good. So good that I got tired of repairs to the wife's SUV and put her in a new to us 2018 Highlander last fall. Far fewer options than what her American SUV had but now that she is used to the car she is much happier not to have the worry of which sensor is going to be an issue or what leak is coming next. I also put my daughter in a 2014 Camry about 2 years ago. Bought it with 104K and the only repair so far is a new gas cap so the engine light would reset.

Just my 2 cents worth, Toyota reliability has helped us to keep from being car poor. We have four kids and the third is in college currently. So I had to come to the realization that the Toyota reliability had to take precedence over buying trucks with the fancy options I wanted but couldn't afford new, or to care of post 100K miles.
For me part of the success is having a good independent mechanic that will use OEM parts and is fair on price. My local dealer took car of me years ago but has run out of chances with me by writing huge estimates that would allow them to cover any issue without spending the time to properly diagnose concerns.

 

A few years back I spoke with a guy (he owned the Line-X shop I was having a bedliner installed from) whose brother's job was to supervise maintenance for a fleet of a few hundred vehicles in Canada somewhere. I asked him what his opinion was on different vehicles, since obviously they would live a much harder life in/around the oilfields.

He basically told me that GMC/Chevrolet and Ford were #1 and #2 reliability wise, in that order, though they were SO close it was pretty much statistically insignificant. They'd all had some issues, but nothing that differentiated the two. Rams were a very distant #3 at the time. He did mention that they had about a dozen Tundras, anywhere from the 2007 to about 2014 model year. Most of them had 200K or more on them. I asked him if they had any issues. His response?

"I'll let you know when we do."

On a serious note, I've owned more than a few trucks - the last few were a 1995 F250, 2002 Ram 1500, 2003 Ford F150, and a 2013 Ford F150.

1995 F250 - had to replace turbo, fuel solenoid something, starter, fuel pump, and some other stuff.
2002 Ram 1500 - too much to list. It was in the shop *17* times in 18 months. Didn't leave me stranded but good Lord was it problematic.
2003 F150 - not much other than some programming issues, driver's side mirror, etc.
2013 F150 - ran rough as hell after 100K (and I maintained it meticulously), driver's side rear door would fly open at speed (seriously), media system issues/replacement, valve body recall, seat track recall, and I could go on.

Meanwhile, we've also owned a 2000 4Runner, a 2012 Highlander, and a 2020 Tundra. Here's the total list of the things I've had to replace:

O2 sensor (wife's Highlander) - 100K on it

That's literally it. Yes, of course, all vehicles will have issues...but on the whole, Toyotas will have FAR fewer issues.

 

I drove a ford van for work for the last 15 years. We had 4 of them in that time and needed another. I was the only one driving them, my boss bought them new and they were driven about 20k miles a year. They were f250s. 1 with a v6 (horrible) and the others were v8s (still horrible). They were loaded with the necessary things but not overloaded. I didn't abuse them, I just drove them, and they still just had issues. 3 tranny's, front& rear bearings, AC failure, Brakes, Brakes, Brakes, exhausts fell off, and the head lights are certainly the dimmest mutha Fukkahs I've ever seen.!

All these problems occured before 80k miles on all the vans. Ridiculous!!!

I would get back into my Tundra after work and just let out a relief that I was in my truck again. In the span of those 15 years we went through 4 vans and about 300k miles and still had nothing in the end worth trading in for.
For 22 years, I had one truck (95' Land cruiser) and only needed, a new starter, new battery, and oil changes, and some pads and rotors, cap distributor wires & plugs and some misc stuff but still drove it 450k+ miles and sold it for $$$$ (only vehicle I regret selling).

Anyway. I've driven almost 2 million miles in Toyotas with only one break down (AC pulley siezed on my 06' Tundra and stalled out the motor and wouldn't let it start.) All of which was covered by the warranty. This being said I drove less than 300k in Ford's and they always seem to suck! The only thing Ford tops Toyota in is the heater box. A Ford will blast out HOT air in a matter of minutes, can't beat american heat!

 

Now this IS indeed true; I don't at all feel like my Tundra lacks for heating power, but my last two F150's would damn near have you sweating inside of 10 minutes from a cold startup in zero degree weather.

 

You have a lower probability of having issues with a Toyota than with a domestic.

Does that mean you're guaranteed to have problems with a domestic? No.
Does it mean you're guaranteed not to have problems with a Toyota? No.

It all depends on whether those features are worth the risk of having issues for you personally. It's not for me (partially because I don't care about fancy tech or whatever) but it is for a lot of people, which is why the F150 and Ram sell so well.

 

Easy to remember if there's just one issue with it. Ask the fleet manager to list off what's been fixed on the Fords or Chevys

 

I didn't do squat to my 07 Tacoma V6 for preventive maintenance. In the 9 years I owned it (2nd owner). I changed oil with Mobil 1 every 12k or so. Original timing belt/chain, plugs, tranny fluid (sealed anyway), and even the coolant was original. Replaced the original battery when it was 8 years old. I sold it with 161k miles. Never a single problem other than a wheel bearing and replacing a resistor in the overhead display.

 

One thing that wasn’t mentioned a lot is the other “R” word: resale value! I bought my Tundra for reliability and resale. Simply checking used care prices will tell you the story. I could sell my 2019 Tundra for more than I paid for it two years later.

 

I have owned a couple of Super Duty's over the years and I really liked both of them. They drove and pulled great but they did have their issues. I will say that the issues that they had were design issues and not quality issues. Design issues are ones that you know to look out for and fix before they get too expensive. Quality issues are the crazy ones like your diff going out at 60K.
I went with a Tundra to get into the 1/2 ton range and the F150 was much more expensive than the Tundra for not being more of a truck. I am now on my second Tundra and have not even thought about any of the big three since. Sure there are some things that I would change on the Tundra and I can afford to do it since I did not spend 60K on a F150.

 

Well my opinion is this, I have owned a 2008 5.4l F150 FX4 Supercrew since 2009. bought a Ford because they did not take the bail out. It has 287,000 mi. I have replaced tires, battery, shocks, ball joints, sway bar end links, rack and pinion, etc., most of this stuff after 200k mi. Reverse went out at about 265k mi. It still runs like a top and Ive considered this normal wear and tear for the life its lived. I have a tundra and if it out performs the ford I will be extremely happy. Maybe I got lucky.....

 

That the same thing my good friend who recently passed and who had worked on my hotrods for years said. He had a laundry list of reasons to stay away from Ford and he was a master mechanic for them for years, owning multiple F150's.

 

One of those two statements is false...

 

I currently drive a 2019 Tundra 1794. So far so good with 37K on it. Still drives and feels like a new truck. I did have good luck with Ford on my first truck. 07 F150 with the Triton 4.6. I did have a wheel bearing go at 60K and I did have the AC go with around 70K which i was pissed about. Other than that this truck survived and lighting strike and a very bad wreck where i was rear ended. I feel like that truck would have run a long time but i got rid of it with around 125K. Also had an 05 Expedition with a 5.4, that truck was a piece of junk. Ate through coils constantly, AC repairs, everything squeaked and rattled, and motor went with around 150K. Next truck was a 2012 F150 Platinum with eco boost. The engine ran great but that truck was constantly in the shop for various things. Just about everything gadget wise broke on that truck. Got rid of it around 115K and I won’t ever go back to Ford. Fords ride awesome and if you get a basic truck you are probably ok, but step up in trim levels and stuff will break on you. I do not think the quality is there with Ford. I believe that Toyota quality is head and shoulders above Ford and if you can live without all the new fancy gadgets and want a truck to keep for years Toyota is the way to go.

 

Rust concerns on the fords

 

What do you mean turning into????? Has been for years.

 

Enjoy your F150. I think 2017 is the last and best engine and transmission combination. If I were to look for F150, I would buy 2017 not newer.

 

Another thing to consider is that if any of the creature comforts fail there’s nothing saying you have to fix them . lol

 

One of my father in law's coworkers offered to sell me his 2017 Lariat when I was truck shopping. Ran a quick check of the VIN, saw a dozen recalls on it for 8 separate issues and said no thanks.

 

I’ve seen a Sheriff’s department that uses Tundras as their fleet vehicles and a plumbing company too.

 

Nice ! I’ve seen F-150’s and Rams as police vehicles here ... as far as pickups go .

 

2002 Sequoia 4.7 L - 252,000 miles and the back window still works. Plugging along just fine. Northern IL

 

I had a 2002 ford ranger with a 4.0 and manual tranny that I ended up selling 6 months before I got the tundra. It had 317k miles on it. Original engine, headgasket, clutch. I finally sold it when the clutch gave out and i knew if i fixed it, the motor would take a dump a week later, eventhough the compression tests i routinely ran were perfect. I didnt want to tempt Murphy's law. It was an amazing truck. I'd give anything for a stick in my tundy now.

I still have a 2002 Ford ranger 3.0 that I beat up. It's got 230k miles on it. Just did headgasket after taking a heavy load up a mountain pass, but the auto tranny is original and shifts like a dream. I would dare say its smoother than the tundra. Never had any other issues with it except crank window handle, tailgate handle, a starter and alternator. It will probably last another 10 years.

I also have a 2000 ford excursion v10 with 85k miles on it. The tranny was rebuilt last year and I did a fuel pump replacement. I would still call it reliable as it's over 20 years old and seldom driven but there is nothing that can take its place. My dad was the first owner and drives like a dead, blind, old asian lady.

I have loved every ford I've had and have but you will notice they are all early 2000 models that were old designs even back then. Hell the 4.0 was a 30 year old engine design at that time! The stuff now is garbage from ford. Gimmicky 10 speed trannys and high stress turbo engines made for rice rockets is laughable on a truck. They only get 2mpg more than the tundy. I did consider a f250 when I first sold my ranger last year, but 3 things killed it for me. Ford wanted 10k over sticker and stupid high financing that they wouldnt budge on. I even popped the hood of the truck and no joke there was loose plastic pieces in there..... even the warranty was garbage, they only covered 70% of issues cost!!! I told the guy to work with me on the price but he was cocky saying they dont negotiate on f250s cause they sell fast. I told his manager to watch me walk across the street to the toyota dealer. 2 hours later I got a brand new tundy for 25k less than the ford and a 2% interest rate. I went with my gut and best decision I ever made.

 

Its a simple beast but it'll start every morning.

 

2013 GMC Sierra. Roof leak twice, AC started to go at 140k, had to keep AFM delete chip in starting around 90k to keep warning lights from coming on, transmission shot at 150k with very little towing less than 4K #’s. Twice a year. Driver side door handle broke.
Own 2021 Crewmax now.