Two and a half years. A personal record for having kept a vehicle. That just goes to show the staying power of a pickup truck, especially one as well-sorted as the Ford F-150. Although it isn’t my daily driver any more (there’s a new car in the fleet for that purpose), it still gets worked out – whether it be foul-weather duty, hauling, or going on road trips. Continue reading for more details about the past quarter with my F-150.
Stats:
Time Period: 1/19/2014 – 4/18/2014
Miles Driven: 1,309 / 25,323 (this update / total) (2,909 in last update)
Average MPG: 15.4 mpg (reported by on-board computer)
Avg MPG for Year: 16.1 (reported by on-board computer)
Costs:
Maintenance Costs: $83.43
Total Cost (non-fuel): $234.93
Services Performed:
- 3/11/14 – Oil change, tire rotation (“The Works”), plus $45.00 for brake inspection, everything listed as OK.
Summary:
After the last update, things got a little hairy for the F-150 (and all of us in the Mid-Atlantic area of the US). Snow storm after snow storm dropped the white powder – mostly heavy and wet – and made travel difficult, if not impossible for some drivers. The F-150, however, never missed a beat. I was able to haul my snow thrower around town to help out friends and family with snow removal, as well as park at work. I rent a spot from a neighboring building, and the lot is never plowed, so with 8-12″ of snow on the ground, the F-150 was able to work its way right into a spot, without me ever having to lift a shovel.
While this was a lot of fun for me, it was costly at the pump. With Polar Vortexes coming down from the Arctic, bringing with it temperatures close to zero, the warm-up time for the EcoBoost engine was extended, leading to less-than-stellar results at the truck, even lower than what I’ve become accustomed to. Some tanks were averaging 12.5 MPG, far less than the average of 16. Ouch.
Still, the F-150 was and is my go-to vehicle when anything hits the ground, whether it be rain or snow. Its got decent enough ground clearance that 14″ of snow didn’t stop it, and even my mother’s culdesac, which takes days to be plowed, couldn’t stop the F-150. I was able to drive through the snow without any issues.
Still, the F-150 was and is a willing and able partner for any transportation needs I have, with its only penalties seeming to be size and thirst. The former is because local parking lots have tiny parking spaces, and the latter is at the gas pump. That being said, I thoroughly enjoy the continued ability to haul heavy, cumbersome, or dirty stuff.
Dated Notes:
- none
General Observations:
- none
by John Suit