Consumer Reports F-250 – 2013 Worst Pickup Value
Tim Esterdahl | Jan 03, 2014 | Comments 5
Consumer Reports has released another yearly recap list and this one has the F-250 as the worst pickup value on the market. And this is the Ford without the EcoBoost.
Consumer Reports has rated the Ford F-250 as the worst pickup value in 2013.
The automotive value list is based on Consumer Reports reviews and surveys from each value. This information is put together in a ranking based on what it costs per mile to operate.
Consumer Reports says that this list is a “combination of performance, utility, and reliability for the money, considering all owner costs over a five-year period. All have an automatic transmission, except where noted, and typical options.”
Here is the 2013 list by worst in each category:
- Compact /Subcompact Cars: Volkswagen Beetle with a 2.5-liter engine
- Midsized Cars: Nissan Altima 3.5 SL
- Large Cars: Ford Taurus Limited
- Luxury Cars: BMW 750Li
- Sports Cars/Convertibles: Chevrolet Camaro convertible 2SS with a V-8
- Wagons/Minivans: Chrysler Town & Country Touring-L
- Small SUVs: Ford Escape SE with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine
- Midsized SUVs: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara
- Luxury/Large SUVs: Nissan Armada Platinum
- Pickups: Ford F-250 Lariat with a 6.7-liter V-8
Unfortunately, the owner cost per mile isn’t available without a subscription. Consumer Reports did release one value though, the Nissan Armada costs $1.20 per mile driven. For comparison, the Toyota Prius (best car value) is only 47 cents per mile.
What surprises us about the Ford F-250 is that we haven’t heard that many issues with the truck. However, if you get a few survey responses with large repair bills, it is easy to see the cost per mile skyrocket.
What do you think? Have you heard anything on the F-250?
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Filed Under: Auto News
Well I assume Consumer Reports is approaching this entirely from a “value” standpoint. The question is: Did they really take into account that the truck’s real intended purpose is for “towing” (unlikely). ¾ and 1 ton trucks with diesels are towing beasts compared to their half ton brothers. When I owned a F250 6.0 is spent a full 60% of its life “Towing” big loads, medium to long distance, at high speed. The other 40% it was being repaired and draining my pocket book.
I suspect the real reason these trucks have little value is because 80% of them on the road are seldom used for long distance heavy towing. Very likely 50% own them just because they are big trucks, not because they are used as big trucks.
Even if you are using the truck more than half the time for heavy long distance towing the extreme heavy premium paid up front has become an excessive burden for many. Meaning, is there real value in the product for the price paid? Because of that high premium many buyers have switched to the gas version in their ¾ and 1 ton trucks; particularly if they tow less than 50% of the time and distances of less than 100 miles at a time. In those cases you simple cannot justify the cost of a diesel (the lack of value for the job required).
For the current production F250/350 I have not heard of anything like the F150 EcoBoost or 6.0 Diesel horror stories due to the failure’s in engineering.
I know many, many F250 owners. Most gas engines. Not a single one is complaining. I wonder what this is all about? All big 3/4 ton trucks are fuel hogs if they have gas motors and while the diesel may be a bit better on fuel use, the fuel cost and additional purchase prices make it more expensive then a gas truck in the long run. Maintenance is also a factor when you consider that on a Ford 8 injectors and a 25000 PSI fuel pump can cost almost 5000 at a dealer.
I know of several commercial operations who are dropping the Ford diesel motor and going back to the 6.2 gas motor because of long term cost.
Like Randy mentioned most of these rigs are just being used for passenger car duty and I too have a feeling the many people just didn’t understand the cost before they made the purchase.
When you figure the up front cost of the F250 power stroke and 75,000 in diesel fuel, taxes, insurance and repairs , the total cost is closing in on 150,000. No wonder people can’t afford health insurance. They spend all their money on health care for their truck.
good read Tim, but…
consumer reports has a hard time understanding even 1/2 tons trucks not to mention 3/4 ton+.
I doubt they realize these trucks spend their life towing, hauling, plowing, etc. And you get a great write off as a business for buying trucks, I know, because that’s part of the reason I trade often now.
just for an example, the plow guys have been running damn near 24/7 this winter with how much snow we’ve had, a ton of them use F-250s etc. They are making TONS of cash, I doubt consumer reports takes things like this into consideration.
you can’t exactly plow with a prius
Well, I’ll still stick to what I think of C/R. Even though it is a Ford. I don’t see any value but for towing with these trucks. Don’t care for the looks. To me it will be can this truck get the job done without visiting the dealership on a constant basis.
I know approximately eight owners of the F250 and F350. And we have two where I work. The use of these vehicles are used for hunting, towing heavy equipment and service and support of other equipment.In everyone of these trucks the owner has had either extensive engine or transmission trouble. In many case the trucks have been back to the dealer multiple times for major engine repairs. More often than not. they keep hoping the dealer can make the repairs and the truck will perform as it should but rarely does. Most of the repairs take two to three weeks. Some have simply parked them and bought a different brand to keep from pouring more money into them. They used to be good trucks when they had the 7.3 Power Stroke. I know because I had one and not one trip to the dealer in 250,000 miles. The truck is still on the road today towing a 32′ camper.