I don't hate my truck...yet.

[benenglish]

I've got a 2002 F-150, totally base model with the V6 and automatic, with 27K miles.

I really like it, basically. However, there are four things about it that bug me.

• The turning radius is huge. I can adapt.
• There's no keyless entry. I can adapt to that, too, and I knew it from the start.
• No cruise control makes me nuts. I didn't realize how much I used it until I didn't have it.
• 13 MPG on good days when I'm mostly on the highway. Around town is worse.

Some things I can live with but does anyone have experience fixing the last two bullets? It's been many years since I turned my own wrenches but I'm getting the urge to turn this truck into a project...or dump it while it's still stock and get something different.

I'd be happy with just pointers to a good online source that's not merely a thinly-veiled advertisement for an accessories company.

 

[Das Jared]

I've got a 2002 F-150, totally base model with the V6 and automatic, with 27K miles.

I really like it, basically. However, there are four things about it that bug me.

• The turning radius is huge. I can adapt.
• There's no keyless entry. I can adapt to that, too, and I knew it from the start.
• No cruise control makes me nuts. I didn't realize how much I used it until I didn't have it.
• 13 MPG on good days when I'm mostly on the highway. Around town is worse.

Some things I can live with but does anyone have experience fixing the last two bullets? It's been many years since I turned my own wrenches but I'm getting the urge to turn this truck into a project...or dump it while it's still stock and get something different.

I'd be happy with just pointers to a good online source that's not merely a thinly-veiled advertisement for an accessories company.

My advice? Git rid of the ferd and buy bowtie pp lol I kid I kid. You SHOULD be able to buy the cruise control stuff and have it installed.

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[Charlie]

No cruise control would drive me insane. But an aftermarket cruise control is a remedy. Low mileage, well ...................... short of selling it and getting in debt, you'll have to live with it.

 

[Sugar Land]

Wait till you have adaptive you will never be able to live without it. Get rid of it and get what you want.

 

[ArmyZach]

Just be thankful that you are driving a truck and not a minivan/smart car/moped/etc.
I've got a 2001 F250, so I feel your pain with the mpg.

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[Charlie]

Keep the truck for the woods and hauling stuff. Probably won't get much for it anyway. Buy yourself a small, high miles-per-gallon (with cruise) vehicle to get around town and even some trips.

 

[itchin]

That thing must have sat in a garage for 10 years.

 

[benenglish]

That thing must have sat in a garage for 10 years.

Not only is the mileage abnormally low, it had three owners before me. I can't figure it out, really, since there's nothing actually wrong with the truck.

 

[benenglish]

Wait till you have adaptive you will never be able to live without it.

Adaptive, what?

 

[Sugar Land]

cruise control

 

[Dawico]

Not only is the mileage abnormally low, it had three owners before me. I can't figure it out, really, since there's nothing actually wrong with the truck.

The other owners probably let it sit because of the mileage.

If you drive much then get rid of it. The gain in mileage will probably make half the payment on a newer vehicle.

 

[okie556]

13 MPG in a V-6? Had a Lariat with 5.4 Triton V8 and it would get 20 on the highway. I figured the V6 would do better than that.

 

[Das Jared]

13 MPG in a V-6? Had a Lariat with 5.4 Triton V8 and it would get 20 on the highway. I figured the V6 would do better than that.

Incorrect. Easiest way to understand tjis:

Small under powered motor, doing more work using more fuel to get a big heavy truck moving.


Bigger motor, doing half the work and using less fuel to get same truck moving.

V6's do not belong in full size trucks. They are a marketing gimmick. A perfect example of this is the ecoboost in the newer F150s.

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[Charlie]

Incorrect. Easiest way to understand tjis:

Small under powered motor, doing more work using more fuel to get a big heavy truck moving.


Bigger motor, doing half the work and using less fuel to get same truck moving.

V6's do not belong in full size trucks. They are a marketing gimmick. A perfect example of this is the ecoboost in the newer F150s.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

Fully agree! (damn, that's twice tonight!). My half ton, short bed 6 gets only 18 mpg (or worse) no matter what. It's always dropping out of OD or downshifting gears when going up a hill. And living in the Hill Country makes it worse!

 

[benenglish]

V6's do not belong in full size trucks.

I have learned this the hard way, obviously. I finally went back and looked up the EPA mileage rating for that truck for that year and, sure enough, the V6 models got much worse mileage than the V8s.

I use the truck very little so I'm a bit on the fence about how to proceed. I've got thinking to do, I guess.

 

[hkusp1]

If the truck runs good and the ac works there's no reason to get rid of it. 13 mpg is a hell of a lot better than my $500 a month truck payment IMO.


Sent from a creepy ass cracka.

 

[navyguy]

Think about doing all of the things that increase mileage. Including your driving habits. Get a K&N or aFe Air filter and get a tune-up. You might pick up a couple of MPG. If you do a lot of highway driving, think about a bed cover to reduce air drag. That can make a bid difference at highway speeds.

Then depending on how many miles you drive you'll need to decide if it's worth it to dump it for something more economical. I'd say 10,000 miles a year would be the breaking point.

 

[Eli]

What transmission? What rear end?
The 4.2 V6 is a 302/5.0 with 2 cylinders lopped off, and the 302/5.0 was already a poor truck motor.
My father had a '97, SC/SWB, 4.2/auto/3.08 - horrible mileage, NO power.
My sister had a '98, RC/SWB, 4.2/auto/3.55 - 2-4 more MPG, MUCH better power.
I had a '02, RC/SWB, 4.2/5-speed/3.55 - 16-20 MPG, decent power.
Dropping the gate gives 2 more MPG on the highway, and noticeably better power at 65+.
Find out what rear end is in it, if it's a V6 it needs a 3.55!

Eli

 

[Eli]

Oh yeah - 'factory' cruise can be added, it's plug-and-play.

Eli

 

[Chinookman]

The tonneau cover, and open the intake is good and I've had some success with changing out all fluids tranny, diff. and engine... to synthetic....take ur pick mobile1, royal purple etc. no magic bullet but all the little things do add up and if u get it up to 15 mpg well u can buy a lot of gas with that 500 monthly note....