Ford F-150 Depreciation: How Much Value Does an F-150 Lose?
About This Video
Depreciation can quietly become one of the largest costs of owning a Ford F-150, but the amount you lose depends heavily on when you bought the truck, what you paid, its age, mileage, configuration, condition, and the market when you decide to sell it. This video provides a useful real-world example by following the value of one owner’s 2013 Ford F-150 FX4 rather than relying entirely on a theoretical depreciation estimate. The owner purchased the truck used from a Ford dealer in Hawaii on September 1, 2016. At the time, the F-150 had approximately 34,000 miles and a purchase price of about $36,500. It was an FX4 equipped with the 5.0L V8 and several additional features. By March 2019, the truck had accumulated just under 50,000 miles, giving the owner roughly 2.5 years of ownership to examine. To estimate what the truck was worth at that point, the owner enters its configuration into Kelley Blue Book. The figures shown in the video put the trade-in value at approximately $23,042 and the private-party value at roughly $25,430. Comparing the higher private-party estimate with what he originally paid produces a decline of about $11,000.
That $11,000 should not be interpreted as the amount every F-150 will lose in 2.5 years. It also does not represent depreciation from this truck’s original new MSRP. The owner purchased an already-used 2013 F-150 in 2016, so the comparison measures the change between his used purchase price and an estimated market value in 2019. Location matters as well because he purchased the truck in Hawaii, where he explains that vehicle pricing can differ from other markets.
The video gives you a practical look at how depreciation can affect a real F-150 owner. It also demonstrates why purchase price alone does not tell you whether a truck will ultimately be inexpensive to own. What you can sell or trade the F-150 for several years later can make a substantial difference to your overall ownership cost.
Key Points Covered in This Video
- Real-world Ford F-150 depreciation example
- Ford F-150 FX4 with 5.0L V8
- Purchased used in September 2016
- Approximately 34,000 miles at purchase
- Used purchase price of about $36,500
- Nearly 50,000 miles by March 2019
- Kelley Blue Book valuation comparison
- Approximately $23,042 trade-in estimate
- Approximately $25,430 private-party estimate
- About $11,000 decline from the used purchase price
- Trade-in and private-party values can differ
- Mileage can affect resale value
- Vehicle configuration can affect value
- Location can influence used vehicle pricing
- Depreciation varies between individual F-150s
Sources and Further Reading
FlipCars Video Notes
Click to view the video notes
Depreciation is the difference between what a vehicle was worth at one point and what it is worth later. With an F-150, that change can represent thousands of dollars even when the truck remains reliable and does not require expensive repairs. Unlike fuel or maintenance, depreciation does not normally arrive as a bill. You usually see its effect when you check the truck’s trade-in value or prepare to sell it. The example in this video is especially useful because the owner starts with a known transaction. His 2013 F-150 FX4 was purchased used in September 2016 with approximately 34,000 miles. The purchase price was about $36,500. When he checked its value in March 2019, the truck was approaching 50,000 miles. Kelley Blue Book produced different values depending on how the truck might be sold. The trade-in estimate shown in the video was approximately $23,042, while the private-party estimate was around $25,430. That difference is important. A trade-in value and a private-sale value are not interchangeable because they represent different ways of disposing of the same vehicle. Using the higher private-party estimate, the owner calculated that the truck’s value had declined by roughly $11,000 compared with his 2016 purchase price. That works out to approximately 30% of the amount he paid. However, this was depreciation during his period of used ownership. It should not be confused with the truck’s total depreciation since new because the F-150 was already about three years old when he purchased it.
Mileage also changed during his ownership. The truck went from approximately 34,000 miles to just under 50,000 miles. Age and additional mileage therefore occurred together, making it impossible to attribute the change in value to mileage alone. Trim, engine, equipment, condition, accident history, location, supply, demand, and broader used-vehicle market conditions can also affect what an F-150 is worth. The Hawaii purchase is another detail worth keeping in context. The owner explains that vehicle pricing there can carry different market conditions than buyers encounter elsewhere. His original purchase price therefore should not be treated as a nationwide F-150 price for September 2016. Some broader statements in the video are better treated as the creator’s personal conclusions rather than universal depreciation rules. In particular, the suggestion that vehicles generally lose 50% to 70% of their original sticker price by five years old should not be applied automatically to every F-150. Different model years and configurations can follow very different resale patterns. The discussion about a Raptor potentially retaining more value is also a comparison made by the creator rather than proof that every Raptor will depreciate more slowly.
If you are estimating depreciation on your own F-150, start with the amount you actually paid and compare it with several current values for the same model year, trim, engine, drivetrain, mileage, and condition. Keep trade-in and private-party estimates separate. This gives you a more useful picture of what the truck has actually lost in value instead of relying on a generic depreciation percentage.
