Ford F-150 vs. Chevy Silverado: Which Used Half-Ton Lasts Longer?

Both trucks can clear 250,000 miles, and the deciding factor is almost never the badge — it's which engine and transmission combination you buy. A 2015–2017 F-150 with the 5.0 V8 and a 2014–2018 Silverado with a well-documented lifter repair will both outlast a neglected example of either truck by a hundred thousand miles.

So the useful question isn't "Ford or Chevy." It's "which powertrain, which model years, and what does the service history show." Here's how the two stack up on the things that actually end a half-ton's life.

Which engines last longest in each truck?

This is where the two trucks separate. Within each brand, the spread between the best and worst engine choice is wider than the spread between the brands.

The short version: Ford's naturally aspirated 5.0 and GM's older 6L80-equipped 5.3 are the two lowest-drama combinations. The EcoBoost and the AFM/DFM V8s can both go the distance, but each has a specific, well-known repair you want evidence of.

What breaks on a used F-150?

The 2015 model year brought the aluminum body, which changed how these trucks age. Panels don't rust, but dissimilar-metal corrosion can show up where steel fasteners meet aluminum — more of an issue in salted states than here.

What to look at on a Phoenix-market F-150:

• Cam phaser rattle on 2017–2020 3.5 EcoBoost trucks. Cold-start it yourself. A 2–5 second diesel-like rattle before the oil pressure comes up is the signature.
• 10-speed shift quality. Drive it from a stop through 50 mph twice. Clunky 1-2 and 2-3 shifts and a shudder under light throttle are the common complaints.
• Intercooler condensation on first-gen EcoBoost trucks — a stumble or misfire under hard acceleration after cruising, often worse in humid monsoon weather.
• Water pump on the 3.5 EcoBoost: it's internal, driven by the timing chain, and a failure dumps coolant into the oil. Check for milky residue on the oil cap.
• Rear axle seals and brake wear on trucks that towed regularly.

What breaks on a used Silverado?

The headline item is cylinder deactivation. GM's Active Fuel Management (2007–2018) and Dynamic Fuel Management (2019 onward) both run on lifters that can collapse, and when one does it can bend a pushrod and take out a cam lobe.

Signs to listen for: a persistent tick that doesn't go away as the engine warms, a misfire code on a single cylinder, or a running change in oil consumption. Many of these trucks have already had the lifters replaced — that's a plus, not a minus, as long as there's a receipt.

Also worth checking:

• Oil consumption on 2007–2013 5.3 engines, which combined AFM with a valve cover design that sprayed oil at the piston skirts.
• 8L90 shudder on 2015–2019 trucks. Often addressed with the updated transmission fluid, but confirm it's been done.
• Transfer case and front differential actuator on 4x4 models — engage four-wheel drive on the test drive and make sure it goes in and out cleanly.
• Dash cracking and door panel delamination on older GMT900-era trucks, which Arizona sun accelerates badly.

For a broader look at how specific trucks and SUVs age, our model-by-model reliability guide covers the drivetrains that tend to go the distance.

How many miles is too many on a half-ton?

Mileage bands matter more than a single cutoff, and the type of miles matters more than the number.

A Valley commuter truck that ran I-17 or the 101 to a job site every day accumulated gentler miles than a truck that did stop-and-go delivery work. Highway miles put far fewer heat cycles through the transmission and fewer cycles through the brakes. Ask how the truck was used — it's a more informative question than the odometer reading.

Does Arizona change the answer?

Yes, in three specific ways.

No road salt. Undercarriages, brake lines, fuel lines and frame rails on trucks that spent their lives here are typically far cleaner than equivalent Midwest trucks. On a half-ton, this matters more than on a sedan, because frame and suspension corrosion is what ends a lot of 15-year-old trucks elsewhere. Get underneath any truck you're considering and look at the rear frame section and the brake lines — if it's clean, that's a real advantage.

Heat and cooling. Towing a trailer up the Beeline in July is a far harder duty cycle than the same tow in Portland. Look at the transmission fluid color, check for a factory or added transmission cooler, and inspect the radiator and condenser fins. Serpentine belts, radiator hoses and plastic coolant fittings all get brittle faster here.

Sun and rubber. Tires age out before they wear out in Phoenix. Check the four-digit DOT date code — a tire with good tread but a 2018 date code is a near-term expense on either truck. Same for wiper blades, dash pads and any plastic trim that's been baking.

Also worth knowing: Maricopa County requires emissions testing for many vehicles, with the applicable rules depending on model year and fuel type. Newer vehicles are generally exempt for a period of years, and diesels fall under their own requirements. Confirm what applies to a specific truck with ADEQ before you buy rather than assuming. We cover this and other local buying questions in our used-car FAQ.

Which one holds its value better?

Both hold value well — full-size half-tons are among the slowest-depreciating vehicles on the market. In the broader national market, clean crew-cab 4x4 examples from the 2015–2019 range with 90,000–130,000 miles commonly trade from the high teens into the thirties depending on trim, engine and condition. That's the market, not a quote — prices move weekly.

What moves value most, in order: cab configuration (crew cab beats double cab beats regular cab by a wide margin), trim level, engine, then mileage. A regular-cab work truck with 70,000 miles can be worth less than a loaded crew cab with 130,000.

What should I check on the test drive?

Cold start it yourself — not after the seller has already warmed it up. Listen for 10 seconds before touching the throttle. Then drive it through a full gear range at light throttle between 35 and 55 mph, which is where both the 10R80 and 8L90 shudder shows up. Engage 4-high and 4-low if it's a 4x4. Run the A/C at full blast for the entire drive and watch the coolant temperature gauge.

Finally, get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic on any half-ton you're serious about. On these two trucks specifically, a compression or leak-down check and a scan for stored misfire codes are worth the money.

You can browse our current used trucks or the full inventory online, and schedule a test drive by calling or texting 623-777-8649 — tell us which truck you want to see and we'll have it ready when you arrive.