Cost example updated November 7, 2026
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What it costs to keep a F-150 running
About $1,400 a year, or $7,000 over five years. That is the maintenance number in this page's example, a planning allowance that includes wear items and repair cushion, not just the scheduled jobs below. The table shows where it comes from, service by service, and the schedule after it shows when the factory says each job is due.
| Service | What it typically costs |
|---|---|
| Oil change, oil and filter | $284 to $337 |
| Brake pads, one axle | $245 to $352 |
| Engine air filter | $65 to $85 |
| Cabin air filter | $89 to $156 |
| Tires, set of 4, installed | $900 to $1,500 |
| Spark plugs, full set | $338 to $478 |
Prices are RepairPal 2025 estimates except the engine air filter, which is a RepairPal all-years figure, and tires, which are CompareMyTires installed prices, where wheel size drives the price. No 2025 rotor or battery price is published with a clear scope, so the table leaves them out. Schedule from Ford's official scheduled maintenance guide for the 2025 F-150, via Mahon Ford's summary. Ford distributes the full manual through its interactive owner portal, so no direct PDF link is given. Prices checked November 11, 2026.
When the factory says each job is due
| When | What is due |
|---|---|
| Every 7,500 to 10,000 miles, never over 1 year | Oil and filter |
| At every oil change | Tire rotation |
| Every 20,000 miles | Cabin air filter |
| Every 30,000 miles | Engine air filter |
| 100,000 miles | Spark plugs |
| 150,000 miles | Transmission fluid and filter |
| First 10 years or 200,000 miles | Coolant |
| Every 3 years | Brake fluid |
Start with the price you will actually pay
For a representative example, use a 2025 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4x4 at $51,915, before sales tax, registration and options. The F-150 lineup spans an enormous range, from work-spec XLs to Limited trims that cost tens of thousands more, so replace this starting point with a written quote for the exact trim and options you are considering.
The down payment does not make the truck cheaper; it changes how much you finance. With 10% down ($5,192), 8% APR and 60 months, this example finances $51,257 at $1,039 a month, and the loan costs about $11,101 in interest over five years. Compare the full amount paid, including interest, rather than treating a lower payment as savings.
Fuel is the truck's second-biggest operating line
At 12,000 miles a year, an F-150 averaging 21 mpg combined uses about 571 gallons annually. At $4.153 per gallon (the EIA national average for the week ending November 2, 2026), five years of gasoline is roughly $11,866. That makes fuel the second-largest running cost in this example, just behind insurance at $11,700 and well ahead of maintenance at $7,000.
Your result moves with your right foot and your use case. Frequent towing, heavy loads, idling or short winter trips can push real-world economy well below the rating, and every mile per gallon lost shows up directly in this line item. Recompute with the (miles / mpg) x price x years formula and your honest annual mileage.
Depreciation can still be the largest single cost
Trucks tend to hold their value better than many vehicles, which is genuinely in the F-150's favor. But losing value on a $51,915 purchase is still expensive in dollar terms. Assume the truck is worth $26,500 after five years, which creates $25,415 of depreciation, about $424 a month.
That resale figure is a planning assumption, not a forecast: used-truck prices move with fuel prices, incentives on new models and local demand. Run a second scenario with the resale estimate 10% lower so the decision does not depend on an optimistic forecast.
Insurance is rarely cheap on a full-size truck
Full-size trucks cost more than an ordinary sedan to insure, partly because repair parts and liability exposure are higher. A realistic planning figure for this example is $195 a month, which becomes $11,700 over five years. That is not a quote: premiums depend heavily on the driver, ZIP code, coverage and insurer, so get a quote for the exact trim with matching deductibles and limits.
Maintenance: budget for truck-sized wear
An F-150 is heavy, and its wear items are priced like it. Truck tires, brakes and suspension components cost more than sedan parts, and truck buyers often see more off-pavement and towing wear. For a five-year budget, this example allows $1,400 a year, or $7,000. That is a planning allowance, not a warranty forecast: check tire prices for the chosen wheel size and keep a separate repair cushion.
The full five-year example
Every figure below comes from the site's own calculator math. The stated inputs are: 2025 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4x4, $51,915 price, 10% down ($5,192), 8% APR, 60 months, 7% sales tax, $900 in title and dealer fees, 12,000 miles per year, 21 mpg, $4.153 per gallon (EIA national average, week ending November 2, 2026), $195 per month insurance, $1,400 per year maintenance, $26,500 resale value after five years.
- Depreciation: $25,415 ($51,915 minus $26,500 resale)
- Insurance: $11,700 ($195 x 60 months)
- Fuel: $11,866 (12,000 / 21 x $4.153 x 5 years)
- Maintenance: $7,000 ($1,400 x 5 years)
- Tax, fees and interest: $15,635 ($3,634 sales tax, $900 fees, $11,101 loan interest)
That totals roughly $71,616, or about $1,194 a month. Notice the gap between the $1,039 monthly payment and the $1,194 true monthly cost: the payment never included insurance, fuel or maintenance.
Formula
The five-year total is the sum of five buckets: depreciation, insurance, fuel, maintenance, and tax, fees and interest. Depreciation is the $51,915 price minus the $26,500 resale value after five years, which is $25,415. Insurance is $195 a month times 60 months, which is $11,700. Fuel is 12,000 miles a year divided by 21 miles per gallon, times $4.153 a gallon, times 5 years, which is about $11,866. Maintenance is $1,400 a year times 5 years, which is $7,000. Tax, fees and interest is 7% sales tax on $51,915, which is $3,634, plus $900 in title and dealer fees, plus about $11,101 of loan interest, which is $15,635.
Added together, $25,415 plus $11,700 plus $11,866 plus $7,000 plus $15,635 equals $71,616, or about $1,194 a month. The amount financed is the $51,915 price plus $3,634 sales tax plus $900 in fees, minus the $5,192 down payment, which is $51,257. At 8% APR over 60 months, the payment on $51,257 is $1,039 a month, and the loan costs about $11,101 in interest over five years.
Why truck buyers should think past year five
Truck owners keep their trucks longer than average, which is where ownership math can improve: at year five the loan is done, and years six through ten have no payment at all. But repair costs climb in those later years, with a second set of tires, brakes, suspension wear and charging-system or cooling-system items arriving on their own schedule. For pickup ownership beyond one model, see how much it costs to own a pickup truck.
The five-year example above stops where a truck's story often continues. Before assuming the later years are nearly free, walk through the same inputs with a longer horizon and an honest repair budget for the older years. The keep it 10 years guide shows how stretching ownership reshapes the math, including the depreciation curve and the repair years.
Enter the F-150 purchase price, insurance quote, your real annual mileage, local fuel price, tire allowance and conservative resale value in the calculator. Then change only the inputs that differ to test a used F-150, a different trim or a longer ownership horizon.
Buying in Texas? Texas adds its own layer to these numbers, a 6.25% sales tax, its own fees, and some of the highest insurance in the country. See the true cost of a car in Texas.
Calculation transparency
Jurisdiction. United States. Sales tax, titling, registration and insurance rules are set by your state, so your exact numbers depend on where you buy and register the car. The 7% sales tax and $900 in fees in this example are planning figures, not any one state's actual rates.
Rules and time period. Five years, 12,000 miles a year, gas at $4.153 a gallon (EIA national average, week ending November 2, 2026), 8% APR, 60 months, 10% down. The resale value is a planning assumption, not a forecast.
Scope and limitations. Educational estimate only. Insurance and maintenance are planning figures, not quotes. Get a real quote for the same trim, coverage and loan before you decide.
Source links checked November 7, 2026. Figures: Edmunds 2025 F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4WD starting MSRP, $51,915; EPA combined fuel economy, 21 mpg; Insurify Ford F-150 full-coverage average, $185 a month; EIA weekly gas prices (week ending November 2, 2026).
Primary sources: Edmunds, 2025 Ford F-150 prices; fueleconomy.gov, EPA fuel economy ratings; Insurify, Ford F-150 car insurance; EIA, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update. How the numbers are calculated is written down on the methodology page, and every source is listed on the sources page.
Definitions
Depreciation. The value a truck loses over time, the gap between what you pay and what it is worth later. On this page, the $51,915 price minus the $26,500 resale value after five years, which is $25,415.
Resale value. What the truck is worth after five years in this example, $26,500. A planning assumption, not a forecast.
APR. Annual percentage rate, the yearly interest rate on the loan. This example uses 8%.
Down payment. The cash paid up front. It does not make the truck cheaper; it changes how much you finance. Here it is 10%, or $5,192.
Combined mpg. The EPA city and highway ratings blended into one figure. It is 21 in this example. Frequent towing, heavy loads, idling or short winter trips can push real-world economy well below the rating.
Full coverage. Insurance that covers damage to your own car as well as damage to others. Full-size trucks cost more than an ordinary sedan to insure, partly because repair parts and liability exposure are higher. This example uses $195 a month.
Deductible. The amount you pay out of pocket before insurance pays.
Maintenance allowance. The amount budgeted for upkeep. This example allows $1,400 a year, or $7,000 over five years. That is a planning allowance, not a warranty forecast.
Questions people actually ask
How much does it cost to own a Ford F-150 per month?
About $1,194 a month over five years in the example above, $71,616 total for a 2025 F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4x4. The loan payment alone is $1,039 a month; insurance, fuel and maintenance make up the rest.
How much does a Ford F-150 depreciate in 5 years?
About $25,415 on a $51,915 purchase, leaving a resale value of $26,500 after five years. That resale figure is a planning assumption, not a forecast.
What gas mileage does a Ford F-150 get?
21 mpg combined in this example. At 12,000 miles a year that is about 571 gallons annually, roughly $11,866 over five years at $4.153 a gallon. Frequent towing, heavy loads, idling or short winter trips can push real-world economy well below the rating.
How much is insurance for a Ford F-150?
This example uses $195 a month, or $11,700 over five years. Full-size trucks cost more than an ordinary sedan to insure, partly because repair parts and liability exposure are higher. That is not a quote: premiums depend heavily on the driver, ZIP code, coverage and insurer.
How much does it cost to maintain a Ford F-150?
This example allows $1,400 a year, or $7,000 over five years. An F-150 is heavy, and its wear items are priced like it: truck tires, brakes and suspension components cost more than sedan parts.
Related: Compare the Chevrolet Silverado, the Ram 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500, or browse all models.