What year did the F-350 come out?
The modern Ford F-350 debuted for the 1999 model year, as part of Ford’s newly branded Super Duty lineup. This established the F-350 as Ford’s heavy-duty, one-ton pickup badge separate from the lighter F-150/250 lineup at the time.
If you’re curious about earlier usage, the F-350 name has appeared in Ford’s truck lineup in various contexts since the mid‑20th century, but the current, widely recognized F-350 model came with the 1999 Super Duty refresh. The F-Series itself dates back to 1948, making it one of America’s longest‑running pickup nameplates.
Origins of the F-Series and the F-350 badge
The Ford F-Series began in 1948 as a family of trucks designed to replace the prewar Ford line. Over the decades, Ford expanded the range with heavier‑duty variants, and the F‑350 designation emerged as a one‑ton class variant in various markets and generations.
Modern Super Duty era
In 1999, Ford launched the Super Duty branding for its heavy‑duty pickups, including the F‑250, F‑350, and F‑450. The move consolidated Ford’s heavy‑duty trucks under a distinct badge and chassis, with improvements in payload, towing, and powertrains that continue into recent generations.
Summary
The F-350 badge is most widely recognized in its 1999-era incarnation as part of Ford’s Super Duty lineup, marking the official introduction of the modern heavy‑duty F‑350. Its broader lineage traces back to Ford’s original F-Series beginning in 1948, with earlier uses of the name in the mid‑century family of trucks.
What year is F-350 to stay away from?
The earliest F-350 Super Duties, built from 1998 to 2004, are the least desirable and the most problematic. They have leaf-spring front suspensions, which makes them worse handlers than the later models, and they have bigger turning circles too, so they're not as easy to drive.
When did Ford start making the F-350?
1999
Beginning production in January 1998 for the 1999 model year (after a 1998 hiatus), the Ford F-Series Super Duty consisted of the F-250 pickup truck, F-350 pickup truck and chassis cab, and introduced the F-450 and F-550 chassis-cabs (see below).
Is Ford making an $8000 truck?
No, Ford is not making an $8,000 truck; this is a hoax spread through clickbait videos and social media, possibly based on outdated information about the original, low starting price of the Ford Maverick. Current information and discussions about an $8,000 truck usually link to misinformation or outdated content, with legitimate reports showing that the cost of new trucks, including the Ford Maverick, has increased significantly.
This video explains why the $8,000 Ford truck is a hoax: 49sCar Reviews hubYouTube · Apr 16, 2025
- Hoax and misinformation: The idea of an $8,000 Ford truck is a widespread hoax fueled by clickbait videos and social media posts that lack factual evidence, as pointed out by Reddit users.
- Outdated premise: The claim might stem from the Ford Maverick's initial low price when it was first released, but its price has since increased substantially.
- Real-world pricing: Ford's current lineup of trucks does not include any model priced at $8,000, and the cheapest models are significantly more expensive than that figure.
Which truck is better, the Ram 3500 or the Ford F350?
The choice between an F-350 and a Ram 3500 depends on priorities, as each truck excels in different areas: the F-350 often has a higher max payload, more powerful available diesel engine options, and a smoother 10-speed transmission, while the Ram 3500 generally offers a higher conventional towing capacity and the signature sound and power of its available Cummins diesel. Other factors include interior features, such as the Ram's potentially larger screens and storage, and the F-350's available off-road technologies like Trail Control™.
This video compares the Ford F-350 and Ram 3500 in detail: 1mJB ReviewsYouTube · Aug 6, 2024
Ford F-350
- Payload: Has a higher maximum payload capacity (up to 7,850 lbs) when properly equipped.
- Engine: Offers more available engine options, including a high-output 6.7L Power Stroke diesel with up to 1,200 lb-ft of torque.
- Transmission: Equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission that provides quicker shifts.
- Off-Road: Features available off-road technology like Trail Control™.
- Towing: Has less conventional towing capacity than the Ram 3500, but higher gooseneck towing.
Ram 3500
- Towing: Features a higher maximum conventional towing capacity (up to 37,090 lbs).
- Engine: Comes with the high-output 6.7L Cummins turbo-diesel, known for its torque and rumble.
- Interior: Offers a high-end interior with potentially larger screens and more storage space, especially in the Mega Cab configuration.
- Towing Tech: Includes features like the exhaust brake for better stopping power.
- Price: Base model configurations can be a better value, especially with the more powerful standard gas engine.
