A fun reflection on my Maverick and its year of hard work! I load it to the max—both weight and volume—nearly every week. Even in heavy city traffic, it consistently delivers 40+ mpg, sometimes better, sometimes slightly less.
Where I live, “pavement princess” trucks reign—lifted, shiny, and barely used for work. My Maverick? The complete opposite. Someone even stopped me recently, amazed to see a Maverick actually loaded and working like a real truck.
I’ve made some personal touches: tinted the windows myself, painted the steelies and bed lettering in bronze (using DipYourCar), removed the taillight chrome, blacked out the Ford logo, added a carbon fiber XL badge overlay, and installed a 12-inch powered sub in the back. Using Ford’s official guides, I also added rails and cargo hooks in the bed.
One big mod I’m proud of is a custom pullout drawer in the bed, raised to wheel well height. It keeps the half-tailgate feature for plywood and drywall but adds a full-length drawer underneath on ball-bearing wheels. It stores less-used tools while my main toolbag handles the essentials. This DIY project cost me under $100—far less than the $1,000+ similar designs on the market.
I love the earthy charcoal and bronze color combo—it hides dirt and grime well . Steelies handle potholes like a champ, and mods like the stereo upgrade were straightforward, especially with the backseat battery setup.
Before this, I had a Nissan Frontier Pro 4X with 13 mpg on a good day, even unloaded. The Maverick has similar bed capacity, better parking convenience, and way less pain at the pump. Loved the Frontier, but the Maverick wins for my needs and budget.
Thanks for the shoutout. I spent way too long picking this color. I didn’t see it much on other Mavericks and thought it matched the charcoal body nicely.
I went with dipyourcar first in case I didn’t like it. Figured I’d paint them later if it started peeling. But it’s been a year, and they still look great even after tire rotations!
Zach said:
Great to see another local here! Cheeehoo
Yessah! Perfect truck for island life—fits the traffic, small parking spaces, and low garages. Plus, the gas mileage eases the pain of gas prices a bit.
Honestly, if my truck was just a few inches wider, it wouldn’t fit in my parking garage. I’m squeezed between an FJ Cruiser and a concrete column .
I’d love to lift the Mav, but my buddies with raised Yotas can’t fit in most parking garages, and I need that access for work.
. Steelies handle potholes like a champ, and mods like the stereo upgrade were straightforward, especially with the backseat battery setup.
