looking at a new truck

[fordman76367]

ok so i spotted this truck on auto trader

http://www.autotrader.com/dealers/d...acyfordtx&car_id=282993509&dealer_id=57211019

and i was wondering about any issues or recalls this model has and if the price is fair, id like to work it down a little, and if i get it im going to have my dad who lives in houston pick it up because its fairly close to him and im going to fly down there and drive it back home to north texas (im lookin at a six hr drive) so i want to be completely informed on this truck to make a wise decision and help yall?

 

[Ranger429]

184,000 miles is a lot for a gas engine. I'd be very leary of this truck.

 

[fordman76367]

the mileage isnt as big of a kicker, my neigbor drives a black 2wd similar to it but its ext cab 4.6l and his has 310k n still strong, im fixin to get its carfax

 

[Fordzilla80]

I agree.The price is right for the look,but that mileage scares me.I don't see many that top that.If your lucky,it's been rebuilt.Your best defense,is ask questions before hand.

I would like to throw this out there,the early F150 door panels are ugly as sin.I like curves on a woman,not on my door panels.

 

[fordman76367]

haha i could learn to live with the door panels, im not big on the curvy interior ford had goin with this thing either but i can deal with it, ill get ahold of the dealer tomorro and do some diggin, this truck has really caught my eye

 

[fordman76367]

checked the car fax, 3 prev owners, the bulk of the miles appear to be from the original owner and from what it looks like it was a daily driver for longer commutes or hauling, no accidents or damage reported, was in reg maintenance, each driver had the car for the better part of two and a half almost three years each, the original had it for almost four

 

[polarbear]

A few things there that would make me pass- or at least ponder.

1. Lift, big wheels/tires, and a ton of miles. If I'm gonna buy a used 4X4 with a lot of miles, I want one that's been used by an older guy that rarely if ever took it off-road. This one looks like a kid's truck. Like I told son Nick- I want to buy something used from me, not him.

2. Gulf Coast DMV's (all states) are notoriously lax- Carfax may or may not be accurate (or tell the whole story).

 

[Fordzilla80]

Ernie just brought up a good point,how many of those are actual miles,and how many are bigger tire miles?If they didn't recalibrate the speedo,The truck could have less than that or more than that,I can't remember which one it should be.

 

[rjphillips]

The truck looks pretty nice in and out. the tires aren't that big to really do much to the truck. The price is pretty fair for a 4x4. Offer them less if it is what you like.

 

[polarbear]

The tires aren't that big, but there is a lift. More importantly (IMO), it speaks volumes about who owned the truck last and how it was used.

 

[Fordzilla80]

Whose to say the truck didn't have bigger tires on it previously?You never know.

 

[polarbear]

Wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

This is the truck equivalent of buying a Nissan 240SX that's been lowered and turbo'd vs. a bone stock one. Which one would you buy?

 

[73F100Shortbed]

Nice looking truck from the pictures. It could be worth the money, but I've seen trucks with less miles go cheaper then that. I wouldn't pay that much, but I'm also cheap LOL.

 

[fordman76367]

if i get it im looking to pay low 4's but no higher than 4600,and yeah it apears to have been a younger persons truck the original owner bought it outa missouri and it had reg maintenance done in texas a couple times as well as missouri so im assuming it collected alot of hwy miles going back and fourth. iv got some key things to look at, its basically going to b a dailydriver, because once i get it ill sell my ext cab p.o.s... im not gonna make it a mud monster but im sure i will use the 4x4 gettn places around my land or out at the lake, im not gonna burry it or drive it hard. my cousin lives in houstin, he's a die hard mopar kinda guy, but he knows his stuff so im sending him to go test drive and scope the truck out real good, and he knows his 4x4's perty well. he's supposed to report back tomorrow and it will go from there. update tomorrow and let yall know how things go, this could be the one

 

[LEB Ben]

Nice looking truck from the pictures. It could be worth the money, but I've seen trucks with less miles go cheaper then that. I wouldn't pay that much, but I'm also cheap LOL.

X2...If I were to buy that, I'd put up no more than 3k and would try to stay around 2500. Because I see front end work in the near future and an engine rebuild in the next 70,000 miles. Then who knows what kinda stress has been put on the tranny by 'offroading' or simply hunting for gears if the axles weren't re-geared. Maybe you'd get lucky and it won't need anything, but it just doesn't seem to work that way for me. I'd end up buying that truck, putting 2k up in suspension, 3k in an engine, 1500 in a tranny and 1000 in gears before it hit 250,000 miles. Personally, that's not a risk I'm willing to take.

 

[5.0]

Nobody has faith in the blue oval? My burb has 193,000 on the ol 5.7 and I would take it anywhere. I may need to replace a fuel pump along the way, but the engine would make it.

Look under the truck, that would tell a lot. Look for mud in the frame rails, scratches under the frame, frame damage from a chain pulling him out, etc. I had a '96 Chevy that was lifted and never even saw the mud or any off roading. Some people just like the look.

I'd buy it, but I'm an idiot.

 

[73F100Shortbed]

Nobody has faith in the blue oval?

I don't think that is what anyone is implying. I think we would be saying the same thing if this was a Chevy or Dodge forum. Just pointing out what could go wrong and the money someone might have to invest. Personally I would hate to see anyone get screwed and spend more money then they have to. I'm assuming he is looking for a reliable truck in that type of price range not a project. Mileage shouldn't scare people away from buying something, but the price should fit with the mileage. The price seems a bit high for my taste. If he can get it cheaper then that would be great. Still some cash left in the bank for repairs if needed. I think we all have faith in the blue oval or we wouldn't be here LOL.

 

[polarbear]

Nobody has faith in the blue oval? My burb has 193,000 on the ol 5.7 and I would take it anywhere. I may need to replace a fuel pump along the way, but the engine would make it.

Look under the truck, that would tell a lot. Look for mud in the frame rails, scratches under the frame, frame damage from a chain pulling him out, etc. I had a '96 Chevy that was lifted and never even saw the mud or any off roading. Some people just like the look.

I'd buy it, but I'm an idiot.

I have infinite faith in the Blue Oval- kid just bought a 167,000 mile '95 S/C. BUT- when it comes to 4X4's, I'm picky as hell. Truck we found had all the right things (to me): bone stock, one (older) local owner, stack of service records a few inches thick, no obvious signs of heavy off-road use. Thing runs and drives about like a new one- but looking at the previous owner and the care (and money) he lavished on the truck, the miles didn't scare me a bit.

 

[LEB Ben]

I don't think that is what anyone is implying. I think we would be saying the same thing if this was a Chevy or Dodge forum. Just pointing out what could go wrong and the money someone might have to invest. Personally I would hate to see anyone get screwed and spend more money then they have to. I'm assuming he is looking for a reliable truck in that type of price range not a project. Mileage shouldn't scare people away from buying something, but the price should fit with the mileage. The price seems a bit high for my taste. If he can get it cheaper then that would be great. Still some cash left in the bank for repairs if needed. I think we all have faith in the blue oval or we wouldn't be here LOL.

Exactly...it would take me knowing the PO pretty well and knowing the vehicle pretty well, to be able to swallow those miles at that price. I know some guys can get several hundred thousand miles out of their vehicles, but I can't...so I shy away from them when they start approaching my cutoff point. I'd have no issues hopping in any of my vehicles and driving cross country with those kinds of miles, but I'd be extremely weary of buying a rig with a relatively unknown history (besides what carfax says)...and feeling comfortable with it being a reliable rig.

 

[5.0]

Whoa, settle down guys... I was being a little sarcastic more than anything, lol. I'd trust the Blue Oval before anything else, but I realize it's limits.