When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hey guys, I am about to purchase my first truck ever, hopefully. I know very little about vehicles and this truck is about a 5 hour drive from where I live. I'm taking a mechanic friend with me, and it looks like a really nice truck, but I wanted the opinion of this forum because you guys seem to know everything, lol. I don't wanna drive that far for something that might turn out to be a bad deal.
-141,000 miles
-4.9L engine
-no service records, but he says head gaskets have been replaced
-half tread on tires
-he hasn't driven it much since he got it, but moves it around the yard sometimes
-clean carfax, clean title
-inspection good til january 2015
-he's asking $3,000
Seats been replaced, can't tell what's on the PS pump reservoir but looks funky. Trust you gut. I seriously recommend following my advise in the above thread and take a vacuum gauge and fuel pressure tester with you, will only take 5-10 minutes to check it out and save yourself some worrying. Grabbing a compression tester (loan a tool at auto parts store) wouldn't be a bad idea especially if your going to drive it 5hrs out of the gate.
BTW it doesn't look like the alternator has a belt on it, if that's what that is-pictures kinda blurry and on phone right now.
Seats been replaced, can't tell what's on the PS pump reservoir but looks funky. Trust you gut. I seriously recommend following my advise in the above thread and take a vacuum gauge and fuel pressure tester with you, will only take 5-10 minutes to check it out and save yourself some worrying. Grabbing a compression tester (loan a tool at auto parts store) wouldn't be a bad idea especially if your going to drive it 5hrs out of the gate.
BTW it doesn't look like the alternator has a belt on it, if that's what that is-pictures kinda blurry and on phone right now.
thank you for the resource! how do I check the compression?
It's a place - to - start kind of truck. You will end up spending lots of money getting that to where you want it. So I guess you should make sure that it is actually the truck you want to build.
Hard to tell in those pics, but those wheel well flares, at least on the driver's side, look kind of funny.
Honestly, it doesn't really look all that special - at least not 10 hour round trip special.
Yes, it is 4x4 but other than that I don't see too much to get real excited about - the body and paint aren't real exciting and it looks like a pretty base model interior wise.
1/2 an hr to an hour away, I'd say go have a look but 5 hrs away - I wouldn't bother, not for that one anyway (and not for $3000).
You should maybe have a look around closer to home and try to find something a little more .... special. An XLT, A flareside, a regular cab shortbox then when you finish fixing it up nice over time, you'll really have something (not to dis anybody else's truck - plenty of nice extra cab 4x4's around, some real nice ones right on this site).
Thing is, once you buy one of these trucks, you're gonna be spending a few bucks above and beyond the purchase price - they are 20 years old now. So you want to start with something with some real pluses going for it, or dirt cheap and parked 2 blocks away. That truck isn't really either.
Not trying to burst your bubble, but I think you could do a whole lot better for that kind of money, but that's just my 2 cents worth. Maybe it's better than it looks.
thank you for the resource! how do I check the compression?
Simple, just remove one plug/wire at a time and screw the gauge in, turn the truck over, remove gauge and replace plug/wire. It's a good idea to remove the wire going from ignition coil to dist cap so the truck doesn't actually start when you turn it over. For what it can tell you and what the readings mean, watch this video.
A good dry test will be between 150-180, you want to also make sure that your lowest reading is within 15% of you highest (so if your highest reading is 180 then your lowest should be above 153).
It's a place - to - start kind of truck. You will end up spending lots of money getting that to where you want it. So I guess you should make sure that it is actually the truck you want to build.
Hard to tell in those pics, but those wheel well flares, at least on the driver's side, look kind of funny.
Honestly, it doesn't really look all that special - at least not 10 hour round trip special.
Yes, it is 4x4 but other than that I don't see too much to get real excited about - the body and paint aren't real exciting and it looks like a pretty base model interior wise.
1/2 an hr to an hour away, I'd say go have a look but 5 hrs away - I wouldn't bother, not for that one anyway (and not for $3000).
You should maybe have a look around closer to home and try to find something a little more .... special. An XLT, A flareside, a regular cab shortbox then when you finish fixing it up nice over time, you'll really have something (not to dis anybody else's truck - plenty of nice extra cab 4x4's around, some real nice ones right on this site).
Thing is, once you buy one of these trucks, you're gonna be spending a few bucks above and beyond the purchase price - they are 20 years old now. So you want to start with something with some real pluses going for it, or dirt cheap and parked 2 blocks away. That truck isn't really either.
Not trying to burst your bubble, but I think you could do a whole lot better for that kind of money, but that's just my 2 cents worth. Maybe it's better than it looks.
what is it that looks funny about the wheel well flares? and what could that mean? repaired damage?
this is actually the closest truck to me that has the things that i want. 6 cylinder, extended cab, 4 wheel drive, manual transmission, and its the old body style but new enough to have an airbag. I like the look of the old trucks but I want that airbag for safety, plus I don't need a V8 and single cab is impractical for me. I don't mind road trips either I'm willing to walk away if it ends up being a crappy truck.
Simple, just remove one plug/wire at a time and screw the gauge in, turn the truck over, remove gauge and replace plug/wire. It's a good idea to remove the wire going from ignition coil to dist cap so the truck doesn't actually start when you turn it over. For what it can tell you and what the readings mean, watch this video. How To Perform a Compression Test - EricTheCarGuy - YouTube
A good dry test will be between 150-180, you want to also make sure that your lowest reading is within 15% of you highest (so if your highest reading is 180 then your lowest should be above 153).
thank you again for this awesome resource. I'm gonna pick up the equipment I need before we go out to see the truck.
11-20-2014, 12:15 PM
about to purchase a 1995 F150
I'm willing to walk away if it ends up being a crappy truck.