cbzdel

A couple years back I had bought a 1993 F150 for $2000, it was nothing special but it did it job until the head gasket blew, so I replaced it and then shortly after that the rings started to go out so it smoked like crazy.. Either way I got a solid 2 years of use out of it.

I am in the market for something like this again. I am looking for the 1992 to 1996 body style with a 4x4 but other than that I am not sure what combo is the most reliable. Now this is not a daily driver, it would only be driven for weekend projects around the house and such. I am thinking really want to find something for around $3000 or so, that will last me the next 5 to 10 years if that is possible for that low of cash. I dont mind replacing simple parts that fail but a complete engine or tranny rebuild is more that I would ever want to take on.

Right now I am using a harbor freight folding trailer and its more of a hassle than what its worth, I would rather just buy another truck but if I buy one I want it to last a decent amount of time..

ScaldedApe

I got a '96 4x4 down here in Oklahoma if you're willing to make the drive.

Ryan313

If you want it to last another 5 to 10 years then a straight 6 is your best bet. It has a lot of torgud and will do great hauling, plus they don't die. Along with that you can't beat the manual 5 speed.

cbzdel

My old 93 had the i6 in it, the problem was they lifted it and stuck 35s on it.. It was a base model with the tallest gears available.. So its top speed was about 65 miles an hour, and if I had to go uphill on the freeway, I was limited to the low 50s..

Once the rings started to go, I needed to almost floor it to even make it move!!

Other than that it was a nice and easy engine to work on

ScaldedApe

I'll second the straight six. My grandfather had a 93 model 4.9L and it was a workhorse. The transmission and computer went out but the motor kept on ticking...I'd almost rather have it than my 5.8L.

mattbarron94

XL single cab long bed 4.9 5 speed. That's gonna be the best work truck you can get for the money. I'd stray away from 200k+miles if you are looking for another 10 years, but even so, you should get at least 300k out of a 4.9 with no major issues.

The automatics will do too, but the e4od transmission (most common for the 4.9 engines) is known to have issues if it's not properly maintained. (Flushes every 30-50k miles, and pan/magnet clean)

Anyways, around here (Texas) You can get an OBS 4.9 with around 150k miles for 2-3k in good shape. So your budget shouldn't be a problem.

Some more info, the 4.9 is notorious for being a GREAT farm truck. If that doesn't say enough, then I don't know what does.