fenderpicks

So guys, My name is Ivan

I just recently sold my 04 Ford Ranger Edge 2WD
It is got a minor rear main leak / minor accident prior to my purchase. So i decided to let it go before it completely die on me.

So i got my eyes on the pre 1997 F150, love how their body look. And if i could afford the 2012/13 F150, i'd buy it in a heartbeat, but as a college student, i cant afford anything fancy =)

So the pre 1997 F150 fits perfectly in my budget around 3-3.5k

I got a few F150 that im going to look at this week, all are from Craigslist.

I just would like to know what type of things i should look out for on these old trucks.
What parts are more prone to fail, what needs to be replaced and anything that is worth mentioning.

I am not a mechanic or anything, but i do like to fix my own cars/trucks if it is within my knowledge.

So hopefully u fellas can shed some lights on a NEWCOMER TO the F150!!!

etex

At the age of these trucks, all systems are subject to some failures. You just have to do a good inspection of each one you are considering then hope for the best. The end result depends on the degree and accuracy of the inspection. Good luck.

scottnbarbi

Oil pan leaks are way too common, some of the early electronic automatic transmissions had serious problems.
Just a thought, try not to spend your entire budget on a truck, keep out a few hundred bucks for whatever deferred maintenance/repairs that are bound to come up once you get it home. For example my water pump failed within a couple of weeks and I had to replace it and all the hoses, whoever had it before obviously just threw some Barsleaks in it to get it sold.

Full-boost21

Check everything just like you would on any other vehicle. 94-95 Trucks are the best options if you plan to upgrade any engine parts since they are MAF (mass air flow) EFI. Check the inside frame rails for mud and dirt to see if it has been wheeled pretty hard. Its pretty easy to find virgin pre 97 trucks in my neck of the woods, every old timer in town has 1 or 3 in the driveway.

fenderpicks

Thanks guys, i found a 1996 F150 XL
It is in decent condition.
The A/C doesnt blow cold, and when i test drove it, it ran out of gas? And the steering wheel was super hard to turn? At least thats what the seller told me.... Dash shows that there is gas, but i guess fuel sending unit thingie is stuck?

timmy1991

To be honest id pass and just keep looking lol. If its already got problems on a test drive, thats not a good sign of things to come.

fenderpicks

Well the guy said it ran out of gas, he put a gallon in, and it fired up right away?