Heres the deal. Im a 17 year old soon to be college student. I will be traveling the wny roads about 20 miles everyday to school. I bought a 1994 camaro but i want a nice reliable truck. I have 2 guys who are willing to trade.

First one

1994 F150 XLT 5.0L 4X4

Not sure how many miles yet. Likely on the higher side

Body is actually pretty clean...everything but the front fenders

Runs good, transmission shifts good


1997 F150 XLT Supercab V8 (the smaller "8" i believe) 2wd

115000 miles

Body is decent... couple of patches and the bumper was sprayed black

Ice cold A/C and HOT heat

Runs good tranny is good

So what do you guys think...i know its tough since you cant see the trucks... I really like the 1997... but the winters are awful around here... im just confused. the ex. cab would be nice because i have a lot of buddies id be hauling with me
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What state do you live in? I'm in Washington and I'd probably go for the 4x4, but having the extra room sure is nice. With the right tires and some weight in the back a 2wd truck isn't that bad in the snow. I crossed Donner pass in the middle of a blizzard in a little 2wd s10 with no problems. Slow and easy...

 

I live in western new york

 

Get the 94 4x4. I used to live in Buffalo so I know about snow. I have a 94 XLT 4x4 extended cab. I could live without the back seat but never without the 4WD. The back seat isn't all that big so if your friends are big they aren't going to fit back there very well anyways. Just my .02.

Brett

 

What if the 94 has a load of miles? I suspect it does

 

depends on how well your friend took care of the truck. If it was maintained properly, miles might not matter.

 

The 97 doesn't exactly have low miles either, 115,000 is nothing to sneeze at. I'd still go with the 94. The fact that the 94 has 4WD adds to it's resale value considerably given where you live if you decide to get rid of it. You can still consider the 97 if you want but to me getting a 2wd truck is kind of like drinking decaf coffee...what's the point? (No offense to all you 2WD owners, just my personal opinion). You really need to go look at both vehicles. Worry less about body condition. It will give you an indication on how well the truck was maintained and it's current condition but you can always replace a rotted fender,etc. Given the winters in WNY and the large amount of salt they use you need to get under both trucks and look over the frames. Specifically, check the rear spring hangers, the front coil spring towers and the fuel tanks. All of those are known for rusting out. Check the frame for any signs of rust through or cracks. Look at the bottom of the radiator support for rot and cracks. Once you have determined the frame condition you can go from there. Hope this helps.

Brett

 

Snowy roads-2wd truck=bad news
Snowy roads-4x4 truck=
This one's a no brainer IMO...just remember that 4WD doesn't mean you're invincible on slick roads.

 

I would go with the 4x4 but I love the body style of those trucks. In WNY you will get a huge amount of snow and the 4x4 would be helpful.

 

Wow, this is a no brainer, get the 1997. The extra weight of the 4x4 increases gasoline cost. and the 4wd is not needed.

Nobody's heard of snowplows and not driving during snowstorms? snow chains?

A set of good Mud and Snow tires combined with the correct load in the rear bed over the axle will provide all the traction needed in the USA western NY.

 

Get the '97. More room. Throw an Aussie locker in the rear, slap on a good set of tires and go.

 

I like the 94 style better but my choice would be decided by the amount of rust. The extra room in the extended cab comes in very handy. The 97 will get you better gas mileage than the 94 too but it is a harder truck to work on in many ways. I have a 2wd and use dedicated snows with about 300lbs of ballast over the rear axle and my trucks a 5 speed which helps.
regards
rikard

 

i own a 2wd ranger... and anywhere there is a little snow i would recomend against a 2wd.. yeah a lil cheaper on gas in the long run but more of a hastle to worry about.. the best tires and weight in the bed isnt enough to save you from 8 inches of snow... then again i live in the sticks too

 

I traded my 1994 camaro straight up for the 1994 4X4.

The truck only had 95,000 miles!! It became an instant no brainer