In over 14years of ownership ,this is what I've replaced/repaired: (97F250,4x4,7.5 reg cab)

ball joint,auto to manual hubs,rear brake spring, pinion seal, serp belt, plugs,starter,frt pads,2 batteries,fuel filter,air filters,tires,repair gas tank leak,trans fluid change. Some are mtnce items,some not. One bulb replacement.
No new hoses. Kinda feel guilty about that. 99,400 miles
I would not take $9000 for it because I don't want to look for another used truck or buy a new one.

 

These really are great trucks. I've got a 94 that had the same setup. I''ve put a lot into it now, but even bone stock it was a great truck. And they're bulletproof. I lifted mine before doing a D60 swap and it still had no trouble rock crawling with 36's. My only advice would be to put some kind of detroit locker or limited slip in the rear, otherwise they're kinda slick in 2wd.

I'd say buy it for sure, but try and stay under $5500 just in case if hidden monsters.

 

I appreciate that merlyn. I feel the same with my stuff. I have had many, many offers on my 79 f350, a rare truck indeed. I agree 100% I don't want to have to try to replace it and I see the value, not the price if that makes sense. Money isn't a truck and a truck should be valued solely on it's capabilities of a Truck. If it is cheap, if it is expensive, it is a truck, A "work horse." A local glass installer told me when I tried to buy his 460 f250 1995 reg cab that that truck had been a true work horse. It needed some minor front end work when baught, immediately taken care of, and he said "I used this as a truck. It tows, hauls, pulls, and has never failed me"

He told me if it doesn't work, it leaves and if it works hard and earns its keep, reliable and dependable, It will stay. Period. When it comes up for sale, it has ceased to serve it's purpose. That gave me a new angle on the truck market. I guess as long as it can do me well as a truck, it is the purpose they serve and the fact that I can do the most with what I have when it counts. I think the 97 and back f350 is the appitomy of a 4x4 truck. My brothers stock 96 PSD has made 3 or 4 trips into the mountains into people's cabins and hunting camps that the dodges and chebbys simply couldn't get there. We chain up the front, and point her up hill. It won't even try to stop, his old 96 460 truck went even better.

In rifle season, the brother in law's 95 dodge 2500 was slid in the ditch and stuck on the way to the cabin. The 96 went fight around and in 4 low 2 on the e40d we clawed right to the top, no hesitations. Still drove perfectly on the 60 mile trek at 65mph back to town. Now that is a truck, not a dodge.

The year before that in archery season, a friend was camped next to my brother's camp, he asked "where will you be hunting?"

my brother replied "on top of that hill"

the guy said " How you gettin up there? my truck (96 DODGE CTD) wont climp that hill."

My brother looked right at him and said "It aint my fault you drive a piece of *****"

I have a dozen stories like these, involving a 97 and back f250 or f350. I think you get what you pay for.

As for the haggerty insurance, I have ran into some issues since I register my trucks as a farm truck. That seems to raise a few flags with insurance. Here in CO if you run farm tags, you can do anything, haul anything, over wide, heavy, tall, No restrictions. The insurance company Asks me a LOT of questions when I spec the vehicle use as farm. Do you tow? do you have any modifications, (one guy had a feed box on an f 350 for cattle) How many miles/year? What percentage is farm, personal, recreational? WE WANT TO KNOW!! I do appreciate the lead, I could eliminate this by running classic tags, but I like farm tags due to when they pull me over, I can say "I am a farmer, I'm allowed to have that, I thought since I was a farmer I didn't need those"

 

If you're USING them as farm trucks, than colllector insurance isn't for you. Those 4 vehicles I mentioned probably see 100 or 200 miles/yr if that. Just toys, or "garage ornaments" as my wife says.

 

FWIW,

In April 2010 I bought, in Salt Lake, a 97 F250 ext cab, manual, 4x4, 460, very good condition, decent bigfoot tires, with 54k out the door $7700. They had it listed for $9k. I've put 10k on since and it's a great truck. I use mine for pulling horses, hauling firewood, hay etc. I try to take care of it, because I want it to last for a long time. Mine gets 12-13mpg. I got 9mpg hauling a 3 horse steel trailer with 2 horses in some up and down rolling hills country. But I drive pretty conservatively.

 

My 92 F250 4x4 with 257K, 460/E4OD & 3.55 gears CAN get 13-14 mpg hwy if driven reasonably.

 

Cracks me up! My little 96' F-150 has never pulled another Ford out (or been pulled out), but 2 dodges (one cc dually cummins, one cc 3/4ton cummins), a chevy cc 3/4 ton, and a lifted tundra. Man I love the 4low, lock trans in 2nd, and 4 tire chains. That will get me anywhere and everywhere I shouldn't be. Plows snow with the front bumper up hill.

When I was shopping for a truck, my dad told me not to worry too much about price so long as you can afford it outright, just buy something that isn't worn out and will do the job. So I did. My truck has failed me once in over 100,000 miles, dead battery 20 miles off Highway 50 up a FS road, and that was my fault. I knew the battery was getting weak, kept driving it anyway. Odometer now reads 184,000. Needs some bushings up front, front axle u joint, shocks all around, and some fluid changes (about $400 in parts) and it should go a while longer. I plan to keep it as long as it continues to serve its purpose.

Another great thing about these era trucks is they're not too bad to work on yourself. My dad (30 year Ford mechanic) said they were the last one meant to be serviced by a backyard mechanic (not that the new ones can't be, just require more of everything).

I'd pull the trigger on that one ton.

Montrose huh? I'm just up the road in Gunnison, well, actually just moved to Crested Butte yesterday.

 

Thanks. That is my thoughts. On your truck WYOMING, That was where i was looking to be. Say if your truck had brand new tires, It might be worth $300 more at the $8000 range. I think that is a fair price If I can dicker down to $8000 I don't see that as being too far out of reason. The people who testify (like yourself) seem to be happy with where they have ended up. I have developed my opinion into this: What will $9000 buy in a 1 ton? If it is a diesel, it will buy a 85,000-110,000 mile truck in fair shape. In a gas it will buy a 50,000-75,000 mile truck in fair to good shape. I have looked extensively and actively, and this was the second truck with NEW tires.

What I look at is this: I can pay cash. I can afford insurance and tags. I can fix it when it breaks. My brother sold his 99 superduty and baught a new toyota tacoma. that truck had NEW tires, New springs, New injectors, new E40D, fresh fluid change, New top of the line stereo, eclipse I think, fresh alignment, new water pump, new glow plugs, new ball joints, fuel tank upgrade, new batteries, and on down the line. Every time he turned around, every month, that truck was a $1000 hit. He said he can save money on that toyota by making payment and saving repairs. I see his point. All parts were ford when possible. miles: 165,000

I guess What I see is a 50,000 mile truck is bound to be less wore out than a 150,000 mile truck. I respect the opinions here but a 50,000 mile truck has more life left in it than the same truck with 150,000 miles. It is philosophical thinking. I can save $5000 on a 20,000 mile truck I found. The inside is not good, body dinged, tires smooth, and 20,000 miles. It is 1500 miles away. The cost to get it home is $1000, I have done this before. Now it is a $5000 truck. tires=$5800 truck complete service $500=$6300 BW turnover ball $300=$6600 Interior=$400 $7000 It had a plow assume $500 fixes front end plus alignment=$7600 truck tint the windows $200 $7800 How is this a savings? i have not seen 17 Yo trucks bringing $7000-$9000 but I have found none in this good of shape inside and out. They all need SOMETHING.

I don't know if i am going to pull the trigger or not yet, but my point is where is there a better deal? If I do the work myself I have to allow an expense for my time and the trips to town for parts. I hate to say it, but I think there is a market for you guy's low mileage trucks if you choose to sell them in "EXCELLENT" condition. This means NEW tires, fresh service, and everything working flawlessly. No cracked windows, no rattles, and so-on.

I sold a tractor a month and a half ago and I came down $500 on the price because the rear tires didn't match and it needed an oil change. I could have thrown a tire on the rear and changed the oil for $250 and made an extra $250. How crazy is that? I wouldn't fix up something for the next guy, and it cost me a couple days wages. People are willing to spend theur hard earned money if they know it is not wasted.