A side support bar in the door sounds right but a side airbag.. I'd want to see that to believe it.

 

no not side airbag just the bar they added both in 94

 

I am 17 myself I would choose the 4wd most definatly probably why I have a 88 F150 4x4 302.
Trav

 

Oh I see what you mean but didn't the airbag start in '92?

 

no, my 92 doesnt have one and its an xlt

 

If he wants the 4wd teach him one, very important thing: use it as a last resort. If he gets stuck while in 2wd, odds are he'll be able to get out by putting it in 4wd. Get stuck in 4wd, and you'll need another truck or a tractor to come pull you out. Airbag or no airbag, he should be wearing his seatbelt. The first generation SRS systems had one deployment speed, full power. The later trucks with the second generation two speed airbags are safer IMO since the deployment speed can be decreased for less severe impacts.

Crazy as it sounds, check what kind of seats are in it. High back buckets or adjustable head restraints are what you want. From personal experience (being rear-ended in my SHO), they do serve a purpose. A low back bucket or bench wont offer whiplash protection of he gets rear ended.

If possible, take the 88 to a reputable mechanic and have it looked over, especially the front end. If the balljoints or steering components are worn, there's some good leverage to use in regards to price.

 

My last job was working for a guy who had a tow yard, of the seriously wrecked cars I would say only about half the air bags deployed, give or take a few.

Of the cars that weren't really hit that hard, fender bender level, about half the air bags deployed, give or take a few.

I'm sure this isn't enough to qualify for a scientific sample, probably around 3-400 cars year that were in accidents that I personally worked with. I also wasn't keeping records of which ones worked like they should, but over the 3 or 4 years I worked there I learned not to have much confidence in air bags.

Seems like you can't count on them to deploy when you need them, and they may very well deploy when you don't want them to.

 

well for me 182 dollar a year saveings helps alot!!! ac can be retrofitted if the boy gets a job and saves his penny's

 

Prepare for a few scrapes, dents, bumper pull offs and tires, lots of tires. It will be a real bonding experience with possibly a roll-over to cement UR ties with each other. Odds of getting thru that 1st year are low. Of course the motor, trans, and axle/transfer case will get torn up too. So most of the next few years will be re-cementing the 4x4 and each other together fairly often.

 

i wouldnt say that the bench seat i sit in everyday has headrests in it, and a flip down console for an amrest. its an xlt so thats prolly way

 

Another vote for the 4x4. The versatility alone is worth the trade, plus if you plan to sell itdown the road you will get ALOT more interested parties in comparison to the 2wd.

 

I would go with the 4x4. When I was 17 I had an 86 ford ranger 4x4 and loved that truck. It went through a few fender benders but none of it was a result of the 4x4. I only use 4x4 when I need it. A 2x4 was never an option for me though because of the snowy winters and living out in the country. If I didn't have 4x4 I wouldn't have made it down my parents driveway half the winter!

Make your son pay for half the truck and the majority of the maintenance/repair costs and I gaurantee he will take 100% better car of the vehicle. It will make him think twice before doing something stupid in 4x4 because he has to bear the cost of repairs if he breaks something.

 

Wow! Thanks for all the opinions! Unfortunately, the truck is was a let-down. It has a Mechanical oil pressure guage installed, and, although it started out at 60psi cold, once warmed up, it sank to 5 psi or less, and running down the road at 2200rpm's was a 20, Not much pressure for a 144K, (ya, I was wrong, not 114k on it)

I need the engine to last. it seemed to have a good clutch, and all the running gear seemed ok, but the Oil pr. worries me. So It's a no-go.

Thanks for all the opinions, definite will keep looking for a 4wd, but not in any rush, gotta be the right one. He's got his 2wd, and he got it stuck once (on some slimy clay ground), but he hasn't taken it anywhere he not supposed to yet.

At least I started him out right, and got him a FORD!