My situation: I hate to say it, but I was driving a Chevy. Luckily, I got into a wreck with it and now need a new to me vehicle for around $4000. I am a teacher that usually rides a bike to school, so this vehicle would get maybe $4,000 miles a year. Since I 5 kids and my wife is going to have a car payment shortly for the family car, I really just need to pay cash for this one. I live in the Dallas area. I am a budding home mechanic - have worked on steering, fuel, brakes, and suspensions to some degree, but I don't know anything about most things I haven't worked on, including transmissions.

After pursuing Craigslist, I am seeing a bunch of high mileage Sport Tracs from 2001-2003 in my price range and I kind of have my heart set either a Sport Trac or an Explorer (SUV) as option B.

What advice would you give me as I go to check out these vehicles? In particular,

• what signs should I be looking for in terms of costly common problems?
• what questions would you ask to be sure the key maintenance for the Sports Track has been done
• I am hoping for another 40,000 miles out of the truck at least. What mileage do you see these trucks making it on average before they are not worth trying to maintain anymore? (assuming good luck and good maintenance.)

Any other advice is welcome.
Thanks,
Dave

 

most of these vehicles if maintained will get up words of 3000.00 miles or more. 200.000 miles is not too hard,,, do your home work , check vin #s, clean title and maintenance records ...my boys have a 1992 and a 1994 explorers. older I know.. both over 200.000 and running fine daily drivers, no motor changes or tranny's either,,we live at 8,000 ft year round in utah so at least 6 to 8 months of 4 wheel drive.snow use,,4.0 v 6 engines,,good luck

 

Thanks for the advice. I watched this great video called " " and it has a nice checklist of things to look at, including running a CARFAX on the VIN, but I should add on to the list to ask for maintenance records. I'm thinking for a car this age I will need to buy from a private seller as most dealers won't know the history well enough.

Anyone know where I can find the maintenance schedule for say a 2002 Sport Trac? That would help me know what to look for on the records to be sure the milestone items (timing belt, etc.) have been hit.

 

8000 feet in Utah -- where are you at? Park City or something? I went to BYU.